Homework 1

Homework 1: Developing Research Questions
1. I would like to study reality television and if it influences behavior in relationships. There are many reality dating television shows that I enjoy watching and it made me wonder if watching these television shows give me a skewed view of reality and a healthy relationship, so I would like to explore that topic.
2. Descriptive:
a. Do reality television shows influence behavior in relationships?
b. Do reality dating television shows influence sexual behavior?
Exploratory:
a. Does watching reality television cause an increase in sexual behavior and sexual attitude?
b. Does watching reality television change one’s attitudes about relationships and sex?
c. Do men and women have different views of sex and relationships from watching reality television?
Explanatory:
a. Is watching reality television causing increased sexual behavior because of skewed views of reality?
b. Can watching reality television cause different views of sex and relationships between men and women by the way sex is portrayed on reality shows?
3. The research question I would choose to pursue over the semester would be DO men and women have different views of sex and relationships from watching reality television? I believe that watching reality television, especially dating shows, can give people a skewed view of reality when it comes to relationships, sex, and love. If one has a skewed view of reality when it comes to love, then does that affect their attitudes toward relationships and sex? Does this change in attitude differ between men and women? I believe this is a good question to research because attitudes towards sex and relationships are changing and I want to know if it is because of the increased amount of sex on reality television. Is there a correlation between college students’ attitudes of sex and relationships and the television shows they watch recreationally? Reality television and sexual behavior are very common things, especially in college-aged students, and it will be a good issue to study and find more information about.
4. a.
Hetsroni, A. (2000). Choosing a Mate in Television Dating Games: The Influence of Setting, Culture, and Gender. Sex Roles, 42(1/2), 83-106.

Punyanunt-Carter, N. M. (n.d). Love on Television: Reality Perception Differences Between Men and Women. North American Journal Of Psychology, 8(2), 269-276.

Ross, L., Anderson, D. R., & Wisocki, P. A. (1982). Television Viewing and Adult Sex-Role Attitudes. Sex Roles, 8(6), 589-592.
Sastre, A. (2014). Hottentot in the age of reality TV: sexuality, race, and Kim Kardashian’s visible body. Celebrity Studies, 5(1/2), 123-137. doi:10.1080/19392397.2013.810838

Markle, G. (2008). “Can Women Have Sex Like a Man?”: Sexual Scripts in Sex and the City. Sexuality & Culture, 12(1), 45-57. doi:10.1007/s12119-007-9019-1

Zurbriggen, E. L., & Morgan, E. M. (2006). Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? Reality Dating Television Programs, Attitudes Toward Sex, and Sexual Behaviors. Sex Roles, 54(1/2), 1-17. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-8865-2

Segrin, C., & Nabi, R. L. (n.d). Does Television Viewing Cultivate Unrealistic Expectations About Marriage?. Journal Of Communication, 52(2), 247.

Vandenbosch, L., & Eggermont, S. (2011). Temptation Island, the Bachelor, Joe Millionaire: A prospective cohort study on the role of romantically themed reality television in adolescents' sexual development. Journal Of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 55(4), 563-580. doi:10.1080/08838151.2011.620663

Cato, M. A. (2012). Women's response to sex-as-power imagery on popular reality TV programming. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A, 73, 1968.

Banet-Weiser, S., & Portwood-Stacer, L. (2006). 'I just want to be me again!': Beauty pageants, reality television and post-feminism. Feminist Theory, 7(2), 255-272. doi:10.1177/1464700106064423

b. Summary of Love on Television: Reality Perception Differences Between Men and Women Love on Television: Reality Perception Differences Between Men and Women’s research is based off of perceived realism and exploring that topic and applying it reality television. It is taking men and women who are undergraduate students and exploring their views on love and sex according to reality television. According to the research men were more likely to think sex was accurately depicted on television, while women were more likely to think love was depicted accurately on television. The study did not ask specific questions about why the participant answered the question the way they did and it was done in a mass-testing format. The study does not look at how individual perceive television individually, but just the perceived realism of love. The report does support previous studies done that say media forms our perceptions of sexual behavior. It also confirms that men and women have different views of sex and love portrayed on television. I think this article is very relevant to my question, but I do believe it doesn’t give as much information as I would like. This article confirms past studies of men and women and how they have different views of love and also confirms that media we expose ourselves to changes they way we may view reality. After reading my article I may make my question broader in age range and just compare men and women of all ages and their different views of relationships. I would also not limit my question to reality television and just make it media’s influence as a whole.

5. Is sexual behavior and attitude towards sex for men and women influenced by the media?
a. The independent variable is media exposure
b. The dependent variable is sexual behavior and attitudes towards sex