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Media Consumption Effect on Therapuetic Aesthetics
Lesley University
DigitalCommons@Lesley
Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses, Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences (GSASS)
Spring 5-22-2021
William Gracik
[Email](wgracik ‘at’ lesley.edu)
Video: Welcome to Lesley University
Recommended Citation Gracik, William, “Media Consumption Effect on Therapuetic Aesthetics” (2021). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 491. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/491
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How Does Media Consumption and Screen Time Usage Affect Our Therapeutic Aesthetics? A Literature Review
Capstone Thesis Lesley University
May 5th, 2021 William Charles Gracik Expressive Arts Therapy Donna C. Owens
Abstract
This paper conceptualizes and proposes the current thesis topic: how does media consumption and screen time usage affect our therapeutic aesthetics? The thesis is a critical review of the literature that focalizes on highlighting key themes between both concepts. Literature findings convey an increase of screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The literature collected tentatively suggests four key findings: media multitasking serves an emotional and sensory gratification purpose and less of a cognitive functional one, an increased risk of psychiatric disorders with excessive media use, social media consumption as a behavior is highly associated with the hedonic pleasure system, and media consumption as a behavior is highly influenced by our therapeutic aesthetics. The literature also tentatively suggests mindfulness as a preventative factor from the potential unhealthy byproducts of social media consumption. The thesis further explores how the expressive arts therapies serve as interventions between excess screen time use due to its innate properties of mindfulness, naturalism, and aestheticization.
Keywords: aesthetics, screen time, social media, mindfulness, sense, creativity, imagination, perfectionism, media, digital media, expressive arts therapy