In the last twenty years, there has been an increase of research in regard to the impact of movies and television on relationship expectations and satisfaction. Romantic relationships are one of the most common experiences one will encounter in his or her adult life. We now enter relationships with idealised and romanticised notions about how the relationship will be. It has become apparent through research that these ideas and concepts are due to the increased viewing of television shows and movies. In the last fifty years, televisions have become a mainstream norm in all households (Gerbner and Gross, 1976). This increase has resulted in children nowadays being exposed to mass media at such an early age and growing up with televisions around them whereas their parents and grandparents did not.
When it comes to social norms and expectations in society, children and adolescents now rely a lot on what they watch on television. They are a basis for their values and ideologies and all interactions and actions. However, what is shown on television is a combination of truths and fiction, with certain aspects over exaggerated and other parts underplayed. Regardless of what is true and false, it has been argued that the mass media has been a major contributor to expectations in a relationship (Segrin and Nabi, 2002). Furthermore, going into a relationship with these expectations can result in lower levels satisfaction when in the relationships (Segrin and Nabi, 2002). This idea has led to many theories behind mass medias influence on individuals being created and developed.
Viewers cognitively process messages through television consumption. The ‘Cultivation Theory’ composed and expanded by Gerbner and Gross (1976) proposes that media through television exerts a significant influence on the beliefs of those who watch it. We now live in an era where “information-poor” (Gerbner and Gross, 1976, p.176) individuals have constant exposure to televisions and look to the shows and movies for life lessons and education of society. Gerbner (1998) argued that those who watch more television integrate the lessons and messages shown and are more likely to mirror the ways characters do in their own personal experiences. With teenagers being a large majority of the population that watches television and movies, Wood et al (cited in Milmine, 2013) discussed how adolescents now seek out romantic advice through television and movies in order to gain a greater understanding into romantic relationships. Furthermore, teenagers are embracing and mirroring these idealised models of romance and relationships that are presented in media in their own lives (Bachen and Illouz, cited in Segrin and Nabi, 2002). This influence emphasises the powerful nature of mass media on our expectations relationships. Moreover, Osborn’s (2012) research into the impact of television consumption and marital satisfaction suggested that individuals who frequently watch television may have skewed perceptions of the world due to false messages that are shown. This results in creating inaccurate attitudes and beliefs in real life relationships and making significant associations of plot lines with one’s own experiences. However, the exact nature of these associations has not yet been clarified. Thus, it may be a combination of theories that helps explain these associations and expectations in specifics to relationships and its effect on relationship satisfaction.
Medias ability to shape one’s views of a relationship has led to the development of many theories such as the ‘Social Exchange Theory’. Social exchange can be defined as the exchange of activity providing rewards or costs between two people (Homan, cited in Cook and Rice, 2006). In terms of relationships, both partners have to put in the same, such as time, love and communication, to receive equal benefits and have mutual satisfaction. If one person is not putting in the same amount to the relationship as their partner, then there is a lack of equity which is essential for a successful and happy relationship. Hartfield and Traupman (1979), emphasised that those who feel as an equal in their relationship reported higher levels of satisfaction and happiness, whereas those who felt under-benefitted showed lower levels of satisfaction and were the least happy with their relationship. Furthermore, relationship satisfaction occurred when the benefits outweighed the costs. Whilst contributing an equal amount into your relationship is important for satisfaction, your level of expectations before entering and during the relationship is important as well. This is because if you have exceptionally high expectations for your relationship, the outcomes will have to been exceedingly high for you to be satisfied. One of the reasons behind these high expectations is the guidance from movies and television. A more recent study by Osborn’s (2012) illustrates this through individuals evaluating their current relationships by comparing the perceived benefits of the relationship to the perceived costs. It was found that relationships portrayed on television gave an additional influence on expectations in the relationships. It specifically highlighted how negative portrayals of relationships results in lower expectations thus higher satisfaction, in contrast to positive portrayals resulting in higher expectations and therefore lower satisfaction. Consequently, there is a strong association of media influence on relationships. Another aspect to consider that Osborn’s (2012) research highlighted is how relationship satisfaction also depends on the attractiveness of alternatives to the current relationship, for example a relationship with another person or not being in the relationship any longer. A common theme of relationships in movies and television is one of the partners ending the relationship due to a more attractive alternative. It is quite possible that this could result in an individual comparing the characters relationship to their own and looking for alternatives for themselves in order to have higher satisfaction.
