Lazy leisure: A qualitative investigation of the relational uses of television in marriage

Communication researchers have examined television from the perspective of the individual's uses and gratifications, family viewing, and within specific contexts such as soap opera or Olympic coviewing. However, little is known about married couples and the role of television in their relationships. This study sought to use extensive personal interviews to examine why couples watch television together, how they perceive the role of television in their relationships, and any positive or negative effects of television use in their relationship. Results were compared to earlier research regarding family TV use, and quantitative research on couples’ uses of television. A new dimension, interpersonal control, was identified as an outcome of coviewing for married couples.     

Explaining parental coviewing: The role of social facilitation and arousal

This study explores the relationship between parental coviewing and children’s psychophysiological responses to television exposure within a framework of social facilitation. A total of 88 children aged 6–13 years and one of each of their parents participated in a 2 (presence or absence of the parent)?×?2 (exciting or non-exciting TV content) between-subjects experiment. Results indicated that the presence of a coviewing parent was associated with an increase in children’s arousal (higher skin conductance levels) and cognitive resource allocation (lower heart rate), especially for younger children who came from homes where parental coviewing was a relatively frequent activity. These findings suggest that the mere presence of a coviewing parent is sufficient to alter children’s processing of television messages.