THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN

ROMANTIC REALITY TV
AND
ROMANTIC/SEXUAL LIFE
SATISFACTION
By Haley Kershaw, Madeline Gibb, and
Annika Lewis
INTRODUCTION
● First Romantic Reality TV Show
○ “The Dating Game”, 1965
● 72 romantic reality TV shows now
● Used as an escape from “reality,” but isn’t
exactly real itself
● Purpose for Research:
○ Does romantic reality TV impact thinking
and behavior?
○ If so, how?
LITERATURE REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

● Watching romantic/sexual reality TV shows increases:

○ One-night stands
○ Sexual permissiveness
○ Pressure to have sex early/more sexual interactions in
a relationship
● Three dating attitudes supported in the shows:
○ Men are sex-driven
○ Dating is a game
○ Women are sexual objects
● Lack of diversity in the shows
RESEARCH QUESTION METHOD

● Survey
What are the ● Watching romantic
connections between reality TV vs.
romantic/life
romantic reality TV and satisfaction
romantic /sexual life ● Instagram, Facebook,
CMU Honors Program,
satisfaction? Friends and Family
HIGHLIGHTED FINDINGS
● Average participant:
○ 19-29 years old, Female, Straight,
White/Caucasian
● Most watched less than 1 hour per week
● Most believed:
○ Body type was least represented
○ Romantic reality TV rarely reflects reality
● Most were satisfied with their romantic/sexual
life after viewing romantic reality TV
○ Contrary to hypothesis
○ If satisfied before, then satisfied after,
and vice versa
Concluding Thoughts
● Satisfaction remained the mostly the same
● But, small differences showed:
○ More view time = more satisfaction
● Future Research
○ Reasons for answers
○ Specific romantic reality TV shows
○ Participants who have not watched romantic reality TV but then do
● Important Because:
○ We learn and absorb media constantly
○ Media loves and hates reality TV
■ Supports that romantic reality TV could be more positive than negative
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