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Media Use and Psychoanalysis: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives

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The Forgotten Subject

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show to what extent psychoanalysis, especially after Sigmund Freud, can enrich communication studies and specifically media use research. Starting from the argument that communication studies has inadequate subject theories, I argue that psychoanalytic concepts and ideas can be valuable for both theoretical and empirical questions. Three psychoanalytic concepts – the unconscious, free association, and affect – are then defined in more detail and illustrated with an empirical example of a study of the reception of reality TV. An outlook on the future of psychoanalytic communication studies concludes the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Mary’s University Twickenham, London, Great Britain

    Jacob Johanssen

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  1. Jacob Johanssen
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Correspondence to Jacob Johanssen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Peter Gentzel

  2. Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Friedrich Krotz

  3. Universität Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany

    Jeffrey Wimmer

  4. Universität Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Rainer Winter

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Johanssen, J. (2023). Media Use and Psychoanalysis: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives. In: Gentzel, P., Krotz, F., Wimmer, J., Winter, R. (eds) The Forgotten Subject. Palgrave Macmillan, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42872-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42872-3_6

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-658-42872-3

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