reality tv shows are promote dangerous stereotypes essay

Reality TV Can Promote Dangerous Stereotypes

By Samantha Ryan [email protected] MTV reality series Jersey Shore changed the way people watch reality television. What was supposed to be a docudrama about eight young New Jersey natives partying in a seaside house for the summer became one of the most successful MTV reality shows in history. Jersey Shore became a global phenomenon, premiering…

By Samantha Ryan

[email protected]

MTV reality series Jersey Shore changed the way people watch reality television. What was supposed to be a docudrama about eight young New Jersey natives partying in a seaside house for the summer became one of the most successful MTV reality shows in history.

Jersey Shore became a global phenomenon, premiering in nearly 180 countries. Not only did it become known worldwide, but classes and conferences are now held at different universities about the show.

Some journalists refer to it as, “the most notable show of all time.”

The initial plan was to place these young men and women in a house filled with alcohol and cameras, and hope to capture some binge-worthy drama. Not only was the show unscripted, but the cameras were filming at all hours of the day. 

Cast member Nicole Polizzi, known as Snooki, said in a Rolling Stone article, “They have cameras everywhere, all the time … you’re always being watched. It messes with your head. But that’s why we go crazy. That’s why we fight with each other. That’s why we drink. The only time we’re not on camera is when we’re in the shower, and that’s why we all take three-hour showers, just to get away from it all.”

Rather than scripted, the behavior of the cast is enhanced to portray real-world behavior. Unnecessary film and scenes are intentionally cut out to leave the viewers with the most entertaining and exciting drama, increasing the ratings. Doing this may give the impression that this is how they act all the time, and how everyone like them may act all the time.

Though this led the show to massive success, it introduced different stereotypes. To remain successful, you have to exaggerate the so-called, “reality”. Violence and inappropriate behavior are heavily evident to keep the viewers interested. 

Doing this may give off the impression everyone from that area behaves this way. It can quickly become extremely offensive. Because this show portrays itself as reality, many viewers eventually accept the behavior as normal. This can become dangerous because not everything the cast does is acceptable in the real world. As entertaining and hilarious as Jersey Shore may be, the actions are not supposed to be taken seriously.

Jersey Shore’s median age audience is rounded at 23 years old. They’re probably  recent college grads, and possible party- goers. The main pool of viewers is the same age as the majority of the cast in season one. Many that watch the behavior on this show are influenced by what they see. Since Jersey Shore is deemed as the “reality” of these normal people, it may influence the viewers opinions on the way they should be acting at this age. 

Sammi Sweetheart and Ronnie are known for being the most toxic couple on Jersey Shore. Not only was this relationship verbally abusive, but emotionally and physically as well. Young viewers witnessing this relationship can get the impression that abuse is normal in a romantic relationship, in which of course, it is not. This can become dangerous when they decide to put up with this behavior in their real-world relationships.

Though Jersey Shore can promote inappropriate stereotypes, I believe the purpose of this show was nothing but harmless entertainment. Many people are easily offended, and the world is a sensitive place. 

Although, the intent of Jersey Shore was not to cause harm or imply aggression, the intent was to throw some young partiers in a house together and see what content they could capture and hopefully gain an audience to entertain. The inappropriate behavior and obvious poor decision making is unavoidable in this case. It may not be the best example, but it’s what makes the show so popular, the drama keeps it entertaining. 

Although reality television was not created to introduce dangerous stereotypical behavior, it can be deemed as harmless entertainment to one, but dangerous encouragement to another.

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Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

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“Jersey Shore” had its final episode in December, but MTV is ready with a new reality show to take its place this month. But does the new show, “Buckwild,” exploit stereotypes of West Virginia and Appalachia just the same way that “Jersey Shore” caricatured Italian-Americans? If so, should we be watching? How do shows like this affect us?

In “Feeling Dragged Through the Mud, as MTV Comes to West Virginia,” Trip Gabriel reports on the controversy surrounding “Buckwild.”

Even though it has yet to be broadcast, a reality TV series set in this corner of Appalachia has created a stir for its portrait of young people prone to fighting, swearing, careening in all-terrain vehicles and wallowing, scantily clad, in the mud. The series, “Buckwild,” will fill the MTV slot vacated by “Jersey Shore.” Like that series, the new show has aroused anger over what some consider the exploitation of broad cultural stereotypes. “It doesn’t help the lousy reputation we already have,” said Greg Samms, 31, a dishwasher on a break at the Charleston Town Center mall. “You go west of Ohio, west of Kentucky — people think we’re hillbillies.” Kent Carper, the president of the Kanawha County Commission here, said dryly, “Some folks in West Virginia wear shoes, believe it or not.” Based on a two-minute trailer that MTV has released online, Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, labeled the show a “travesty” and called on MTV to cancel it. “This show plays to ugly, inaccurate stereotypes about the people of West Virginia,” Mr. Manchin wrote in a letter last month to Stephen K. Friedman, MTV’s president. He accused the show’s producers of egging on a cast between ages 19 and 24 to misbehave for the sake of ratings. “You preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior — and now you are profiting from it,” Mr. Manchin wrote. “That is just wrong.”

Students: Tell us …

• Do you think reality TV shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” promote stereotypes? If so, do you think they’re just harmless entertainment, or do you think those stereotypes are dangerous?
• Do you think reality TV has a responsibility to show “reality”? Or do you think viewers know that a show’s cast is performing for an audience?
• Do you ever watch reality TV? What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it?
• If you could produce your own reality TV show, what would it be about? Would you try to avoid promoting stereotypes? How?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

I believe that these types of shows endorse stereotypes. These stereotypes cause people in other parts of the country to believe that is how all people from that area behave and this is not true.

I think that TV shows can create some streotypes but not serious ones. Viewers should know when the cast is performing for an audience or if it is reality. I do not watch TV but if I did I would not watch reality.

I do believe reality TV affects the way Americans present ourselves for example how we dress and the language we use. Although these TV shows affect us, they should still be able to present these shows on television because the viewers should be able to make their own decisions.

I think that they do promote stereotypes and i think that they are a bad influence on our kids. I say that because if a kid watches Buckwild then he could think that all people in Virginia are redneck mud truckers when really there not.

I don’t watch reality TV shows because I don’t like them. So, I cannot answer this question because I do not have enough information about any shows on TV. I also would not make a TV show because I think it would be stupid and no one would watch it.

I do not think that reality TV shows promote stereotypes. It is just entertainment. Everyone knows that “reality” TV is not 100% true. I watch reality TV on occasion. I think it is entertaining how stupid some people are. I wouldn’t want to produce a reality TV show because there is already enough stupid ones out there.

