Introduction
Reality shows constitute a common type of entertainment broadcast on television, where the participants are made to create an influence on the viewers that the feelings and manners they display are real. Examples of these shows are American Idol, Pop Star Idol, The Real World, The Fear Factor, and the Survivor. These programs focus on an array of topics including dating, beauty pageant, alcohol consumption, conquering fright, and suggestive behavior linked to sexual activity themes. Because reality shows address topics that are sensational to young minds, they enjoy a high level of admiration among the teenaged viewers. In addition, the shows have received wider attention among youths “due to special features like program layout, reward options for audience and participants, format, teenage participation and their interactive nature” (Haq and Rahman 598). In addition, since they are living they are more credible and ensure greater viewer involvement than the old-style TV programs. Nevertheless, it is not just enough to reiterate that teenagers watch reality TV shows (RTV) but to ascertain the intensity of how associated they are with these programs. This paper seeks to discover the impact of RTV on teenagers. It provides research evidence on how reality TV shows, as socialization agents, influence teenagers and assesses the effects of social-structural parameters – parental guidance, age group influences, social class disparities, and gender – on the role of RTV in shaping teenage consumer behaviors.
Methodology
The study is based mainly on research from the available literature about the subject. From this information, qualitative and quantitative data are obtained which form the basis on which the study topic is elaborated. The literature sources used are valid reports of scientific studies in which sample surveys of young people of different age brackets – preteens, adolescents, and college students were done.
Discussion
Teens cultivate relationships with the personalities and the contextual locales within a reality show in the Para-social TV environment. These are unreciprocated relations that a media user forms with a media superstar, which generate a fabricated sense of friendship and affection with this remote media icon (Patino et al. 289). These determine the viewers’ absorption with the program and characters. There is substantial evidence that teenagers imitate the behavior of reality stars and that reality programs sway their consumption habits. Further, media exposure has been positively associated with aggressive and violent habits, sexual misdemeanors, and addictive lifestyles (Paredes et al. 23). That the RTV shows teach teenagers to put a lot of emphasis on physical beauty, excessive reveling, and make them lose focus on the significance of intelligence and true success. The social learning theory and the social cognitive theory support this evidence since the theories speculate that the learning process involves modeling of experiential deportments and the meaning persons attribute to observed events (Haq and Rahman 599).
Whereas parents, psychotherapists, and psychologists may view RTV shows as bearing negatively on teenagers, network programmers and advertisers assume a positive stance on the effects of RTV on the teenagers due to expanded market of their products. The more the hours spent by teenagers on watching these shows, the more information they gather on products used or advertised alongside the shows. From the preceding statement, it is evident that reality shows do not impact teenagers negatively only. Consequently, an analysis of both the beneficial and harmful effects of RTV is imperative. Some potential benefits of watching RTV shows include dealing with fear, learning how to live with other people, job competencies such as sociability, team-action, interdependency, work organization, and innovativeness. They also shape teenagers’ confidence, communication skills, and expand their level of thinking. RTV shows such as Survivor and Fear factor are good examples of programs that achieve these goals.
Given the themes addressed by these shows, however, RTV is possibly more damaging due to their realistic portrayal of experiences as compared to other forms of media. Watching these programs creates positive attitudes, increases the number of peers engaged, and heightens the frequency and the desire to consume or participate in themes dealt with in the shows (Patino et al 293).
Reality Shows and Teenage Violence
Scenes of violence on the TV are connected with elevated tendencies towards hostility, tempers, and bullying habits. That is unfortunate since the majority of these shows contain insults, anger blasts, self-regard, gross misconduct, and folly as their major elements (Patino et al. 293). It is for this reason that Fogel and Kovalenko performed an experimental study on 642 students to establish the level of apparent realism of the content of RTV shows and outlooks towards tolerance of violent behaviors (322). They found a positive correlation between viewing violent content on television and increased permissive attitudes. In their study, they also established that increased tolerance to violence could lead to risky delinquent conduct (Fogel and Kovalenko 323). Violent content on RTV shows may inhibit the desire for creativity and resourcefulness, and also clogs the teenagers’ capacity for productive, problem-solving circumstances and amicable outcomes.
