Advances in media technology and the rapid growth of the OTT service market following the coronavirus pandemic have greatly increased the popularity of dating reality programs. These programs provide viewers with a sense of empathy by showcasing singl...
Advances in media technology and the rapid growth of the OTT service market following the coronavirus pandemic have greatly increased the popularity of dating reality programs. These programs provide viewers with a sense of empathy by showcasing single men and women competing and revealing their charms in a shared space. Through this, viewers form their own perspectives on dating and marriage. In particular, these programs have a significant impact on gender role awareness, reinforcing traditional gender roles or emphasizing modern gender equality. Men often take the lead while women assume passive roles, leading viewers to unconsciously internalize these gender roles. Additionally, watching dating reality programs significantly impacts viewers' psychological states and social interactions. By forming emotionally meaningful connections with the characters, viewers feel that the dating and marriage situations depicted in the programs are their own. While these quasi-social interactions can positively influence how viewers address their romantic problems, they can also lead to dissatisfaction when viewers compare their own relationships to the dramatic situations portrayed in the programs. In this context, this study aims to determine the impact of watching dating programs on individuals' views of marriage and satisfaction with romantic relationships. It investigates the mediating effects of personal characteristics, gender role awareness, and social influence between watching dating programs and personal views on marriage and romantic relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, the study explores whether there is a gender-based difference in the mediating effects between the degree of viewing dating reality programs and satisfaction with marriage and romantic relationships. The purpose is to deepen the understanding of the production of dating programs and adult intimate relationships in modern society.
This study analyzed the impact of watching dating reality programs on views of marriage and satisfaction with romantic relationships. Two research hypotheses were proposed: first, that heavy viewers would have a more positive view of marriage compared to light viewers; and second, that heavy viewers would report higher satisfaction with their romantic relationships. The analysis revealed that heavy viewers of dating reality programs indeed had a more positive view of marriage and higher satisfaction with their romantic relationships than light viewers. In Research Question 1, we examined the mediating effect of personal characteristic variables on the relationship between watching dating reality programs and views on marriage. The results showed that watching these programs significantly influenced views on marriage, with attachment avoidance having a partial mediating effect. In Research Question 2, we investigated the mediating effects of gender role awareness and social influence on the relationship between watching dating reality programs and views on marriage. Both gender discrimination and gender equality perceptions had a partial mediating effect. Social comparison also showed a partial mediating effect, while parasocial interaction did not have a significant mediating effect. Research Question 3 focused on the mediating effect of personal characteristic variables between watching dating reality programs and satisfaction with romantic relationships. Here, attachment anxiety was not significant, but attachment avoidance had a partial mediating effect. In Research Question 4, we analyzed the mediating effects of gender role awareness and social influence on the relationship between watching dating reality programs and satisfaction with romantic relationships. The perception of gender discrimination had a mediating effect, but the perception of gender equality did not have a direct effect. Social comparison showed a significant mediating effect, whereas parasocial interaction did not. Finally, in Research Questions 5 and 6, we explored the impact of watching dating reality programs on views of marriage and satisfaction with romantic relationships according to gender. Various mediating variables affected the male group, but did not appear to have a significant effect on the female group.
In conclusion, watching dating reality programs can positively impact an individual's view of marriage and satisfaction with romantic relationships. This effect is likely because these programs often depict an idealized married life, helping viewers form a positive perspective on marriage. First, the analysis of the impact of dating reality programs on viewers' views of marriage and satisfaction with romantic relationships effectively reflects cultural development theory. This theory posits that media significantly influences the formation of human thoughts and ideas about the real world, and this was proven to be true for dating reality programs. It was confirmed that personal psychological characteristics, such as attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, play an important mediating role between watching these programs and forming views on marriage. Next, the importance of gender role awareness was emphasized. Media content plays a crucial role in forming and reinforcing awareness of gender roles. The study suggested the need for gender role education and media literacy education by revealing the impact of this awareness on marriage views and romantic relationship satisfaction. In particular, changes in women's roles and increased independence were found to be major factors in Chinese society. Lastly, through social comparison theory, it was understood that social comparison plays a significant mediating role in the process of watching dating reality programs and forming views on marriage. However, the results showed that parasocial interactions, where viewers feel as if they are forming real human relationships with media characters, did not significantly impact the formation of views on marriage. This is likely due to the characteristics of reality programs and how they are perceived by viewers.
These results demonstrate that watching dating reality programs plays an important role in shaping an individual's view of marriage, which can be further influenced by mediating variables such as gender role awareness and social comparison. The study emphasizes the need for gender role education and media literacy education, laying the foundation for a more detailed understanding of the impact of dating reality programs on individuals' psychological mechanisms.
Keywords: Dating reality program, Cultivation theory, Personal characteristics, Gender role awareness, Social influence, Views on marriage, Satisfaction with romantic relationships