Michigan State University｜David R. Ewoldsen
Topic: Retrospective Imaginative Involvement and Entertainment Narratives: Initial Explorations
Speaker: David R. Ewoldsen, Professor, Department of Media & Information, Michigan State University
Date & Time: Friday, November 8, 2024, 14:30-15:40
Venue: International Conference Hall, 4th Floor, Liujia Campus, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Prof. David R. Ewoldsen holds dual Ph.D. degrees in Psychology and Speech Communication from Indiana University and is currently a professor at Michigan State University. As a co-editor of the Journal of Communication, one of the most influential journals in the field, Prof. Ewoldsen enjoys a distinguished academic reputation. His research employs an interdisciplinary approach, integrating perspectives from communication studies, social and cognitive psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive anthropology.
In this lecture, Prof. Ewoldsen will introduce an innovative concept in media studies—Retrospective Imaginative Involvement (RII). This phenomenon describes how people continue engaging with a story’s plot, characters, and settings even after they have finished watching. Such engagement may range from brief mind-wandering to structured creative activities, such as fan fiction writing. Prof. Ewoldsen will elaborate on the antecedents and consequences of RII and propose a preliminary theoretical model to help us understand this underexplored aspect of media engagement.