Reality TV Dating Formats and Social Norms: Associations Between Viewing Frequency, Perceived Scripts, Realism, and Attitudes Towards Gender Norms

This research project examines cultivation effects of reality TV dating formats on viewers’ social attitudes, focusing on attitudes towards gender norms. The study is grounded in Cultivation Theory, which examines how long-term exposure to television content shapes viewers’ perceptions of social reality and their normative beliefs (Rossmann, 2013). According to this theoretical perspective, media portrayals contribute to the normalization of specific worldviews, particularly among heavy viewers. Reality TV dating formats are characterized by repetitive narratives, stereotypical role allocations, and behavioral expectations that closely follow heteronormative scripts. A central aspect of these scripts is the sexual double standard, which emphasizes sexually assertive, dominant behavior as a marker of masculinity while promoting more restrained or relationship-oriented behavior for women. Prior content-analytic research demonstrates that this male heterosexual script (“sex as masculinity”) is especially dominant in mainstream television and programming targeted at young adults (Aubrey et al., 2020). From a cultivation perspective, repeated exposure to such asymmetrical portrayals may contribute to the internalization of traditional gender norms and unequal expectations regarding sexual and romantic behavior. Empirical cultivation research on reality TV supports these assumptions. Jahng (2019) showed that heavy viewers of reality TV perceived wealth and materialism as more widespread and attainable. Similarly, Scharrer and Blackburn (2018) demonstrated that viewing reality-based docu-soaps was associated with greater acceptance of aggression as normal behavior, particularly among viewers who perceived these programs as realistic. These findings also highlight perceived realism as a key amplification mechanism of cultivation effects. Building on this theoretical and empirical background, the present study focuses on two central cultivation-related mechanisms: (a) the perception of typical behaviors aligned with heterosexual scripts, differentiated into male and female scripts, and (b) the perceived realism of reality TV dating formats. In line with cultivation theory, we assume that associations between these perceptions and viewers’ normative attitudes are more pronounced among heavy viewers than among light viewers. In addition, the study examines whether these associations differ depending on viewers’ gender. Overall, the study aims to extend cultivation research to the context of reality TV dating formats and to deepen our understanding of how gendered media portrayals relate to social norm perceptions.