Dissertation Title:

Unconscious Connections to Television: Exploring the Relationship Between Me and My TV

Candidate:

Ron N. Gad

Date, Time & Place:

March 1, 2019 at 9:00 am
Studio, Lambert Road Campus


Abstract

This cultural–historical, hermeneutic dissertation delineates the way people have found meaning in their lives, explores the historical relevance stories have played in those searches for meaning, and illuminates the symbolic resonances that TV characters, images, and plotlines offer viewers as they connect to television programming, which has become the preferred storied medium. Nielsen (2018) reported that only 4% of American homes are without an actual television set, and 80% of those homes still view television content on other devices. Considering the overwhelming lure to television programming, this dissertation researched the numerous ways people not only connect to television content, but the ways they can find solace through the symbols to which they are drawn. This depth psychological study noted how an exploration into the free associative meanings of programming that fascinates a viewer can provide insight and understanding into the personal life of that viewer—including the past and present, traumatic and happenstantial.

Note

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Details
  • Program/Track/Year: Clinical Psychology, Track A, 2013
  • Chair: Dr. Jason Butler
  • Reader: Dr. Christine Lewis
  • External Reader: Dr. Jacob Kaminker
  • Keywords: Media Psychology, Television, Meaning Making, Archetypes, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Depth Psychology