Because of the large amount of media consumption, it is important to understand implications that media may have on our everyday lives. This review is centered on the portrayal of interpersonal conflict in television programs and their real life implications. Previous research by Aubrey et al. (2013) shows that television viewing can be correlated with relational control, especially if the viewer perceives realism. This suggests that television shows that claim to be real, like talk shows or reality TV, may have stronger impact on our relationships than we think. Aubrey et al. found that television consumption often creates the idea that relational conflict and control are normal components in interpersonal relationships. If we tend to view these occurrences in our favorite programs as natural then we probably have a skewed perception of interpersonal conflict in our own lives.
This idea of learning from the television personally consumed is also prevalent in Roloff and Greenberg’s (1979) study of adolescent media and conflict. These researchers found that there is direct correlations between the way participants react to conflict and the way they perceive their favorite television character’s reactions to conflict. This implies that television consumption may indeed have an impact on the way we view and enact interpersonal conflict. Depictions of relationships on television are not always applicable to our own real life relationships and therefore it is necessary to separate entertainment from reality.
As a television viewer, I encourage you to take a step back from our media-crazy world and see what we are really watching. Throughout this review I will look at what researchers have to say about interpersonal conflict portrayals on talk shows, reality TV, and prime time television. I will also provide examples of interpersonal conflict on television. Lastly, I hope to tie the implications some of our favorite programs have on interpersonal conflict.
Aubrey, J., Rhea, D. M., Olson, L. N., & Fine, M. (2013). Conflict and Control: Examining the association between exposure to
television portraying interpersonal conflict and the use of controlling behaviors in romantic relationships. Communication
Studies, 64(1), 106-124. doi:10.1080/10510974.2012.731465
Roloff, M. E., & Greenberg, B. S. (1979). Sex differences in choice of modes of conflict resolution in real-life and television.
Communication Quarterly, 27(3), 3-12.
This idea of learning from the television personally consumed is also prevalent in Roloff and Greenberg’s (1979) study of adolescent media and conflict. These researchers found that there is direct correlations between the way participants react to conflict and the way they perceive their favorite television character’s reactions to conflict. This implies that television consumption may indeed have an impact on the way we view and enact interpersonal conflict. Depictions of relationships on television are not always applicable to our own real life relationships and therefore it is necessary to separate entertainment from reality.
As a television viewer, I encourage you to take a step back from our media-crazy world and see what we are really watching. Throughout this review I will look at what researchers have to say about interpersonal conflict portrayals on talk shows, reality TV, and prime time television. I will also provide examples of interpersonal conflict on television. Lastly, I hope to tie the implications some of our favorite programs have on interpersonal conflict.
Aubrey, J., Rhea, D. M., Olson, L. N., & Fine, M. (2013). Conflict and Control: Examining the association between exposure to
television portraying interpersonal conflict and the use of controlling behaviors in romantic relationships. Communication
Studies, 64(1), 106-124. doi:10.1080/10510974.2012.731465
Roloff, M. E., & Greenberg, B. S. (1979). Sex differences in choice of modes of conflict resolution in real-life and television.
Communication Quarterly, 27(3), 3-12.