Violence is one of the primary entertainment themes associated with enjoying RTV shows. Therefore, it is logical to argue that the unpremeditated violent habits portrayed on the RTV shows may sway viewers to tolerate and engage in unwarranted violent activities such as fighting, theft, domestic squabble, etc. Such activities are chancy behaviors as they may expose teenagers to an increased level of antagonism and adoption of exploitive attitudes. In the current generation where proper parental care and support are a mirage, teenagers grow up to become oppressive, authoritarian adults and pass these undesirable traits to the next generation. The problem becomes worse in cases of troubled youths, those with psychological problems and social disorders like low esteem, drug addiction, etc.
Further, Paredes and her colleagues noted that television watching habits have an impact on drinking comportments since “on-screen depictions of alcohol use and its effects may greatly inform teenagers’ beliefs and attitudes about the substance” (30). Many teenagers are of the view that “reality TV encourages teenagers’ alcohol consumption as well as binge drinking and that reality TV depicts alcohol consumption as glamorous, with far fewer individuals recognizing any depiction of negative consequences” (Paredes et al. 31). An increase in acceptance of alcohol use occurs, especially when celebrity alcohol use is depicted. The impact of alcohol glamorization – and other vices included – on teenagers from developing countries occurs on RTV shows when the shows depict “young, attractive, educated, financially liberated fellows that are often sexually unrestrained, upwardly mobile and often consuming alcohol” (Paredes et al. 35). As these teenagers embrace what is seen on TV, they often take on the evils of the mainstream culture. Nevertheless, alcohol abuse is not a desirable practice as it has been linked to severe accidents, high-risk sensual activity, suicide attempts, hostile behaviors, homicide, and death (Patino et al. 294). Besides, RTV shows may inculcate bad vices such as selfishness, unhealthy competition, and capitalistic ideologies in settings where each of the participants is aimed at obtaining one goal.
It should be stressed however that the individual’s connectedness to and being influenced by RTV shows is also dependent upon personal values, beliefs, and self-esteem which act as the chief drivers of inclinations and manners. To reinforce this view, Haq and Rahman established that many teenagers in third world countries are not attracted to outlawed products shown on TV and that some of them from conservative cultures and religions dislike the scanty dresses worn by the RTV participants and judges (599).
Teenagers as Consumers
The teenage population, as a discrete market section, has grown profoundly. Therefore, it is important for marketing researchers and advertisers to appreciate how teenagers learn and respond in order to better mold marketing strategies that fit them. Just like any other consumer group, teenagers “learn the basic knowledge, ideas, and skills from their environment and various socialization agents” like media (Haq and Rahman 599). The virtues are formed as a function of (1) qualitative transformations in rational-development phases and (2) exchanges between socialization means and people in different social situations (Paredes et al. 32). The acquired qualities influence teenagers’ way of life and consumption behaviors. Haq and Rahman were of the view that RTV aids the maturity of the teenagers’ tastes, preferences, and variety, and help them to be more creative and more rational consumers (600). For instance, teenagers develop a preference for international brands if they are shown on RTV. They also found out that “RTV plays a vital role in shaping teenagers’ material values about and desires for product use” (Haq and Rahman 600). However, the above view does not hold in light of the consumption of prohibited commodities and alcohol.
RTV shows help teenagers cultivate customer-related awareness, opinions, and values which help them with knowledge of product and brand consumption, imitations, style, inspiration, and product placement (Haq and Rahman 600). In particular, RTV shows are suitable for product placement due to the high chances of being integrated into the environment of the program as these products can easily be recalled by viewers connected to the program (Patino et al. 295). Similarly, the shows help them discern what comprises appropriate or undesirable manners towards products, use of prohibited products like alcoholic drinks, greediness, and disruptive performances.
The other aspect of RTV shows and teenagers’ consumption behaviors is that of product endorsements by RTV celebrities. Often, teenagers view brands promoted by celebrities as having the inherent capability to make them outstanding. The teenagers develop trust for RTV celebrities. Thus, the celebrity endorsement of a particular product is sufficient to solicit teenage consumption. The product will be valuable to the consumer if the celebrity endorsing it has the correct knowledge about it, e.g., where a modeler endorses a cosmetic product.
