http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2199790/How-watching-reruns-favourite-TV-shows-mental-boost.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
This article claims that watching re-runs of favorite television shows can have a positive effect on people's self control and will power. The article explains that several research studies have results that support this theory. Watching re-runs of favorite television shows requires very little cognition and effort. Watching a new episode or television show takes more energy than one that you may already know every actor's line. The researchers explained that people have limited mental resources and that watching a familiar television show can help restore them because you are not using very much effort and yet still enjoying it.
I cannot say that my personal experience with watching familiar television shows has actually increased my will power and self control. It seems to me that sitting down to watch old television show re-runs would be distracting and cause people to want to watch more television, therefore putting off over duties and decreasing their self control to work on more important tasks.
What do you guys think? Do you think that watching re-runs helps you to become more motivated or to have more self control when you are concentrating on certain tasks? Would you watch re-runs every night before studying for class if this study was proven to be valid?
That's a great post. My girlfriend is a chronic re-watcher of TV shows. She primarily uses it to de-stress and relax. She even uses re-runs to help sleep if she is having insomnia. There is definitely a component of comfort and control in knowing the sequence of events, and there is the positive association of having already enjoyed the content before that is additionally reinforcing. There is a good amount of research which supports the idea that we have limited will power, so I think it's good to use down time by eliciting positive feelings by a tried and true method.
ReplyDeleteAlthough watching re-runs of shows may distract you from studying, I feel like it's also a good way of relaxing by taking a break. Watching re-runs of shows you watch also have positive associations with them, including a sense of comfort or comedy. That in itself is enough to boost your mood, therefore increasing your motivation to study even more. However, I do agree with the idea that watching re-runs requires a lot of willpower and self-control. You have to have the will and the self-control in terms of limiting yourself. You have to be able to balance studying time and down time. Otherwise, I do not think that watching re-runs would have a positive effect on your willpower or self-control.
ReplyDeleteFirst off very interesting. I feel like the type of "will power" and "self-control" would need to be more defined in order to make this article more valid. For example, if I was to be watching a re-run of a favorite TV show while I was doing something else like homework or cooking, I would be less distracted and could more easily complete this task compared to if I was multitasking with a TV show I had never seen. Also if I was watching a re-run I may become bored and decide to move on to doing something more productive with my time. However if the re-run was one that I enjoyed so much, I may find myself relaxing and wanting to continue watching more TV, negating anything else from getting accomplished. So what exactly are "will power" and "self control?" The ability to remain calm and relaxed, to be more productive with your time, less distracted, or better concentration? Without this being clearly defined I feel like this is a very inconclusive argument/study because there are too many different personality types and variables concerning what is considered "will power" and "self control" for this claim to be made valid.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jared and Prince. When i watch re-runs it definitely helps me de-stress and relax. That's why almost only watch TBS and Nick@night, they always play re-runs. It is indeed comforting. We always share familiar stories with friends more than once, and we still enjoy them. I think it works the same way when, for example, I watch Seinfeld. I may know the joke that is about to come up, yet I still find it funny. When it comes to distractions, TV in general is a distraction. But if you compare a re-run to some new sitcom, your likely to be more distracted by the new sitcom and want to watch more of it because it is so much more engaging. Whereas with a re-run, I could easily watch one show and then turn off the TV, or just leave it on for some background noise. That would definitely boost my mood when I do not enjoy whatever work I'm preoccupied with.
ReplyDeleteI personally can't study without a little background noise. If it's too quiet I just can't concentrate, so to offset this I play re-runs of my favorite show in the background. The background noise keeps me on track with my studying and the fact that I have already seen the show allows me to not be sucked in and distracted.
ReplyDeleteI've never really thought about myself doing this till I read this...and I do this all the time! I am a Netflix junkie and will not watch something I haven't seen yet unless I am doing nothing other than watching the program, but I will fall asleep at night watching episodes of 24 I've seen a million times before. I wonder though if this could be related to music as well. I always need some kind of noise in the background when I study and most of the time I find myself listening to my mom's kind of music (The Doors, 80s pop), which is kind of like listening to the rerun of a show I've seen before.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very interesting the idea of insomnia being helped with re-runs of television shows. My dad has had sleeping problems most of his adult life. For whatever reason he gets max maybe 4 hours of sleep a night. And this is not constant. Usually and hour or so every so often. My dad also never watches re-runs of any television shows. He feels that if he has seen an episode than there is no need to watch it again. He feels that it is a waste of time. He will not even watch the same movie twice. I might need to suggest to him to watch shows that he has already see so he will be in more control. Who knows maybe I just helped his sleep problem.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting. I personally watch re-runs of television shows and movies especially when I am attempting to multitask. For instance, sometimes I do homework, workout, and cook while also watching reruns. I find that I don't have to devote very much attention and cognitive energy into following the plot of the program compared to viewing an episode that I haven't seen before.
ReplyDeleteI watch reruns all the time, especially Boy Meets World and Friends. I can't say that it increases my self control but I can say it increases my enjoyment and momentary happiness. I can also say that watching re-runs makes doing homework easier because I dont need to focus on the show and I can just pay attention to the jokes I know are coming. Especially if the program is long, like a movie, I can zone out and not waste time but still enjoy certain aspects of the movie.
ReplyDeleteThis article is basically 100% spot on in its findings. I am pathetic when it comes to the fully re watching all seasons of shows that I like. I can say that doing so all the time has increased my self control for sure. AS someone with very limited self control on many levels, I really have noticed a correlation with re-watching a season of a show that I am invested in and how tolerable I am of people, events, and mishaps. Actually during finals especially, there is a specific season of a show that I watch in order to deal with the demands of exams and I've found that semesters that I have not watched the season, I legit do worse. As stupid as it sounds, don't hate... it works.
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