How Movie-watching Enhanced Subjective Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic? —An Explorative Study Based on the Case of Chinese College Students

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in the psychological health and subjective well-being among the vast majority of people, prompting governments and scholars to actively explore intervention measures aimed at enhancing the well-being of the general populace to counter the challenges posed by the pandemic. However, only few studies have explored the role of movie-watching in enhancing the subjective well-being during the pandemic. The current study, based on a survey of 315 Chinese college students, investigates the relationship between moving-watching behavior, movie preferences and subjective well-being by ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the study show that movie fan identity had a significant effect on subjective well-being, while watching and sharing movies with others, and the eagerness and positive expectations for movie-watching also had significant impact on the subjective well-being of the movie watcher. The frequency of movie-watching and repetitive watching could not enhance the subjective well-being of the movie watcher. Watching with others and positive expectations could anticipate the subjective well-being of the college students who were identified as movie fans. Movie-watching during the COVID-19 pandemic could enhance subjective well-being by maintaining and consolidating the positive emotions and social connections of movie fans.