Media Consequences of Marriage Reality Shows: Long-term Effects on Audience Knowledge Attitudes and Behaviors

Marriage reality shows have become a significant genre within reality television, often portraying idealized or dramatized versions of romantic relationships and marriage. These shows influence viewers' perceptions and expectations regarding marriage, relationships, and conflict resolution. Despite their popularity and cultural impact, the long-term effects of these shows on audience knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors remain underexplored. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the long-term effects of marriage reality shows on audience knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to marriage and relationships. This study seeks to understand how prolonged exposure to these shows influences viewers' expectations, perceptions, and practices in their personal relationships. This qualitative study utilizes in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with a diverse sample audience. Data were collected and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes related to the impact of marriage reality shows over time. The study also incorporates content analysis of selected marriage reality shows to contextualize the findings. The findings reveal that prolonged exposure to marriage reality shows significantly influences viewers' expectations and perceptions of marriage, often leading to unrealistic standards for romantic relationships and conflict resolution. These shows also reinforce traditional gender roles and norms. Viewers reported changes in their relationship behaviors, including partner selection and communication practices. The study highlights the need for critical media literacy to mitigate these effects. This study addresses the gap in existing research on the long-term effects of marriage reality shows, providing valuable insights into their influence on audience knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The findings have important implications for viewers, media producers, educators, and policymakers, emphasizing the need for responsible content creation and media literacy initiatives to promote healthier relationship norms.