Yes, I strongly agree that reality TV shows do promote stereotypes because there is usually violence or other things like that on the shows to keep people interested` and that gives us the idea that they are violent. It really makes people judge others by the way some people from that area are, which we see on TV. If there were less reality TV shows, there would be less people thinking that that is how people from those areas act, when really it is all acting and a script just to entertain people watching the show.

I do believe that these shows promote stereotypes. It depends on the stereotype used, but it could potentially be dangerous. I think reality TV should actually show “reality”, or at least something close to it. I do watch some shows sometimes, and they are funny, but I don’t watch them all the time. If I could produce my own show, it would be about something that is important or skills people just should know. I would try to avoid stereotypes, but sometimes small ones can’t be helped.

I think reality TV shows like Jersey Shore do not promote stereotypes. I think this because Jersey Shore promotes stupidity and the real world does not live the way the cast on the show lives. Reality TV, is not reality, it is only promoted to gain audience viewers and make money. I do not have cable so I do not watch TV.

I think that reality TV shows promote stereotypes. Although to some people it may be taken as harmless entertainment, because these people in reality TV do certain things, people watching it will eventually accept it as normal. This is dangerous because not everything these people do in reality shows is acceptable. If you are going to make a reality show, talk about topics that are going on in the world right now. People watching reality shows should know that even though it may be a reality show, these people are still acting. So, their actions shouldn’t be taken seriously.

I think that reality TV shows do promote stereotypes but I also think that it is harmless entertainment. I also think that TV channels have the responsibility to entertain and whether or not it is ‘reality’ TV it does not change that. Viewers should know that the cast is performing for an audience but I do not think everyone does. I do sometimes watch reality TV, I like that it is entertaining but I don’t like how stupidly aggressive people become on the shows.If I were to produce a reality TV show it would be about college students. I would not try to avoid promoting stereotypes because that is what is entertaining and would make money.

I feel that they do, but a lot of today’s word is about stereotypes. I feel that there are parts of both shows that are dangerous to our health and the ones around us. Most people on the other hand does not care about others or them self’s, as long as their having fun. I feel that there is no need for there to be reality TV that shows things to little children about the bad things that these people make look good and fun. There is little to no reason for me to watch reality TV, because I don’t like to watch teenage kids/ young adults get drunk, have sex, and fall over, and puck from a hangover. I would try not to add in any stereotypes, but it would be about my family, my life and what we go through.

I do think that shows like Jersey shore promote some stereotypes, but I also think it is only for harmless entertainment. I do think that if a reality show is scripted however, the viewers should be able to know. I like reality shows because of the small parts of the show where individual people give their thoughts on certain situations in the show.

I very much think shows do promote stereotypes. I think that they could be dangerous because they can cause bullying and harassment to occur. I feel that while reality TV should show reality, often people can realize that it is just a scripted show. I do watch reality TV; I love the humor that can come from it, but I dislike the fact that most of it isn’t real. Me and my friends used to think that our middle school would make an amazing idea for a reality show. It would simply show what went on at our school, whether or not there are stereotypes would be only controlled by whether students decided to promote them themselves or not.

I think that these stereotypical shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” are very rude and harmful toward many people, and I think it’s a lower case of discrimination but nobody really notices due to the television ego. There are numerous other things in life we could have a TV show about like the daily life of a tormented kid to not only give notice to people about bullying but to try and get bullies to decrease in population. I sometimes watch reality shows, but not like “16 & Pregnant” and/or “Jersey Shore” they are usually not entertaining to me and it’s a waste of money and people to be on that show. If I made a reality show it would show many things that happen in our everyday lives that need to be shown more and try to make changes or enforce some things.

It is not the shows that promote the stereotypes, it is the people that watch them. Television is about entertainment and it is up to the people to create stereotypical ideas from the shows and it is up to the people acting to act like what they think italians or mexicans.

I do think shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” promote stereotypes. I think they are just for entertainment though. Stereotypes will always be present in society, you can’t really stop them. I think reality TV is just for entertainment, so they don’t really need to show reality. Maybe they should tell the audience that the acts portrayed are not to be taken serious? I don’t know. I never watch reality TV personally.

Yes, I think that shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” promote stereo types. I have never personally watched “Jersey Shore”, I have listened to my friends talk about it and have seen commercials for some of the episodes and I believe that kids my age are influenced by what they’ve seen on that show. Depending on what is being shown, I believe it can vary as to whether its harmless entertainment or creating dangerous stereotypes. If the people on the show are doing inapporiate things then stereotypes may come from that, influencing the audience’s opinions on what is happening.

Yes, I do think reality TV shows promote stereotypes which could be dangerous because they lead to increased discrimination. I think it is rather ironic that reality TV fails to show the true “reality” of average people, but instead they show over-dramatized situations filled with vulgar language, and all around rude behavior. I personally do not watch reality TV because I feel as though it is a waste of time, and I’m much too busy doing homework and other productive things to cloud my mind with what I think of as filth. I would not want to create a reality TV show.

Reality television can promote dangerous stereotypes, but not all do. Jersey shore does though, it suggests that everyone who is Italian is very dull minded and is making 100,000 dollars an episode for going to the gym, and applying spray tan.

I do think that reality TV shows such as Jersey Shore and Buckwild promote stereotypes. I think that these stereotypes can be offensive and incorrect on many occasions. A lot of times, such as in the case of these TV shows, the stereotypes can be negative, and can cast a negative opinion on an entire group of people from the behavior of a few. Also, think that reality TV should show actual reality, which means showing a variety of people, not just the “crazy” ones. I think that most reality TV shows focus on the most interesting, reckless, and drama-filled groups of people. Although I think that this is acceptable, because it is what viewers want to watch, I believe that the shows should also should show other people in the same groups that do not act so carelessly and recklessly. it is not fair to stereotype an entire group of people based on the bad behavior of a few of its members.

I feel as if television shows such as “Buckwild” and “Jersey Shore” aren’t necessarily harsh entertainment, but they are dangerously stereotypical. I also think, however that viewers should know that the cast in “Buckwild” is performing for the MTV audience, so people that view this show should know that it’s only a television show. The age difference that the producers expect to see interested in this show is old enough to understand that it’s only a show with the word “reality” attached to it. I have watched reality television, but it seems a little too over dramatic, clearly not being a full reality show. Overall, shows are for entertainment and people have to be responsible enough to know that.

