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Atlantic Journal of Communication Volume 24, 2016 - Issue 4
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Original Articles

Reality TV, materialism, and associated consequences: An exploration of the influences of enjoyment and social comparison on reality TV’s cultivation effects

Shu-Yueh LeeDepartment of Journalism, University of Wisconsin OshkoshCorrespondence[email protected]
,
Yen-Shen ChenInstitute of Communication Studies, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
&
Mark HarmonSchool of Journalism & Electronic Media, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Pages 228-241 | Published online: 22 Sep 2016
 
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ABSTRACT

This study applied cultivation theory to examine the effects of reality TV on viewer materialism and the associated consequences of materialism. At first glance reality TV appeared to be the programming most strongly associated with materialism. However, the direct effect waned after introducing enjoyment and social comparison as mediators. In particular, the results showed that enjoyment fully mediated the cultivation effect of reality TV on materialism. This study demonstrated that media effects were not only mediated by individual differences in personalities but also determined by the viewing experiences.

Acknowledgment

This article was presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, August 2013.

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