Year of Award
2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Arts (MA)
Degree Name
Communication Studies
Department or School/College
Department of Communication Studies
Committee Chair
Stephen Yoshimura
Commitee Members
Joel Iverson , Laura Dybdal
Keywords
patient expectations, physician empathy, physician-patient communication, parasocial contact hypothesis, cultivation theory, medical dramas, health communication
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
The present investigation applies para-social contact theory to better understand the role of viewing a medical drama on patients’ expectations towards physician’s empathic communication. Results demonstrate that overall, participants form para-social relationships with television characters. Exposure to the stimulus in the current study did not influence participants’ communicative expectations or para-social interaction with characters on the medical drama used. A positive correlation was found between para-social interaction with televised characters and patient expectations. Results are discussed with an emphasis on how Cultivation theory describes the role between exposure to medical dramas and patient expectations, as well as para-social interaction theory.
Recommended Citation
APA
Included in
© Copyright 2015 Kayla M. Fadenrecht