I watch reality T.V. sometimes and I fee like reality T.V. does promote stereotypes. But It is youre decision if you watch reality T.V and your decision to follow them or not. Reality T.V. is for entertainment purposes basically and it is obviously not always reality. If I were to make my own reality T.V. show I would make it about farm animals. That way they will not promote steroetypes.

I think reality T.V. shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” do promote sterotypes that are very dangerous to the ill-informed. I do believe that reality shows do have a responsibility to show real reality and not what they are now. It is unfortanit, but I do believe that soe of the audience do not understand that the cast are usually just performing for them and do not act like that when the camera is off. I do not watch reality TV shows because I prefer anime. If I could make a reality TV show, I would probably make it about what goes on in school in everyday life. I would avoid sterotypes by having a multi-cultured cast so the audience wouldn’t be able to just focus on one cast member’s culture.

Shows like Jersey Shore and this new show Buckwild do promote stereotypes. These stereotypes only show the bad side of the situation, or in this case location. People around the world believe that everyone in New Jersey lives like people involved in Jersey Shore. The same case is happening in MTV’s new show Buckwild. It will promote stereotypes to other people who don’t how people actually live.

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Reality TV distorts people’s perception of true reality

Sandhya Bhandari , Content Creator | February 21, 2023

courtesy of google images

Reality shows are TV programs that follow the lives of real people and is meant to be a source of entertainment. However, these shows represent how reality can be distorted through editing and deceiving impacting viewers’ perceptions of reality.

Reality shows can have positive effects on confidence and mental health, but they can also harm self-esteem and present an inaccurate depiction of reality. Linzi Gibson, an associate professor of psychology and cognitive neuroscience specialist, and Katrina Escobar, a recent psychology graduate, both expressed their ideas on how reality shows affect the views of people in the real world and real life.

“Reality shows have greatly impacted the entertainment industry, leading to the creation of numerous new shows. MTV was one of the first platforms for reality shows, which emerged during my teenage years,” said Gibson.

Gibson elaborated that the abundance of reality shows today is evidence of their influence, although younger generations may be less exposed to them due to their preference for online content. Nonetheless, reality shows remain influential, although their degree of influence may differ among generations

“Even though there has been progress in reducing mental health stigma, there is still a need for greater acceptance of therapy as a positive tool for mental well-being. The way mental health is portrayed in the media can be harmful, leading to negative thinking patterns and anxiety,” said Escobar.

She clarified that it is important to be aware of these portrayals to promote healthy attitudes and behaviors toward seeking help for mental health issues. When people feel pressure to conform to a group, they may overlook their mental well-being, leading to a loss of personal identity and disconnection from oneself.

According to the 2020 Hornet Newspaper , viewers of reality television think reality shows only show a small part of reality. Still, they enjoy it because it’s engaging, relatable and they can interact with it. They think that reality shows present a glamorous lifestyle, giving them the impression that their own lives could be like that.

“Watching reality shows can harm our self-esteem as we compare ourselves to more successful or attractive individuals. However, it can also boost our confidence when we see others struggling with problems,” said Gibson.

According to Gibson, reality shows influence our behavior and perception through observational learning. Reality shows are not always completely real, as they may include fictional elements. Watching these shows may cause people to have a distorted perception of reality, which could lead to actions or beliefs that are not ideal.

These shows have become a cultural phenomenon in many ways and people often think they feature real people in unscripted situations. So, viewers are often drawn to these shows because they can relate to the stars, and feel better about their own lives after watching them.Both Gibson and Escobar explained that reality TV shows can give viewers an inaccurate perception of reality due to the psychological mechanisms at play. It is crucial to prioritize one’s mental health and well-being. Reality TV shows, especially those that are scripted, are not a true reflection of reality. Participants may present a calculated version of themselves, and producers may manipulate events to create conflict. As a result, the reality depicted in these shows is often distorted. This portrayal of reality is not real, and viewers might be influenced to engage in negative behavior.

As opinion expressed by ucanews in 2020, these reality shows bring to light the harsh reality that some individuals gain fame by behaving in ways that are not true to their character. In a hostile environment, they may resort to being disrespectful to others, spreading negativity, or lying to climb their way to the top for fame.

Moreover, celebrity culture can be appealing as it presents an easy-to-follow ideal. Comparing oneself to others causes low self-esteem and an inability to appreciate what one has. However, it can be alluring and persuasive as it provides an effortless ideal to emulate and creates a false perception of reality since celebrities’ lives are often different from the average person. Wealthy individuals on these shows can prompt people to want expensive items despite their finances, and social media amplifies this effect. Unattainable goals and opulent lifestyles can harm mental health by reducing motivation, diminishing values and aspirations, and causing disappointment, shame, and hopelessness.

Reality shows can influence our behavior through observational learning, as people may imitate the behaviors they see on TV and compare themselves to the characters on the show. This can result in a desire to mimic the style or behavior of the reality show personalities, highlighting the significant role that these shows have in shaping our actions and thoughts.

Hence, it is necessary to research the popularity of reality TV shows by comparing the characteristics of people who watch them to those who do not. The research should include examining differences in goals and aspirations between the two groups. The speaker questions whether reality TV shows have a significant impact on society and whether their popularity is as high as people believe.

Edited by: Aja Carter, Rakesh Swarnakar and Simran Shrestha

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Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?

This essay will debate whether reality TV promotes dangerous stereotypes. It will discuss how reality TV can perpetuate stereotypes related to gender, race, and class, and the potential impact of these portrayals on audience perceptions and societal attitudes. The piece will consider the balance between entertainment value and responsible representation in reality TV programming. At PapersOwl, you’ll also come across free essay samples that pertain to Reality.

How it works

The 21st century has watched reality TV transform into one of the tremendous phenomena of our time. At first, we started off with just black and white pictures with no regularly scheduled programming, just on special occasions announced long in advance, your TV set had to be within 1/2 mile of the transmitter tower, and it had to be the right kind of TV for that TV station or you wouldn’t get a signal. From “”Love and hip hop”” to “”Teen Mom,”” reality TV has worked itself into the daily scheme of many people’s lives.

These days, it appears producers are willing to turn almost anything into an hour-long, weekly series. I couldn’t help but think twice about reality TV when Bravo premiered its new hit show about ordinary families watching tv together while sitting on the couch recording their reaction. If they can make a reality show about that, then what’s next?

