Not logged in.

Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Does watching TV make us happy?
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Bruno Frey
  • Christine Benesch
  • Alois Stutzer
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title Journal of Economic Psychology
Publisher Elsevier
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 0167-4870
Volume 28
Number 3
Page Range 283 - 313
Date 2007
Abstract Text Watching TV is a major human activity. Because of its immediate benefits at negligible immediate marginal costs it is for many people tempting to view TV rather than to pursue more engaging activities. As a consequence, individuals with incomplete control over, and foresight into, their own behavior watch more TV than they consider optimal for themselves and their well-being is lower than what could be achieved. We find that heavy TV viewers, and in particular those with significant opportunity cost of time, report lower life satisfaction. Long TV hours are also linked to higher material aspirations and anxiety.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1016/j.joep.2007.02.001
PDF File Download from ZORA
Export BibTeX
EP3 XML (ZORA)