When Entertainment Media Pull at the Heartstrings

Abstract: Given that music remains relatively understudied in eudaimonic media effect research, the present study investigated the effect of music video consumption on eudaimonic emotions and prosocial outcomes. A pre-registered experiment ( N = 326) was conducted to examine the associations between eudaimonic music consumption, emotions, prosocial motivations, and donation willingness. Findings showed that participants viewing the eudaimonic music videos reported significantly higher eudaimonic emotions and corresponding physical reactions compared to those who viewed hedonic music videos. Path analysis results revealed the associations between music video consumption and prosocial orientation and willingness to donate to a worthy cause.