The important questions we should be asking is”” Does reality TV promote dangerous stereotypes””? Yes, we should be concern with the different kind of stereotypes it shows. Reality television is now focused on the “”Realness”” that it brings to viewers. When it brings negative stereotypes like racial profiling, gender stereotypes and cultures stereotypes. For example, take the show “”Teen Mom “”some view the show as a source of empowerment for struggling young mother worldwide who can relate to the young mother struggles. While other might see the show as a show is tell other young females that it’s ok if you get pregnant; you may struggle through life, but you can make it with the support of others. It has normalized teen pregnancy in our society instead of reinforcing that it’s probably not the best decision for someone so young. We can admit most 16-year-old girls’ pregnancies are unplanned, which can undoubtedly cause stress to both families involved and hurt chances of graduating high school.

Another growing concern that may indirectly promote stereotypes is the issue of privacy tv, reality show participant has openly admitted that giving the whole universe (aliens also) access to the most personal and valuable moments of their lives is nothing short of a daily battle and dollar sign at the end of a check. The biggest check slightest can or will have drastic repercussions on their daily life. For example, just recently in the hit series “”The People’s Couch,”” enters the living rooms of households and films real people watching and commenting on popular shows and news from the past week. As families/ friends lounged around the living room laughing, cry, talk, gasp, and scream at their TVs the city and state of their location is on the bottom of the screen. Sometime during the recording of the episode, the participants forget that their being recorded so they say important things like last names, jobs…. etc.

Other shows like “”Love and Hip Hop “”and “”Black Ink Crew “”promote stereotypes of today’s African American culture as ferocious, rambunctious, unattainable and reprehensible. With these shows, the issue of rich and famous in regular every day life and on the red carpet. Very true to the fact but many reality tv stars have seen the world give criticism on the person actions from their behavior on the television, it’s not uncommon to see them slowly drift away from the spotlight of reality tv. With the negative views of someone’s culture people are imitated to get involved with that person just because of the stereotype that person culture has. If people wouldn’t be scared of stereotypical vies of someone culture ,you will find and meet some wonderful people of different races and ethnics who can sometimes have the same beliefs as you.

Stereotypes are a very sensitive subject in the world today and it can even lead to a very heated debate among one another. The stereotypes that reality tv promote doesn’t show “”realness “” but it does show negative aspects of someone’s life, which leads to the person being stereotyped off of their behavior before you even get to know someone on a personal level.

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The Reality Paradox: Controversies, Reflections & Responsibilities

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How reality shows affect our lives and society, what are the negative and positive effects of reality tv.

Posted April 12, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• People are often drawn to reality TV because they enjoy the drama and relate to difficult decision-making.
• The theme of self-interest vs. self-sacrifice runs through many reality shows.
• Reality shows often lead people to reflect on what they might do in a similar situation, which can be a good exercise in values exploration.

Millions of people around the world tune in to reality shows and have been watching for decades. What started out as an experiment has turned into mainstream programming and as a culture, we can’t get enough of it.

Is there any personal or societal cost to our ongoing fascination with reality shows? While opinions certainly differ on the topic, it comes down to a few factors:

• The malleability of your values
• Your commitment to behaving in ways that reflect your values

Television and all other forms of media have an impact on our thoughts, opinions, and behaviors. There is no doubt that what we take in for entertainment and information influences the way we think about the world around us. Our minds are designed to synthesize boatloads of information every day, from our interactions with others to the books we read and the entertainment we seek out. We make sense of the world through these pieces of information we gather, and this impacts how we live our lives every day.

Beyond the daily information we absorb, we are also influenced by our prior life experiences, our family of origin, the environment we are raised in and a slew of other cultural and genetic factors. These interpersonal and direct influences are more likely to impact our values and behaviors than reality shows. Does this mean that we should be unconcerned about the ways in which reality show trends impact us? No, we definitely need to pay attention to the underlying messages in these shows and explore why they appeal to us so much.

Why Do Reality Shows Reel Us In?

Reality shows keep us coming back, week after week. We want to know who said what to whom, which person betrayed another or who compromised their alliances or made a shady decision that influenced other people. It’s all about the best and worst of human behavior; it is an observational psychology class without the lecture or exams.

Often reality shows cause us to reflect on what we might do in a similar situation, which can be a good exercise in values exploration. The basic question of self-interest versus self-sacrifice is a theme that runs through most reality shows. These themes of good and bad behaviors, betrayal, competition , and connection are familiar to us; we make similar decisions every day, minus the cameras, artificial scenarios, and publicity. It calls to us because on a very basic level, we love human drama, and we relate to tough decisions. Whether it is a competition for love, money, fame, or notoriety, we enjoy watching the struggle. When we root for our favorite reality show participant, we are identifying something compelling within them, and this may say a lot about us if we choose to explore it. As we indulge in our favorite reality shows, we can ask ourselves:

• What do I enjoy about this show and what emotions does it elicit?
• What appeals to me about these characters and their role in the show?
• Would I make different choices than these characters? If so, why?
• What values do I embrace in my life that are either abided by or abandoned in this show?

Reality shows are ironically named because they are often far from realistic scenarios. Even though these programs are guilty pleasures for so many, we can use them as good conversation starters with friends and as food for thought within our own minds as we consider our values and how to live in ways that demonstrate those values.

Teyhou Smyth, Ph.D., LMFT , teaches psychology at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University.

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Reality Television Stereotypes

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It’s Time to Start Taking Reality TV More Seriously

Danielle J. Lindemann ’10GSAS , a sociology professor at Lehigh University, understands reality TV better than practically anyone else. Her new book True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us takes an intellectual dive into a massively popular but maligned genre. 

Why should we take reality TV seriously?

Despite the stigma associated with lowbrow entertainment, studies reveal that more people in the US are watching reality TV than not, and nearly half of all TV series are unscripted. Media research has long shown that what we see on TV impacts our beliefs, values, and attitudes and how we move and act in the world.

I see reality TV as a kind of fun-house mirror, because it can show us ourselves in caricatured or amplified form. The genre reveals some of the worst things about society — sexism, racism, classism, materialism — and dials them up to eleven. But it also shows us the best of ourselves in its creativity. Historically, reality TV has been more diverse than other forms of media in its representation of people of color and queer people, even if those representations haven’t always been positive. Reality TV reveals how much society has evolved and, at the same time, how conservative it remains. 

You teach a course that pairs episodes of reality-TV shows with sociological readings. Which shows do you find particularly interesting?

I like RuPaul’s Drag Race , because it emphasizes how aspects of gender are performed in everyday life. A show like The Bachelor , with its fixation on marriage and rigid gender stereotypes, reveals how long-standing ideas about courtship still powerfully influence the way we think and behave. The Real Housewives franchise offers fascinating character studies and insight into group dynamics, while Keeping Up with the Kardashians explores the strength of the family unit.