Role of Social Structural Variables
Social structural variables that play a role in determining the outcome of teenagers’ involvement in RTV shows are cited above. Firstly, peer group influences teenagers’ media usage and immersion considerably. Peers are co-learners and impact each other’s behaviors through peer communication, i.e., verbal (reinforcement) or unspoken (modeling) messages which the peers convey to one another (Haq and Rahman 601). Teenagers share information, give preferences and opinions about RTV shows.
Secondly, parents play a moderating role in youths’ media consumption behaviors. They play a major part in shaping teenagers’ personalities, raising their self-confidence, and constructing their self-esteem. Parental pressures might encourage or restrain teenagers’ use of RTV. However, there is variation between developed and developing countries. Relatively, parents in advanced nations give their children more opportunities to use various media (Haq and Rahman 601). Conversely, parental control in underdeveloped countries is stricter and entails mechanisms such as negotiation, directive, censorship, reproach, reinforcement; rules, and restriction (Haq and Rahman 601).
Furthermore, teenagers’ gender determines their involvement in RTV and the impact thereof. Research shows the variation in boys’ and girls’ tastes and preferences with respect to various aspects of RTV (Fogel and Kovalenko 327). Boys often lean towards action and fantasy as girls opt for passion, babble, and fascination in RTV (Paredes et al. 24). As such, the level of impact of these shows on the two sexes also differs. For example, Fogel and Kovalenko established that boys are more permissive to violent habits than girls (328). However, there is an abundance of literature that reaffirms that the girls are also vulnerable to being influenced by the content of violence they watch on these shows.
Fourth, social class dissimilarity “mirrors teenagers’ TV usage practices, with upper-class teenagers being culturally more media conscious than the lower-class teenagers” (Haq and Rahman 603). The social class difference determines the level of education, economic endowment, and accessibility to diverse forms of media. The influence of race, culture, and religion on defining the degree of impact of RTV on an individual cannot be disregarded. Although Asians watch RTV shows, it has been substantiated that they have lesser tendencies to be connected to and more so entertains the misdeeds portrayed in these shows than the White and African American teenagers (Fogel and Kovalenko 328). This shows that there is a cultural dimension to media influence on teenagers. Other dimensions include socioeconomic differences and academic accomplishment.
Conclusion
RTV’s impact on teenagers can be said to be positive, moderate, or negative and this inference is hinged on an individual’s standpoint, i.e., advertising, network programming, psychology, public health, or parental stance. Generally, teenagers of both genders are enthralled with RTV. However, there are some variations in the way the social variables inspire this connectedness and its consequential impact on the teenagers’ behaviors and disposition. Knowledge of the teenagers’ tastes and preferences has been shown to be a vital tool for marketers and communication planners if they are targeting them. The task of parents and peers as intermediaries in teenagers’ involvement with RTV has been established and needs to be deliberated when producing and conveying RTV broadcast themes. Else the program may fail to get to the intended audience. The glamorization of alcohol, drugs, and material things on RTV shows may negatively impact teenagers, especially from poor backgrounds. Regulating RTV productions to make their themes morally relevant and at the same time serve the intended purpose of entertaining the audience should not be denigrated.
Works Cited
Fogel, Joshua, and Lyudmila Kovalenko. “Reality Television Shows Focusing on Sexual Relationships are Associated with College Students Engaging in One-Night Stands.” Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, vol. 13, no. 2, 2013, pp. 321-331.
Haq, Ridhwanul, and Syed Rahman. “Role of Reality TV as a Consumer-Socialization Agent of Teenagers in a Developing Country.” International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 10, no. 3, 2015, pp. 598-619.
Paredes, Valerie et al. “The Impact of Reality Television on the Alcohol-Related Beliefs and Behaviours of Hispanic College Students.” Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education, vol. 57, no. 1, 2013, pp. 23-45.
Patino, Anthony et al. “The Appeal of Reality Television for Teen and Pre-Teen Audiences: The Power of “Connectedness” and Psycho-Demographics.” Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 51, no. 1, 2011, pp. 288-297.