Excitation-transfer theory (ETT) is a psychological theory developed by D. Zillmann and J. Bryant in the late 1970s. This theory seeks to explain how emotions can be aroused by various events and then transferred onto other events or people. This theory has been used to explain a wide variety of phenomena, such as aggression, media effects, and interpersonal relationships.
According to ETT, a person can be aroused by an initial event or stimulus. This arousal can then be transferred to a subsequent event or stimulus, such that the subsequent event or stimulus has the same or similar affective response. For example, if a person is exposed to an angry episode on television, the arousal generated by that episode can be transferred to the person’s spouse after the program ends. As a result, the person’s spouse may be seen as the source of the anger, even though they had nothing to do with the initial stimulus.
ETT is based on the idea that emotions can be transferred from one event or person to another. It is further based on the notion that the transfer of emotion is facilitated by the similarities between the two events or people. For example, if the initial stimulus is an angry episode of television and the subsequent target is a spouse, the transfer of emotion is likely to be greater if the spouse is perceived to be similarly angry.
ETT has been used to explain a variety of phenomena. For example, it has been used to explain why people can become aggressive after watching violent television programs. It has also been used to explain why people can become emotionally attached to celebrities or characters in films and television shows. Additionally, ETT has been used to explain why people can become emotionally involved in certain kinds of sports, such as football or boxing.
In conclusion, ETT is a useful psychological theory for explaining how emotions can be transferred from one event or person to another. It is based on the idea that emotions can be transferred from one event or person to another and that the transfer of emotion is facilitated by the similarities between the two events or people. ETT has been used to explain a variety of phenomena, including aggression, media effects, and interpersonal relationships.
References
Bryant, J., & Zillmann, D. (1978). Incremental effects in the excitation transfer process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(9), 1141-1147.
Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (1985). Excitation-transfer theory. In R. McGee (Ed.), Theoretical foundations of media effects (pp. 155-176). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Zillmann, D., & Paulus, P. (1993). Aggression. In D. Zillmann & J. Bryant (Eds.), Media effects: Advances in theory and research (pp. 279-301). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.