What’s your take on why reality TV is so popular?  

Reality TV is voyeuristic. We like watching the “train wreck” character to remind ourselves that even if we’re messed up in our own ways, we are not the train wreck. We might feel smugly superior to the people on these shows. There is a freak-show aspect to this voyeurism too. Sometimes, it’s marginalized groups that are ridiculed, as in the case of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo , where the central family is portrayed as buffoonish and stereotypically lower-class.  

Reality TV involves real people ostensibly reacting to real-world situations, which allows us to put ourselves in the participants’ shoes and see flashes of ourselves. The genre tends to traffic in broad character archetypes — the “smart one” and the “shy one” and the “athletic one,” for example. There’s usually someone you can identify with and say “I’m a Bethenny” or “I’m a Ramona,” and so on. Reality TV is also unique in the way it encourages audience participation: we engage with the stars via social media and, with shows like The Voice or Love Island , we even vote on the outcomes. 

Binging reality TV, at least for me, can have a kind of anesthetic effect. Viewers do not need to see these shows as pure mirrors of life in order to enjoy and connect with them. We know they are constructed by producers and some scenes may be staged. Personally, I enjoy looking for “really real” moments, the smudges in the gloss — like when the Housewives haul out one another’s real-life text messages to read during reunion episodes. 

How has reality TV influenced other areas of society? 

Studies have shown various behaviors to be associated with watching reality TV; heavy viewers of the genre are more likely to drink alcohol, get fake tans, and use hot tubs on dates. While correlation does not necessarily equal causation, one well-known study established a link between viewership of 16 and Pregnant and reduced teen-pregnancy rates. 

Many people have launched successful careers after starting out in reality TV. Cardi B, for example, entered into the public view in 2015 as a cast member of Love & Hip-Hop: New York , where she was portrayed as an aspiring musician. Since then, she has pulled herself up the celebrity pipeline and become a Grammy-winning rapper. 

Some reality stars have even entered politics, the most famous being Donald Trump. Would he have been elected president if he hadn’t appeared on The Apprentice and been shown in a position of power, wearing a suit, and barking orders from behind a desk, and been depicted as always being right? We can’t know for sure, but it’s reasonable to suggest that reality TV helped pave his road to the White House. The media coverage surrounding Trump’s presidency arguably became its own reality show — in 2018, major news outlets even covered a visit to the Oval Office from Kim Kardashian. Trump is an important data point for helping us understand how reality TV both reflects and molds culture. If we learned anything from his presidency, it’s this: one thing that’s “really real” about unscripted programming is its impact.   

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Does reality TV encourage cultural and gender stereotypes?

It is no secret that reality TV is popular worldwide — which is why in the last decade it has become a multimillion dollar industry. From social experiment shows like Survivor , to documentary style reality shows like MTV’s True Life and Sixteen and Pregnant , to competition and game shows like The Amazing Race, American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars , to self-improvement and makeover shows like The Biggest Loser , Americans enjoy viewing what appears to be other people’s real lives unfold on the screen.

But how are reality TV show casting agents selecting the contestants on each show? Are they trying so hard to be ethnically and culturally inclusive and diverse that they are encouraging long debated stereotypes ? And are they perpetuating gender roles instead of being advocates for change and equality in our society?

“When these shows started, the idea was that we put real people in a contrived situation,” said Eric Deggans, an author and TV media critic for the St. Petersburg, Florida Times in an interview with RIA Novosti . And as the shows gained popularity, Deggans said the outcomes went from authentic to manufactured, with ratings serving as the ultimate motivation. “Producers need storylines to engage viewers and the quick and easy way to create them is to reduce people to stereotypes,” Deggans said.

The majority of popular reality TV shows today are indeed encouraging stereotypes and perpetuating gender roles. It is rare to find a show that has culturally diverse individuals without showing them in light of the stereotypes associated with their cultural background.

Take the families portrayed in Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty for example. The producers of these shows are encouraging the stereotype of Southerners being lazy and stupid. Think about Honey Boo Boo’s mom, often shown burping and sneezing on camera. In a different setting these things would be edited out, but in this scenario it almost seems like the producers are making fun of the family. Across a variety of networks there is an irrational fascination with the lives of rural Americans who fight alligators, go shooting, go “mudding” and talk funny, often making it necessary for subtitles.

Now consider the Italian-Americans from Jersey Shore . A group of eight loud, gelled hair, sun tanned, alcohol drinking, drama seeking, sexcraving young people who live in the same house and are filmed 24/7. It’s easy to see this is not a very accurate portrayal of every Italian-American. Not only that, but from the get go, they also repeatedly referred to themselves as “guidos.”  This offended a lot of Italian-Americans. According to a BBC News article, the New Jersey state senator Joe Vitale said, “For me using ‘guido’ is like using the n-word,” referring to the derogatory term for African-American.

And let’s not even go to there with shows like The Bachelor and their portrayal of women. First, only skinny women with big breasts and often fake ones are the norm, and they are absolutely fine with being nearly naked on TV. Women are easily emotionally invested and too easily heartbroken, they bicker, are catty, shallow and flat out insane. The show also enforces the gender stereotype that all women want is to be princesses in a fairytale, find their prince charming and live happily ever after, with no bigger aspirations in life than becoming a wife. To top it all off, The Bachelor has deliberately excluded minorities, having not a single minority contestant for its first ten years on the air, and even now only including the “token” black or asian woman among a group of 19 white women.

An article on Rolling Out discusses the portrayal of black women on reality TV:

“Black reality TV, in particular, illuminates a disturbing new formula that producers discovered for the reality TV genre: Put two or more headstrong and mostly black women in the same room — and let the fireworks begin. Everything from Oxygen’s Bad Girls to Bravo’s Real Housewives to the Basketball Wives franchise, the small screen is overflowing with black women who roll their eyes, bob their heads, snap their fingers, spit verbal poison in each other’s faces and otherwise reinforce the ugly stereotype of the angry, uncouth, uncivilized black woman.”

So, are TV shows doing anything to counter these stereotypes?

Although not a reality TV show, Modern Family is countering stereotypes by exaggerating these stereotypes in an effort to expose them and make fun of them. An article on The State Hornet explains that “every single character in “Modern Family” is a sitcom stereotype taken to its logical extreme; the bumbling father, the overbearing mother, the dumb daughter, the nerdy daughter, and the trouble-making son are all there – and that’s just in one of the three main families the show follows. Yes, the two gay characters are both blatant stereotypes, yet it works because both characters know they’re stereotypes, thus making them the only two self-aware characters in the entire cast.”

