Running head: EFFECTS OF REALITY TV ON BODY IMAGE

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The Effects of Reality TV on Body Image and Self-Esteem
Tara Hebison
Boise State University









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Abstract
I studied the effects of reality TV on body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. Using 6 survey items,
73 Boise State University general psychology students participated in the study. There was not a
statistically significant difference between students who watch reality TV shows compared to
those who do not on a students self-esteem. Similarly, I also found that there was not a
statistically significant difference between students who watch reality TV shows compared to
those who do not on a students body satisfaction. Continued research on this topic can help
future scholars examine the effects reality TV shows have on body dissatisfaction and self-
esteem.
Keywords: reality TV, self-esteem, body satisfaction













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The Effects of Reality TV on Body Image and Self-Esteem
Thirty seven to fifty four percent of adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their body shape
(Borresen & Rosenvinge, 2003), with body dissatisfaction appearing in girls as young as 5 years
old (Davison, Markey, & Birch, 2003). Magazines, movies, music videos, television shows, and
advertisements portray an ideal beauty that is not comparable to the majority of the female
population. Most females, without conscious thought, compare themselves to this ideal beauty
which can have lasting negative effects on them. In recent years concerns about body image and
eating disorder behaviors have increased, causing researchers to examine the thinner standard of
beauty that is being portrayed in the media as an influential factor (Fraze, 2000).
The media emphasizes that self-worth should be based on appearance while presenting a
cultural ideal of female beauty that is becoming increasingly unattainable for most women
(Richins, 1991). This ideal portrays body shapes that are rendered desirable by equating them
with happiness, social success and professional achievement (Thompson, Coovert, & Stormer,
1998). Many young women strive to achieve this unrealistic body that the media promotes
(Thompson, Van den Berg, Roehrig, Guarda, & Heinberg, 2004), but this level of beauty and
physical attractiveness is only characteristic of an extremely small portion of the population
(Jung-Hwan & Lennon, 2007). Most of the advertisements being presented are an unrealistic
picture of people and their lives (Richins, 1995). Women who view these media images of thin,
air brushed females, have been linked to depression and lower self-esteem (Gerber, 2005). There
is clear evidence that the medias typical portrayal of women has a negative effect on the way
women feel about themselves. Sociological and psychological literature on this phenomenon, of
medias effects, shows that exposure to thin ideal media has damaging effects on women (Groesz,
Levine, & Murnen, 2002). Viewing thin and beautiful models creates self-doubt and
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dissatisfaction among many young women, which can undermine their self-confidence (Jung-
Hwan & Lennon, 2007), and result in unhealthy eating practices and eating disorders (Freedman,
1984).
People are continuously exposed to mass media, and now the latest, reality television. In
recent years reality TV has flooded the cable networks, and according to realitytv.com, between
2008 to 2010, more than 200 new reality TV programs were aired. Channels like: E!, Bravo,
A&E, Mtv, ABC, NBC, and many more, play reality shows about weight loss, the lifestyles of
the rich and famous, the poor and redneck side of life, and the thin and beautiful. Viewers would
think that reality tv programs would represent more realistic male and female bodies, but there
is a disproportionate amount of reality tv casts who have these idealized type body shapes
(Egbert & Belcher, 2012). Makeover shows are a part of the reality TV genre, which include
cosmetic surgeries and extreme dieting that are portrayed as normal, and an everyday method in
achieving ideal physical form (Banet-Weiser & Portwood-Stacer, 2006). People naturally
evaluate their own attributes and abilities, and compare themselves with others (Festinger, 1954).
A social comparison theory was used in one study to determine self-esteem and body
dissatisfaction associated with media exposure (Jung-Hwan & Lennon). The theory of social
comparison is based on the idea that how individuals compare themselves to others affects their
self-evaluation (Lee, 1998). Upward social comparison is comparison to others we perceive to be
socially better than ourselves, which generally leads to a negative self-evaluation (Gibbons &
Gerard, 1989). Social comparison serves to enhance the self by eliciting behaviors to improve
oneself. When a problem arises between the self and the comparison standard, people are
motivated to change themselves to be more like the comparison standard (Higgins, 1987).
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Media alone can not be blamed for low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. Individual
psychology is also important in concerns regarding the appearance of body image, due to the fact
not all women strive for the thin ideal presented in the media (Brumberg, 1988). Joshi, Herman,
and Polivy (2004) have found that individuals with pre-existing body dissatisfaction and thin
ideal internalization display more negative outcomes then individuals without these
characteristics. These women demonstrating negative body dissatisfaction are more likely to be
affected by images of thin models in the media (Ferguson, Winegard, & Winegard, 2011).
Researchers using experimental exposure to ideal media images have identified that women with
low self-esteem are more vulnerable to their effects on body image (Furnham & Greaves, 1994;
Tiggemann & McGill, 2004). Self-esteem can be defined as a confidence in ones own worth or
abilities. In Western cultures self-esteem is a key indicator of psychological well being
(Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2003) and is closely related to mental health, physical
health, and social behaviors (Mann, Hosman, Schaalma, & de Vries, 2004). The purpose of my
study is to determine if frequent viewing (2-3 time a week) of reality television shows play a role
in body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem.
There are still relatively few empirical research studies examining the media effects of
exposure to reality tv (Egbert & Belcher, 2012). For my study I will obtain my results from a
survey given to a General Psychology class of undergraduate students at Boise State University.
I hypothesize that people who regularly view reality television shows will have a lower self-
esteem compared to viewers who do not view reality TV. I also hypothesize that people who
watch reality television shows will have low body satisfaction compared to those who do not
watch reality TV.


