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How many have you heard the saying television rotsthe brain? USA Today reports that The average American home now has more television sets than people. That threshold was crossed within the past two years, consisting of 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people, the researchers said (I have no idea what constitutes as .55 of a person).

While it is indisputable that it is important for the growing minds of children to be exposed to the world offered in booksg rather than confusing array of characters and plots illustrated on the hit cartoon network program 'Adventure Time' (no matter how oddly fascinating), researchers propose that under specific circumstances television can be mentally restorative.

According to a new paper published by Jaye Derrick, PhD, research scientist at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions, "watching a rerun of a favorite TV show may help restore the drive to get things done in people who have used up their reserves of willpower or self-control."

The paper explains that during particularly strenuous task, people use up what she terms as a "limited amount of mental resources." Watching a rerun of a favorite show taps into a surrogate relationship with the characters and events taking place. There is no thought or reasoning involved in watching an episode that we are already familiar with, since we already know what the characters will say and do. Therefore, all there is to it is to sit, watch and reminisce.

"When you watch a favorite re-run, you typically don't have to use any effort to control what you are thinking, saying or doing. You are not exerting the mental energy required for self-control or willpower," Derrick explains. "At the same time, you are enjoying your 'interaction,' with the TV show's characters, and this activity restores your energy."

In the study, half of the participants were asked to complete a task that required heavy concentration while the other half were instructed to complete a task that allowed them more freedom and required less effort. Next, researchers asked the first group to write about their favorite television show and the other group was asked to list items in their bedroom.

Following this, both groups were asked to complete a survey specifically designed to measure any reduction or renewal of willpower when they thought they would be repeating the process all over again.

According to the study, "Those who wrote about their favorite television show (rather than listing items in their room) wrote for longer if they had done the structured task than if they had done the less-structured task. This, Derrick says, indicates these participants were seeking out their favorite TV shows and they wanted to spend more time thinking about them."

Following the questionnaire, participants in the first group showed higher energy levels and were more willing to complete the task all over again.

Perhaps the most telling of the studies was the second which asked a different group of participants to keep a diary of effortful tasks, their energy levels and their choice of media consumption for each day. Without even knowing its universal appeal, all the participants reported to watch a re-run of their favorite show, re-read some pages of their favorite book or re-watch a favorite movie, after completing these difficult tasks.

What's more, the participants were unaware that a first study was conducted or what the researchers were essentially trying to determine.

"Apparently,  just watching whatever is on television does not provide the same benefit nor does watching a new episode of a favorite television show for the first time does not provide the same benefit."

People are more likely to continue watching the show if they see or have access to new episodes or will serf the web trying to find more, rather than moving on or returning to the tasks they attempted to escape.

Not only were re-runs shown to have this restorative faculties, but the effects of this fictional "social surrogacy" may work better than actual social interaction with real people under some circumstances.

"Although there are positive outcomes to social interaction such as a sense of feeling of being energized," says Derrick, "human exchanges can also produce a sense of rejection, exclusion and ostracism, which may diminish willpower."

Though she does not explain how she came by the following precept, Derrick claims that "that favorite television shows can actually increase people's pro-social behavior. Specifically, after thinking about a favorite television show, people are more willing to forgive others, are more willing to help a stranger and are more willing to sacrifice for their romantic partner."