The Amazing Race also does a good job of accurately portraying cultures around the world without stereotyping them. It is, in a sense, fairly educational in addition to exciting. Through challenges that involve participating in local and traditional activities, contestants (and viewers) are exposed to the culture of a country in an authentic way and gain an understanding that might otherwise be skewed or inaccurate due to its portrayal in the news, for example.

Despite these efforts, reality TV shows are doing a very poor job at countering stereotypes and an excellent job at encouraging them, which is a shame.

TED speaker Chimamanda Ngozi gave a TED talk on the danger of a single story, where she discussed the dangers of partial portrayals of a culture. “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete,” she said. “They make one story become the only story.”

This is great! Every time I watch a competition reality TV show I feel like these are real people, but usually who ends up winning is someone that the audience thinks is the ‘prettiest’ or they leave them on the show because they keep it interesting and more dramatic.

I totally agree with you Bet! These arguments are the ones I always use when I talk about how much I dislike reality shows. They really are detrimental to our progression towards equality and do nothing to rid society of stereotypes.

This article hits the nail right on the head! The television as a powerful form of media should be taken more seriously. T.V. has the ability to reach mass audiences visually, in ways that other mediums can not. Shows broadcasted on T.V. such as reality shows, do encourage common stereotypes within a society. I do not think this will ever change, because television shows are focused on making a profit; and in our society, stereotypes are sadly found to be entertaining and T.V. will always strive to show what people will “want” to watch. 

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Is reality television valuable or a waste of time? What messages have you gotten from these kinds of shows?

By Callie Holtermann

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Do you watch any reality television shows? If so, what are your favorites? What do you like about them?

Do you think of reality television as a time-waster, or a guilty pleasure? Or do you think that TV snobs are the ones missing out?

In “ 11 Reality Shows to Watch With Your Older Kids ,” Noel Murray recommends several entertaining, even substantive, reality shows for teenagers to watch with their families:

The reality TV genre often gets dismissed as irredeemably trashy and filled with fame-starved men and women who’ll stab each other in the back to get more time on camera. But that’s not always the case. Many reality series are more like a cross between a documentary and a game show, featuring a diverse assortment of ordinary people who demonstrate their wits, skills and simple human decency as they compete to win a lot money. And some, like the recent Netflix hit “Floor Is Lava,” are just good, goofy fun, ideal for all ages. The 11 shows below are exciting, funny, moving and educational — and exactly the kind of television that parents should be watching with their kids.

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Home > DISSERTATIONS_THESES > Pforzheimer Honors College > Pforzheimer Honors College > 194

Honors College Theses

Scripted stereotypes in reality tv.

Paulette S. Strauss , Honors College, Pace University

Original document was submitted as an honors thesis requirement. Copyright is held by the author.

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Diversity, or lack thereof, has always been an issue in both television and film for years. But another great issue that ties in with the lack of diversity is misrepresentation, or a substantial presence of stereotypes in media. While stereotypes often are commonplace in scripted television and film, the possibility of stereotypes appearing in a program that claims to be based on reality seems unfitting. It is commonly known that reality television is not completely “unscripted” and is actually molded by producers and editors. While reality television should not consist of stereotypes, they have curiously made their way onto the screen and into our homes. Through content analysis this thesis focuses on Latina/Hispanic-American and Asian-American contestants on ABCs’ The Bachelor and whether they present stereotypes typically found in scripted programming.

Recommended Citation

Strauss, Paulette S., "Scripted Stereotypes In Reality TV" (2018). Honors College Theses . 194. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/honorscollege_theses/194

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Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?

Preslee Decker , Staff Writer January 12, 2023

No matter how old you are or what your taste in TV shows is, you most likely have heard of or watched a reality TV show.

It could be Love Island , The Bachelorette , Keeping Up with the Kardshians , and even Dance Moms .

Whatever your show of choice is, most reality television shows portray major stereotypes.

The biggest debate; do these stereotypes hurt people?

Common stereotypes include;

• The cheerleader
• The bad boy

The jock stereotype centers around an athletic person (usually a guy) that is the face of the school and is super popular everywhere he goes.

The goth , or anyone who likes to do anything other than dress in hot pink or sports jackets, is commonly the one who stands in the background and tends to have an “I don’t care” attitude.

The cheerleader image is usually a pretty face that has ambition, but is normally only ambitious towards getting the crown during her senior prom.

The geek stereotype is usually a guy or girl that has glasses and spends most of their time studying and raising their hand to answer every question in class. 

The bad boy generally dresses in leather and has multiple crimes on his record. Even if he isn’t a good guy, girls go crazy over any guy that doesn’t follow the rules.

These five stereotypes are perfect examples of how these personality slots can affect the viewers of the show, or even in reality. 

Most kids probably feel like stereotypes don’t directly apply to them, but they affect them more than they think.

Putting people into these stereotypes hurts their ego and their sense of belonging in settings when they are around friends and family.

Let’s say you’re known as the geek at school, for example. If I were this person, I’d feel like no one saw the depth that I had to my personality. I mean I could be an avid sports fan and you’d never ask because you saw me as an academic snob. 

Stereotypes cover up the fact that you could be an entirely different person under the clothes you wear and how you carry yourself. 

They way people perceive you could be important to you or not, but the assumptions people tend to make aren’t your fault.

For example, say someone says this person is a weird kid because they smell. What people can’t tell by eyesight and smell may be that they’re family can’t afford hygienic products for them to use.

As you can see, people tend to immediately label people based on things they can see, but these assumptions hurt the majority of people.

It’s same thing for teachers and staff members.

Just because a teacher dresses in all yellow every day doesn’t mean they feel the happiest all the time. 

I love reality TV shows, and a majority of the student body, as well as the staff, can most likely agree. But it hurts people despite the drama and jokes they throw in the script. 

These shows are promoting stereotypes despite if that’s their true intention or not. 

It’s quite common for people watching a certain show to act like a certain character or say things that they said. If it happens to be a reality show, these tendencies could influence a person to act wrongly and even enforce these types of stereotypes on their lives. 

Whether you choose to watch these shows or not, be cautious on how you categorize other people based on their appearance. 

Watching reality TV shows affects more than just yourself. It affects you, certainly, but also your friends, family, and school environment. 

