Why america loves reality tv

But why do we like reality TV so much? Part of the success of these reality TV shows comes down to the audience participation. Some — such as The Voice — rely on viewers to choose who they want to win. Actively supporting contestants is required and the participatory nature makes the show must-see TV. In doing so, they are able to have a vested interest in the show, which results in the experience of watching the show being more exciting. You may only lose pride when your favourite is unceremoniously removed from the show, but you still feel the tension when the show airs.

Some people have compared reality TV competition shows to sports, as they can be just as consuming and lead to diehard loyalty for fans. The tribalism involved in these shows is much like the diehard loyalty sports fans have to their treasured teams.

Fans of certain reality show stars will whip up similar amounts of fierce support on social media as would be seen during the World Cup or Olympics. These diehard reality fans are known as fandoms. Reality TV has become a large part of popular culture today and provides hours of entertainment to countless Americans. Reality TV gives many Americans an escape from their home lives or occupations. Reality television is widely considered to be mindless entertainment but it gives millions of Americans a release from their typical unsatisfactory lives.

Reality shows are popular because people like to watch others who are successful. Everyone wants to live a luxurious life and therefore want to see how other people live that sort of life. It is human nature to see what other people have and to want it, and reality shows are a way for people to see that life and wish they had it.

It also makes people wonder if they had that life, would they act like that. Why are reality shows so popular? I believe that reality TV intrigues most people due to the trailers and commercials that preview them.

Most of the time reality shows use clips or videos that have fighting, injuries or scary experiences in them. Shitrit and Cohen concluded that this tricky and innovative test of the real reasons behind enjoyment of reality shows allowed them to discover that humiliation is not the central motivation, which must rather be empathy. Are these findings good news for all those who enjoy reality shows and for those who would like to perceive human creatures as good and positive?

I would not be so eager to shout the good news to the whole world. Humans are quite complex creatures. Not only do we love others, but quite often we do not like some of them, and at times even hate them. I wonder what results would be generated by a study in which we asked participants not about their loved ones, but rather those they despised? Tomasz is a psychologist and science writer who specializes in debunking pseudoscience in the field of psychology, psychotherapy and diagnosis.

He has published over a dozen books, dozens of scientific papers and over popular articles some of them in Skeptical Inquirer. By guest blogger Tomasz Witkowski Television programs portraying ordinary people in unexpected situations are almost as old as the medium of television itself.

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