ABSTRACT
In this chapter the authors explore the intersection of media, self, and identity. They discuss various theories of media effects from the perspective of how media are affected by, and in turn affect, self and identity. They explore ways that the self informs media choices and ways that media content and use affect how our identities are shaped and how they evolve. They examine research on social comparison, identification and parasocial relationships, and how stories can be used to expand the boundaries of the self (TEBOTS). Finally, they present a discussion of the possibility that eudaimonic stories about deeply moving human emotions may impact human behavior by providing wisdom of experience (MWOE).