Hey everyone! My name's Preslee Decker and this is my first year on the newspaper staff. I'm so excited to be able to participate in something that's...

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Viewer Beware: Watching Reality TV Can Impact Real-Life Behavior

MTV's Jersey Shore starred, from left, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick, Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, Jenni "JWOWW" Farley, Ronnie Magro, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola. MTV/AP hide caption

MTV's Jersey Shore starred, from left, Vinny Guadagnino, Angelina Pivarnick, Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, Jenni "JWOWW" Farley, Ronnie Magro, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola.

In the pilot episode of Jersey Shore , we're introduced in the first minute to the "new family": Snooki, JWoww, Vinny and the rest of the gang.

A few minutes later, Snooki has already questioned JWoww's sexual morals. Vinny is calling Snooki stupid. The new family is already getting gossipy and aggressive.

That unfriendly behavior is good for TV ratings, but it might be bad news for you, the viewer. A new study led by Bryan Gibson, a psychologist at Central Michigan University, finds watching reality shows with lots of what's called relational aggression — bullying, exclusion and manipulation — can make people more aggressive in their real lives.

"We knew from past research that people who see relational aggression in media tend to become more aggressive," he explains to Tess Vigeland, guest host of NPR's weekends on All Things Considered . "Gossiping and nastiness is prevalent on these shows, so we wanted to find out whether it affected how aggressive people were after they watched."

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Every Reality Show Is A True Story, And Other 'Bachelor' Lessons

Reality tv has become honey boo boo-ified, pop culture, reality tv turning young girls into fame monsters.

Each participant in the study watched one of three varieties of television: an aggressive surveillance show like Jersey Shore or Real Housewives , an uplifting surveillance show like Little People, Big World , or a fictional crime drama like CSI .

After they watched one episode, people were asked to do a separate task that measured aggression. The goal was to hit a keyboard button as quickly as possible. Participants believed they were racing against someone in another room and whoever won would get to blast the other person with a loud, shrill sound.

Gibson and his team took notes on how long participants wanted to blast the sound and how loud they turned the volume up. "It turns out those who had watched Jersey Shore or Real Housewives actually gave louder, longer blasts after watching those shows than those who watched the more violent crime dramas," he says.

Gibson is quick to point out that these findings are not a reason to censor what television content makes it on air. But, he says, it's probably worth taking note if you're a parent. "This is one form of media that may appear harmless, but I think our research provides a little bit of evidence that there can be some negative outcomes as well," he says.

• Jersey Shore

PSYCH 424 blog

Effects of reality television.

Several adolescent televisions shows these days are full of fun, partying, fighting, and drama. Many of these shows can be categorized as reality television shows. These are shows that are used to portray what happens in reality. Some reality shows today are The Real World, Teen Mom, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and Duck Dynasty. As these shows may be exciting to watch, they can cause problems within society.

The Real World and Teen Mom are common shows that are viewed by young teenage women. As female teenagers watch these shows, they are drawn in by the drama that is going on in the reality stars lives. When thinking about Teen Mom, there are several of the stars that have faced domestic problems. With that being said, these young viewers are watching what the stars are going through and seeing how they react with the situations. In Teen Mom for example, Kailyn Lowry was once involved in a physical altercation with her boyfriend at the time (who is now her husband). Although she did admit what she did was wrong and change her life for the better, the problems with society is seen in shows like this because we view this as acceptable behavior and entertaining to watch.

As we understand media, we can see that the media is showing us what we enjoy watching. This is how they are able to make money. While this is understandable, they need to take into consideration what they are showing their viewers. This is because the actions that are being shown may seem to be just a television act, but young adolescents may see this as an action that they should perform if in a certain situation.

Violence in reality television may be seen as entertaining, but there are reasons that some of the scenes should not be shown. According to the social cognitive theory, we have more of a chance of performing a violent behavior if it is seen to be justified. (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012) With that being said, young adolescents may also decide to act as the reality star because they felt that it was an understandable action that other will agree with as well.

When talking about the social cognitive theory, I have seen this happen from young females watching Teen Mom. Just like Kailyn from Teen Mom, a girl in my high school was also a young mother. Not only did she have a child young, but she also was in a relationship similar to Kailyn. She was known for watching Teen Mom because she always talked about how she wished she was on the show. When the episode of Kailyn hitting her boyfriend came out, we all talked about how surprised we were that Kailyn had gotten so angry that she had hit her boyfriend. As we talked about this, the girl had decided to tell us that she had seen the episode and felt that the star was under a good bit of stress from taking care of her son that she had got to her breaking point. Although this may be understandable, this is not an action that needed to be taken. With that being said, the girl in my high school had justified the reality stars actions and recently has been seen to have similar actions as the Teen Mom star.

The social cognitive theory gives an understanding of why actions may be imitated. Sometimes it is because the media portrays actions as being acceptable, but sometimes the actions are imitated because they are realistic. (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012) No matter what the reasons are, the media needs to understand what reactions viewers may have while watching television shows. If the media is showing domestic violence to be acceptable, then many viewers are going to view domestic violence as acceptable behavior.

Just like many other women, I get interested in reality television shows as well. Although I do enjoy the drama that is being shown, I do not justify behavior that should not be acceptable. I feel that while the media makes money on these television shows, certain scenes should not be shown. It is unfair for viewers to get the wrong impression of situations, such as domestic violence, because this could result in a lifetime of harmful behaviors being done to them or being committed by them.

Mckay, H. (2010). Reality Shows Aimed at Young Viewers Airing More Violent Scenes. Retrieved from  h ttp://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/10/11/reality-shows-battery-domestic-violence-j ersey-shore-teen-mom/

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 24th, 2014 at 12:45 am and is filed under Uncategorized . You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment , or trackback from your own site.

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Effects of Reality Television | Applied Social Psychology (ASP)

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Reality television has become a main source of entertainment. There’s become an infatuation with reality television which I feel could be detrimental to adolescent development. In your post, you mention very popular reality shows like Teen Mom. I remember when the series premiered and thought what type of message are we, as society, trying to send to adolescents. I’ve watched the show a few times and feel teenage girls should not be exposed to such a show. Teen pregnancy has been a national issue so to put a show like Teen Mom does not help the teen pregnancy rate. Although it has declined from 31.3 percent to 29.4 percent, it is still a high number. Also, there are a lot of domestic violence situations among most of the mothers. I think it’s important the one mother abused drugs at some point. Instead of seeing shows like Teen Mom, I would rather see reality shows following college females through their college career, accepting their degree; showing the positive side(s) of college. That would be setting a positive example for teenage girls.

