We, as humans, strive to form relationships in our lives. Whether it be at home, school, or work, we all want some kind of human interaction and continue this interaction through a relationship. But what if we can't find that other person to form a relationship? Where do people go to get that personal interaction and experience someone else's life? They turn to TV.
Psychologists have found research supporting the "Social Surrogacy Hypothesis", which states that people find a "parasocial" relationship with characters on TV in our favorite shows. Just as we spend time with our friends to develop a relationship by sharing thoughts and opinions, viewers spend time with their characters, or friends, by watching TV for an extended period of time. People interact with them just as they would with real friends. They respond to their experiences, idiosyncrasies, and personal lives.
Researchers have found that when a real tangible relationship is unavailable, people tend to watch TV. They feel less lonely while watching TV and feel happier and more satisfied with their life after they are done watching TV. In fact, most people stated that they preferred watching their favorite TV show rather than one they don't enjoy as much. People also relied on TV to ease their pain when they recall a bad relationship they had in their lives. TV helps them seek out a good, strong relationship and possibly even replace the flawed relationships they currently have in their lives.
There are times when people feel a threat to a relationship they have with a friend, spouse, or co-worker and this has a negative effect on them. They start to have low self-esteem and experience negative moods, such as depression and anger. However, by watching TV, these moods were buffered and almost taken away. They felt happier and were better able to remedy the relationship afterwards.
Watching TV became a remedy for flawed relationships because people inherently want to belong somewhere. Humans crave relationships and a need to be accepted in society, and when this criteria are met, the craving subsides and goes away. As long as humans maintain this relationship, whether it be with a real-life person, or a fictional character on TV, the craving will be under control. If it is not met, the craving will only intensify and grow, making humans ever hungry for a sense of belonging.
Is this a good thing? If humans are desperate to find a relationship, is it healthy to seek out a relationship with TV? I believe that TV is great for an escape for a while, but it should not be used to replace a relationship. Creating a relationship through TV is only a temporary fix, but creating a relationship with a real person can last a lifetime and alleviate feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem for a long time.
Source:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=imaginary-friends
Don't you think that YouTube and Facebook have usurped television's powerful alternative for those who are "desperate to find a relationship?"
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think that YouTube and Facebook are alternatives to finding a relationship, but for some TV allows them to form a relationship without the fear of rejection.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of times as well, people will watch TV to escape those troubling relationships or even the world around them.
ReplyDeleteI would also have to agree with you, Nabihah, on your comment. The beauty of television, in the sense to this topic, is that their is no rejection. You can't be denied that relationship with your favorite TV character. And that is probably why so many people relate to the characters on television.
Yes, TV is considered an escape to few, just like sports, reading, or working out is considered an escape for others. It is not healthy to find a relationship via the television because a TV show will end eventually and when that ends, you are left alone again.
ReplyDeleteIf you find something with an ACTUAL human being, then that has the possibility to last forever and give you ever lasting happiness. I agree that television relationship is a temporary fix that you cannot get to attached too. I have my favorite TV characters and when the show ended or the character died, I moved on to something else.
Of course, when a TV show ends, the relationship will end as well. However, with TV it easier to find a new relationship because there are a variety of shows and characters to find. You can easily see the other person and their personality too.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that you can find relationships via television. I honestly believe that thats delusional. To find a relationship in something you look at but cant actually be with or touch, or communicate with directly, is crazy to me. Television isn't real so neither will the relationship and once the show is over or the character's role is discountinued, you have nothing like you did in the first place. I just believe thats its very abnormal.
ReplyDelete