ABSTRACT
Media scholars have increasingly turned their attention to examining responses to and outcomes of entertainment experiences that involve the pursuit of meaningfulness, connectedness, and well-being. This chapter provides a summary of this research, with a focus on eudaimonia as a media effect. The chapter begins with a discussion of appreciation as an entertainment gratification. An examination of variables that predict, moderate, and result from eudaimonic media experiences is also offered, as is a discussion of emotional and cognitive components of those experiences. The chapter concludes with thoughts on avenues for future research.