Violence and media is a social issue that can have major consequences. Research shows the exposed to violence television shows increases violent behavior. This simple fact should want to make society take a proactive stance on reducing the violence shown on television. As the text states, we learn to imitate behavior; it’s not something we are born to do. It is simply a learned behavior. Therefore, it is important to be exposed to positive, beneficial, and educational television shows.

Although, there may not be one right answer to eliminate undesired effects of media, but there are many solutions. I believe networks should take action and reevaluate what is shown, specifically reality shows. Children and adolescents should be greatly monitored as to what they are exposed to, in general. As humans, we do imitate behavior and it does not always conclude to be positive, proactive behavior.

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Heavy Consumption of Reality TV May Reinforce Gender Roles for Adolescents

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Key Takeaways

• High levels of reality TV viewing may reinforce heteronormative behaviors in adolescents.
• Heavier TV consumption impacted the acceptance of gendered sexual scripts among girls, but not boys.
• Given how rigid expectations about gendered sexual roles have been associated with dating violence, there needs to be a greater investment in media literacy for youth.

Often, media literacy can help people to grasp how TV viewing patterns may reinforce certain narratives. A new study published in  The   Journal of Sex Research  found that heavy consumption of reality TV was linked to greater endorsement of gendered sexual scripts among youth.

These research findings were based on two studies of adolescents, both of which found that high levels of reality TV viewing can bolster heteronormative behaviors , as mediated by gender expectations .

Sexual scripts based on gender may have troubling implications for dating violence , so such research insights should be incorporated into developing responsive media literacy programming to better support youth.

Understanding the Research

Initially, researchers conducted an online survey, which found that there was no association between scripted program viewing and endorsement of heteronormative behaviors among 574 high school students.

To address the first study's limitations, they then relied on a sample of 398 youth from across the US and assessed viewing of various TV genres, and found that it may reinforce sexual scripts based on gender.

Gendered sexual scripts reflect expectations based on heteronormative assumptions that reinforce stereotypical gender and sexual roles, and often frame women as sexual objects.

A limitation of the research was the primarily white, middle-class samples that only made use of binary gender, so these findings may not be applicable to low-income, racialized, and gender-expansive youth.

More Diverse Gender Representation Needed

Neuroscientist and clinical social worker  Renetta Weaver, LCSW-C , says, "Gender stereotypes are based on society’s traditional standards of masculinity and femininity, where males are viewed as leaders who are hard, aggressive, competitive, vocal, and void of feelings, while women are viewed as softer, quiet, passive, emotional, and nurturing."

Women are portrayed as sexually provocative and seductive for love, as Weaver notes that they are expected to settle for the sake of men, "while men are career-driven, promiscuous, and overall, self-focused," she says.

Weaver highlights how in the study, adults were impacted by gendered sexual scripts while youth were most influenced by reality TV.

"The researchers suggest that the difference was that the people in reality shows were thought to be leaders with real views, versus acting out a scripted role," she says.

While reality TV may reinforce gendered sexual scripts, Weaver notes that more studies are needed with people who are not part of the dominant culture.

"More research can be conducted to determine the influence of television shows now, as opposed to in the past," she says.

Renetta Weaver, LCSW-C

The researchers suggest that the difference was that the people in reality shows were thought to be leaders with real views, versus acting out a scripted role.

Weaver reflects, "In the past, certain topics weren’t discussed or embraced the way they are now, so it would be worth studying if today’s live-out-loud society is changing the influential power of television."

Based on her therapy practice, Weaver wishes the public knew how empowering authentic diverse representation can be.

"Exposure to ideas outside of the confines of our own mind allows us to expand our worldview, and accept and embrace those who are different," she says.

Weaver explains, "A lot of my work is centered on supporting my clients with discovering and embracing their identity. Many of my clients deal with confusion because they feel differently on the inside than what people expect of them based on their outside appearance."

Especially when clients may be navigating shame and guilt because they do not align well with societal expectations, Weaver notes how groundbreaking a TV series like Pose was.

"It expanded the definitions of masculinity, femininity, sexuality, relationships, etc.," she says.

Weaver highlights, "For those who don’t fit into the stereotypical definition of masculinity and femininity, Pose was probably the first time they saw a positive representation of themselves in media. We know that representation matters because it eradicates stigma, shame , and guilt ."

Media-Literate Parental Discretion is Key

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with Mindpath Health , Summer R. Thompson, DNP, PMHNP-BC , says, "An interesting takeaway from this study is that media use may contribute to gender stereotypes; however, there are multiple limitations to this study." 

Thompson explains, "Limitations include that the study was conducted among white, middle-class adolescents, and from research, we know that minority youth consume media in very different ways."

Since these findings were based on a correlational study, Thompson notes that this type of research seeks to understand if two things are related based on studies, but cannot confirm causality between the phenomena.

Summer R. Thompson, DNP, PMHNP-BC

If a significant heteronormative script is noted, then it creates an opportunity to discuss what [children] are watching and the many ways people can and do deviate from these heteronormative themes.

Thompson highlights, "Gendered scripts reflect stereotypes about gender-specific behaviors in relationships. Stereotypes of masculinity prioritize aggression, competition, and showing minimal emotion; femininity focuses on being emotional, caretaking, and appearance." 

Reality TV can reinforce gender norms, as Thompson notes that men are expected to pursue sexual relationships, only value appearance, and avoid commitment.

"In contrast to this, women are expected to be passive and use their looks to attract men, and prioritize commitment," she says. 

Thompson recommends that parents ask their children about what they are watching and the themes of the different shows.

"If a significant heteronormative script is noted, then it creates an opportunity to discuss what they are watching and the many ways people can and do deviate from these heteronormative themes," she says.

A takeaway from this research is that adolescents are highly influenced by what they are exposed to on an ongoing basis, according to Thompson.

"Parents should be aware of the media their children are consuming with the understanding that it may influence their child’s emotional development," she says.

What This Means For You

As this research demonstrates, reality TV may reinforce heteronormative behaviors among youth. Given these findings, greater media literacy intervention and open communication are needed to prepare adolescents for how to think critically about the television they view.

Ward LM, Grower P, Reed LA. Living life as the bachelor/ette: Contributions of diverse television genres to adolescents’ acceptance of gendered sexual scripts .  J Sex Res . 2022;59(1):13-25. doi:10.1080/00224499.2021.1891519

By Krystal Jagoo  Krystal Kavita Jagoo is a social worker, committed to anti-oppressive practice.