Determining Dimensions of Reality: A Concept Mapping of the Reality TV Landscape |
| |
| Authors: | Robin L Nabi PhD |
| |
| Institution: | Department of Communication , University of California , Santa Barbara |
| |
| Abstract: | This research examines the dimensions underlying reality-based TV programs as a first step towards uncovering the reality programming subgroups that might exist in viewers' minds and the themes that might distinguish them. Two samples—one of students and one of city residents—engaged in a sorting task of 33 reality-based programs. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) indicated two underlying dimensions along which audiences think about reality TV (romance and competitiveness), which were supported by subsequent analyses. These findings both help frame future theoretically driven research on reality-based programming and offer insight into how research interested in the effects of programming themes might proceed. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
