Reality-Based Television Programming and the Psychology of Its Appeal

Despite the general presence of reality-based television programming for more than a decade and its recent increasing popularity, the extant literature on the phenomenon is limited. In Study 1, we considered how the viewing public constructs the so-called genre of reality-based TV. Multidimensional space analysis based on the Q-sort responses of 38 city residents indicated reality-based TV shows (a) are largely distinct from most major programming genres, although they do not form a particularly cohesive genre of their own, and (b) are viewed as only moderately real. In Study 2, we evaluated the lay hypothesis that reality-based TV is popular because it appeals to the voyeuristic nature of the U.S. population. We also considered other gratifications received from viewership as well as personality traits that might predict reality-based TV consumption. The results of a survey of 252 city residents suggested that (a) the role of voyeurism in the appeal of reality-based television is questionable, (b) regular viewers receive different and more varied gratifications from their viewing than do periodic viewers, and (c) impulsivity seeking and need for cognition do not predict overall reality-based TV viewing, although they might predict viewing of particular programs. Future research directions proposed include investigating dimensions that might distinguish different breeds of reality-based programming and studying the more specific cognitive and emotional elements that contribute to the "genre's" appeal.