Abstract

Whereas repeated exposure to communication is a widespread phenomenon, it has so far received little attention in communication research. This article takes a step towards describing, differentiating, and explaining repeated exposure to communication. It discusses different forms of repeated exposure and then focuses on repeated exposure to narrative films. It explores possible motivations for reusing the same media content again and again, while taking processes of repeated exposure as well as situational and personal variables into account. The initially theoretical considerations are then supported, expanded, and specified both by existent empirical evidence and findings from a focus group study. Finally, further questions about repeated exposure to narrative content in media are discussed.