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Life's Little Mysteries
New research reveals why people like to reread books, re-watch movies and generally repeat the same experiences over and over again. It’s not addictive or ritualistic behavior, but rather a conscious effort to probe deeper layers of significance in the revisited material, while also reflecting on one's own growth through the lens of the familiar book, movie or place.
Cristel Russell, a consumer behavior researcher at American University, and her colleagues interviewed 23 people to identify the underlying reasons for what they call "re-consumption." As detailed in a forthcoming paper in the Journal of Consumer Research, the researchers found that re-consumption is not merely a nostalgic attempt to retrieve the past, but rather an active search for new meaning, and one that has great emotional value.
"Because re-experiencing offers a way to look at oneself through the same lens but with different eyes, it offers many therapeutic benefits," Russell wrote in an email. "So long as one is actively conscious of the re-experience (and it's not a passive, uncontrollable addiction), it can offer many self-reflexive opportunities."
For example, one study participant was a church minister who regularly rereads the Bible. He said he sometimes interprets familiar passages differently and therefore has to amend the views he might have expressed publicly. "He saw this as a sign of growth," Russell told Life’s Little Mysteries.
The authors said their finding confirmed an assertion of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, who in 1953 argued that repetition enables one to achieve an understanding of one’s personal past. More importantly, re-consuming causes the contrasts between our past and present selves to become manifest. We recall how we interpreted words or footage in the past, and reflect on the differences with our current interpretation. [6 Fun Ways to Sharpen Your Memory]
Re-consumption also can be deeply therapeutic. "Psychotherapists view the repetition of an experience as useful to purge that experience of its emotional excesses, a psychoanalytical concept called abreaction," the study authors explain. "The re-experience allows one to become conscious of repressed or suppressed traumatic events. It has led the way to abreaction therapy, where patients are helped to re-enact the experience in a controlled environment – for instance, to resolve post–traumatic stress disorder, characterized by the persistent re-experience of a traumatic event."
For example, a study participant named Lynette read a book, "The Bridges of Madison County," for abreaction. She explained that there are "just times when I’m feeling a bit low for some reason; I need to read that book, have a real good cry, and get it all out of my system – and, I don’t know, it just does it for me."
In short, the researchers explained, the book allows her to purge an excess of sadness.
Russell said the new findings have profound implications for marketing. "Marketers are always trying to keep experiences fresh and new. We show that even old experiences can be perceived as offering new perspectives," she wrote. "Also, many industries are in the business of re-launching, or creating new versions of this or that (movies made from stories in a book, re-releases of old classics, etc.), so we show them the ways in which consumers may respond to these re-experiences."
The study has psychological implications, too, she said. Instead of feeling awkward or unusual about rereading the same books, re-watching films or revisiting the same places, the study shows that in fact re-consuming is therapeutic and should be encouraged. "In the age of progress and always pushing newness and differences, it seems that we forget that it's okay to redo."
What movie could you watch over and over -- or what book have you reread countless times? Join the discussion on Facebook.
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Leave a Comment:
They interviewed 23 people to make these generalizations? Why do you use this stuff. To fill your site? I think I re-read books because I enjoy them and I see movies again for the same reason. I am not interested in the depth of my feelings. This is crap and you should be ashamed of yourself.
"This is crap and you should be ashamed of yourself."
Lighten up, Francis.
4 serious.
I have not read the original study but it sounds like they did in -depth interviews - not easy to do on a large scale which would likely only muddle the results as each one is bound to be very different in many ways.
If they want to do statistics on various matrices of answers, sure get the numbers. But here it appears they just wanted to get a overall picture by actually talking to people rather then having them fill out a pointless survey without nuance. I know many people that form generalizations on hearing one or two talk about their thoughts and experiences so 23 people really is a fair amount if you are careful to limit your interpretation -
As long as they are clear that this is the best overall explanation of why those they interviewed re-watched media I don't see why this is a problem and is more likely to get a meaningful answer then a shallower study on a larger group. Now that they have this info they could parse out some particulars with a larger study but that doesn't make this one invalid.