Despite these arguments and research into the impact of mass media on relationships, there are other perspectives to consider that may guide one’s expectations and behaviours in a romantic relationship, for instance attachment theories. It is suggested that the attachment type you have from when you are an infant is reciprocated into your adult relationships. It has been established that there are three attachment styles formed when you are an infant: secure, anxiety and avoidant (Ainsworth and Bell, 1970). Having a secure attachment means your attachment figure will be available always and provides emotional well-being. Meanwhile, anxious attachment types require excessive closeness and reassurance from their attachment figure. By comparison, having an avoidant attachment means the individual is uncomfortable with closeness, both emotionally and physically and is reluctant to rely on others. These attachment types contribute to an internal working model of attachment which is the root of wanting a relationship (Pietromoncaco and Beck, cited in White, 2015). This model unconsciously guides our expectations and beliefs about the reliability and availability of an attachment figure, such as your partner in a relationship. Shaver and Hazan’s (1988) research into attachment types when in an adult relationship correlated with what Ainsworth found. Those who were in securely attached relationships felt that relationships revolved around friendship, trust and happiness, whereas anxiously attached individuals had a strong desire to be loved as well as a lack of self-confidence and jealousy. Moreover, those who were avoidant attached had a fear of being close to another and believed that romance rarely lasts. These findings emphasise how the way we act and expect our relationships to be like when an adult may begin from birth in the attachments we form with our primary caregiver, and that mass media may just reinforce these thoughts and ideas. However, the current study aims to focus on how media does not just reinforce these beliefs, but its potent nature being a stronger influence on romantic relationships than infantile attachment styles.
Previous research has suggested how children and adolescents who are frequently shown content that features romantic themes are more inclined to grow up with romanticised views of relationships (e.g. remaining married to the same partner till death) (Segrin and Nabi, 2002). These romanticised views about relationships are embedded deeply throughout specific movie genres such as Disney and romantic comedies, which we view from such a young and impressionable age. Research into Disney films and the messages that they send children has found that the concepts of love used in the movies are being simplified in order for children to feel they understand and appreciate them (Silverman, 2009). The easiness of love is apparent in Disney, as a common storyline is for the Princess to fall in love with the first Prince she sees and to instantly know he is the ‘one’. Thus, one could argue how easily these notions are rooted in the minds of susceptible children and continue to be developed when a teenager through romantic comedies. Walt Disney supported this idea by saying how he “think[‘s] of a child’s mind as a blank book. During the first years of [their lives], much will be written on the pages. The quantity of that writing will affect [their] life profoundly” (Pinker, 2002). This idea emphasises the importance of what one learns during their childhood and how it could subconsciously impact decisions they make in the future.
Furthermore, these thoughts are reinforced in the movies we watch when in adolescence. Despite the pathway to a successful relationship having some barriers in these romantic comedies we begin to watch in our teenage years, the characters always overcome any problems and end up in a happy relationship. Consequently, as we begin to get into relationships it is argued that these wishful movie ideals will be expected in our real lives. When our relationships do not mirror what is shown in the movies, it is arguable that relationship satisfaction will decrease. This was the case in Holmes and Johnson’s (2009) study which focused on television consumption and relationship standards and satisfaction. They found how participants were less satisfied in their relationships in accordance with the amount of television they consumed. Moreover, even participants who were not in relationships but consumed a lot of television had just as high relationship standards. If individuals are going to use movies to educate themselves about relationships, it is important for them to be able to depict what is accurately shown and true. The lack of this accurate perception is known as ‘perceived realism’ (Osborn, 2012). Perceived realism sets up new relationships for failure as challenges to the relationship do not resolve themselves as happens in a movie (Gunther, 2016). Additionally, Miller and Tedder’s (2011) research into expectations and reality of relationships found that participants whose expectations were exceeded were more satisfied whereas participants who were not experiencing their expectations had higher levels of relationship dissatisfaction. Hence, having realistic and attainable expectations is important for relationship satisfaction
Although these studies and theories have provided evidence into the influence of mass media on individuals expectations in relationships and for some, their satisfaction, there has been very little research into specific movie genres influence on children and adolescents. Consistent with this, the current study aims to determine whether the media we view in early childhood and adolescence influence our expectations and levels of satisfaction in romantic relationships. The study builds on previous research under the framework of Gerbner and Gross’s (1976) ‘Cultivation Theory’. The purpose of the study is to gain a deeper insight into whether a combination of the movie genre with the age of viewing as well as the amount of exposure, impacts one’s expectations of a relationship when older and in turn, affects one’s satisfaction when in a relationship. The study predicts how there will be an association between relationship expectations and satisfaction and watching romantic comedies and Disney movies.