Model of Inspiring Media

Scholars have increasingly explored the ways that media content can touch, move, and inspire audiences, leading to numerous beneficial outcomes including increased feelings of connectedness to and heightened motivations for doing good for others. Although this line of inquiry is relatively new, sufficient evidence and patterns of results have emerged such that a clearer picture of the inspiring media experience is coming into focus. This article has two primary goals. First, we seek to synthesize the existing research into a working and evolving model of inspiring media experiences reflecting five interrelated and symbiotic elements: exposure, message factors, responses, outcomes, and personal/situational factors. The model also identifies theoretical mechanisms underlying the previously observed positive effects. Secondly, the article explores situations in which, and precipitating factors present, when these hoped-for outcomes either fail to materialize or result in negative or maladaptive responses and outcomes. Ultimately, the model is proposed as a heuristic roadmap for future scholarship and as an invitation for critique and collaboration in the emerging field of positive media psychology.

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Work Title Model of Inspiring Media
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Mary Beth Oliver
  2. Arthur A. Raney
  3. Anne Bartsch
  4. Sophie Janicke-Bowles
  5. Markus Appel
  6. Katherine Dale
Keyword
  1. Inspiring media
  2. Positive media psychology
  3. Self-transcendent emotions
  4. Prosocial behaviors
  5. Media and emotions
License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Journal of Media Psychology
Publication Date November 18, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000305
Deposited June 18, 2025

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added zmp_a000305_AR-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Mary Beth Oliver
  • Added Creator Arthur A. Raney
  • Added Creator S. H. Janicke Bowles
  • Added Creator Anne Bartsch
  • Added Creator K. R. Dale
  • Added Creator Sophie Janicke-Bowles
  • Added Creator M. Appel
  • Added Creator Markus Appel
  • Added Creator Katherine Dale
  • Added Creator A. Bartsch
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Inspiring media , Positive media psychology , Self-transcendent emotions , Prosocial behaviors , Media and emotions
    Publication Date
    • 2021-10-01
    • 2021-11-18
  • Deleted Creator S. H. Janicke Bowles
  • Deleted Creator K. R. Dale
  • Deleted Creator M. Appel
  • Deleted Creator A. Bartsch
  • Updated Creator Arthur A. Raney
  • Renamed Creator Anne Bartsch Show Changes
    • Anne Bartsch
    • Anne Bartsch
  • Updated Creator Sophie Janicke-Bowles
  • Updated Creator Markus Appel
  • Updated Creator Katherine Dale