For my part this is why I re-watch and especially re-read media - even in comedies I find re-watching them I notice more the second time around or because the I react stronger to the character's reactions once I have already had the benefit of seeming their full development- (I definitely laughed a lot harder the second time watching The Big Labowski for instance)- though I don't do either much since there is so many new films and literature coming out as well as classics I haven't gotten around to yet.
As un-reflective as you appear to be Jerome, I would suspect that your enjoyment of movies that you re-watch might even have a self-reflective element or a more in-depth appreciation at times.
There have been many times I've gone to a movie and came out thinking it was awful, but a few years later watching it and having it become one of my favorites. I think it has to do with expectation going in. You expect one thing and get another and it spoils your "taste" for the film the first time (like that "wtf" sensations when drinking a soda when you thought you had a glass of milk). The second time around you're not distracted by your disappointment in what you thought you were getting and settle down to find you enjoy what you have.
If I see a movie that is really good, such as "The Help", I want to see it again just to enjoy it one more time. I always pick up more details the second time. Same with a book. I don't think it means anything deeper than that.
The first time you undertake a new journey, you are focussed on where you are going and the path that will get you there. When you take that journey again, you know the way and can enjoy some of the sights along the way.
Very well said Dawn.
I, too, noted the paucity of participants in the study. Twenty-three? Oh please, there is no value in a study with that miniscule a sample.
This article did get me to reflect on my own habits of 're-consumption'. (re-consumption? sounds like a relapse of TB)
I rarely reread books with a couple of notable exceptions :"Dandelion Wine", "Watership Down". I am conscious of my varying 'selves' vis a vis those remarkable books. I may add "The Red Tent", "The Grass Dancer", and "Revenge of the Middle-aged Woman".
Movies, on the other hand, I rewatch regularly. Certain movies are fitted to certain moods. They're like old friends I can count on to get me through a rough patch.
Yes, this study seems a little off to me, too. I usually only re-read fiction books or rewatch movies to pick up on the details that I skimmed over the first time because I was too focused on what would happen next.
Now yes, sometimes with non-fiction, I can see things differently the next time around, based on life happening in between.
But as for the therapeutic aspect? I experience this mostly with NEW movies - I'm happy to cry at the slightest sad thing because I feel like I am letting out whatever i may have been repressing in my real life. It's an excuse to have a good cry, even though I've never seen the movie before.
I think it's a scream that the "people" (rather than go into an accurate and therefore of necessity a negative description of the authors of this study I'll just refer to them this way) who assembled this "study" from all 23 (that many!) subjects are trying to associate their "work" with Heidegger. Why be pikers? Why not associate it with Socrates or Henry VIII or Lindbergh or...anybody that anybody has ever heard of who is dead and for that reason is denied the pleasure of telling these "people" what it is they are full of?
Basically, I feel that those who feel that "A book is just a book" are missing out on the morals and the sheer fascination that a book can introduce to their lives. They should try getting involved with the characters in the books they read and learn the lessons (other than intentional ones purposed by the book) taught therein.
If you look at it, the lessons which can be gleaned from even fiction are inspirational if not tutorial. They are the lessons of life; they are the principles we are taught at home, in school and at Worship applied to how the characters approach the plot of the books they are in. Psychology, Philosophy and Personality are there for those who embrace the tales as they read between the lines of a good book. Imagination is triggered from within the pages and carried into the inventiveness of our working and social lives thereby.
A good book should be read with enjoyment not just to pass the time or to be able to said that "Yes, I read this book or that author to impress your friends and associates. Read for WISDOM not just for Bragging Rights.
We read it over again to find out what we have missed and the same with movies and many other things in our lives. there are those few that can get it all the first time around, but they have the ability to retain what they read and watch by paying close attention while reading and watching.
Knowledge is one thing, that should be limited to text books and tutorials. I used to be able to do that myself, age has it's losses. Reading for leisure should be relaxing and stimulating to the aesthetic portion of the brain bringing escape from daily life and maybe even the wakening of creative thought. Any decent Lit. Professor can tell you that.
Psychology, Philosophy and Personality are there for those who embrace the tales as they read between the lines of a good book.
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