The Effects of Co-Viewers on the Viewing Experience

Although media consumption often occurs with others, relatively few studies have documented the effect of co-viewing on the viewing experience. Moreover, theories of media effects generally focus on the individual and do not pay attention to group processes. Thus, previous co-viewing research has used various theories related to different aspects specific to each study, making it difficult to comprehend the connections between the studies. The aim of this paper is to propose a comprehensive model of the effects of co-viewing on the experience of watching a narrative text. Based on existing psychological theories that are applied to co-viewing contexts, the model includes the various processes underlying the effects of co-viewing, along with suggested moderators of these processes. While there is empirical evidence supporting some of the effects the model suggests, others have not yet been investigated. Thus, the model presents new directions for future research.