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Method
Participants
Seventy-three participants were selected from a general psychology class at Boise State
University; xx women, xx men, xx not reporting sex. The average age was xx.x (SD = XX.X).
The sample consisted of xx freshmen, xx sophomores, xx juniors, xx seniors, and xx did not
report year in school. Participants from the general psychology class were rewarded with course
credit for their participation.
Materials
Participants responded to xx questions relating to reality televisions effects on lowered
body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. I developed these and questions, and they were pilot tested
before being administered to the participants. Refer to Table 1 to see the survey questions that
are part of the larger (omnibus) survey.
Procedure
The xx questions used in this study were part of a larger omnibus survey that consisted of
xxx total questions. The aims of the study were briefly explained to the participants before being
passed out. The participants were then given 50 min to independently complete the survey,
which took place during their regularly scheduled general psychology class. After completion of
the survey, participants were debriefed, thanked for their participation, and given credit.
Results
In reference to the first hypothesis predicting that people who regularly view reality
shows will have a lower self-esteem compared to viewers who do not view reality TV, I
conducted a one-way ANOVA between answers to the item how many reality shows do you
watch a week (answered on a response scale from 1 5) and answers to the item my self-
esteem is lowered after watching reality television. For the previous item students used a scale 1
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= strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. There was not a statistically significant difference
between students who watch 0 reality shows a week (M = 2.36, SD = 0.87), 12 reality shows
per week (M = 2.31, SD = 0.97), 34 reality shows per week (M = 1.67, SD = 0.58) and 56
reality shows per week (M = 2.00, SD = 0.00) on their lowered self-esteem after watching reality
television, F(6,58) = 1.26, p = .292.
The second hypothesis is that people who watch reality television shows will have low
body satisfaction compared to those who do not watch reality TV. Answers to this item how
many reality shows do you watch a week (answered on a response scale from 1 - 5) and answers
to I have low levels of body dissatisfaction after watching reality television. For the previous
item students used a scale 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. There was not a
statistically significant difference between students who watch 0 reality shows a week (M = 2.36,
SD = 0.73), 12 reality shows per week (M = 2.70, SD = 0.88), 34 reality shows per week (M =
3.00, SD = 0.82) and 56 reality shows per week (M = 2.50, SD = 0.71) on low body
dissatisfaction after watching reality television, F(5,60) = 1.44, p = .221.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to examine reality TVs effects on viewers self-esteem and
body dissatisfaction. The results suggest that viewers who watch reality TV, will not have low
self-esteem or body dissatisfaction, regardless of the number of reality shows they watch per
week. Prior research studies have found differences, so I expected there to be a significant
difference in my results.
I hypothesized that people who regularly view reality television shows would have a
lower self-esteem compared to viewers who do not view reality TV. There was not a significant
difference on self-esteem, between viewers who watched reality TV and viewers who do not
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watch reality TV. I also hypothesized that people who watch reality television shows would have
low body satisfaction compared to those who do not watch reality TV. My second hypothesis
was not significant as well. Both hypothesizes were not supported based off the results.
My study contradicted previous studies that state exposure to thin ideal media has
damaging effects on women (Groesz, Levine, & Murnen, 2002). Women who view media
images of thin, air brushed females, have been linked to depression and lower self-esteem
(Gerber, 2005). Further studies stated that viewing thin and beautiful models creates self-doubt
and dissatisfaction among many young women, which can undermine their self-confidence
(Jung-Hwan & Lennon, 2007), and result in unhealthy eating practices and eating disorders
(Freedman, 1984). My results suggest that reality TV plays no role in lowered self-esteem and
body dissatisfaction. I speculate the lack of significance resulted from the small sample size my
study was administered to. College students focus may be more on school than on watching
reality TV. Had my study been administered to a broader population, my results may have had
more significance.
The results that I hoped to find were not there possibly due to the limitations of this
study. I believe that if my sample size was not limited to 73 participants, my results would have
had a higher statistical power. Along with the small sample size, I was limited with a narrower
age range of participants to conduct my survey on. Future researchers should take a larger
sample size from the community, and not be limited to a General Psychology class. Along with
the larger sample size, future studies should include a broader range of ages. Younger people are
equally influenced by reality TV as college students, if not more influenced.
Even though I didnt find what I expected to find with this study, it is still an important
topic. 37-40% of adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their body shape (Borresen & Rosenvinge,
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2003), with body dissatisfaction appearing in girls as young as 5 years old (Davison, Markey, &
Birch, 2003). To date there are still relatively few empirical research studies examining the
media effects of exposure to reality TV (Egbert & Belcher, 2012). Reality TV viewing is on the
rise, and I feel further research should be conducted to help avoid body dissatisfaction and self-
esteem issues in men and women.
































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Table 1

Survey Items with Response Scales

Item Response
1. What is your gender? (circle one) Nominal: F/M
2. How old are you? Fill-in-the-blank
3. What year are you in school? (circle one) Nominal:F/S/J/S
4. How many reality shows do you watch a week? Response scale 1-5
5. I have lowered body dissatisfaction after watching reality television Agreement questions
6. My self-esteem is lowered after watching reality television Agreement questions
7. I negatively compare myself to reality television stars Agreement questions
8. I suffer from depression Yes/No
9. I suffer from anxiety Yes/No
Notes. Item 2 was a fill-in-the-blank question. For item 4, the response scales were 1 = 0 reality
shows per week, 2 = 1-2 reality shows per week, 3 = 3-4 reality shows per week, 4 = 5-6 reality
shows per week, and 5 = 7 or more reality shows per week.