Reality still rules the airwaves, but a new study from Girl Scouts of the USA called Real to Me: Girls and Reality TV examines reality programing’s impact on tween and teen girls’ beliefs and self-image.
According to a release from Girl Scouts’ research arm, girls in this age group “accept and expect a higher level of drama, aggression and bullying in their own lives, and measure their worth primarily by their physical appearance.”
“Girls today are bombarded with media – reality TV and otherwise – that more frequently portrays girls and women in competition with one another rather than in support or collaboration,” said Andrea Bastiani Archibald, Ph.D. developmental psychologist, Girl Scouts of the USA.
“This perpetuates a ‘mean-girl’ stereotype and normalizes this behavior among girls,” she added. “We don’t want girls to avoid reality TV, but want them, along with their parents, to know what they are getting into when they watch it.”
Survey by: Youth research firm Tru
Methodology: A total of 1,141 online interviews approximately 12 minutes in length were conducted among females age 11-17. The interviews were distributed evenly by age and nationally, for a geographic mix.
Key findings:
• 86% of girls think reality shows “often pit girls against each other to make the shows more exciting”
• 78% of those who watch reality TV said, “gossiping is a normal part of a relationship between girls,” while 54% of non-watchers said the same thing
• 74% of reality TV watchers and 63% of non-watchers said, “girls often have to compete for a guy’s attention”
• 49% of watchers vs. 28% of non-watchers are happier when they are dating someone or have a significant other
• 72% of girls who watch reality TV said they spend a lot of time on their physical appearance compared to 42% of non-viewers
• 46% of watchers are likely to aspire to leadership compare to 27% of non-watchers
• 75% of watchers said they are likely to see themselves as role models for other girls versus 61% of non-watchers
• 62% of viewers said these types of shows have raised their awareness of social issues and causes
Does this data ring true? Post your thoughts in the comment section.
