The science behind the obsession with reality television

I’ve been through them all: The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Love Island, Temptation Island, Too Hot to Handle, Love is Blind. If you give me a cringy reality show about finding love, I can’t say no.

This puts me in what I’ll call category B when it comes to reality TV – I love it, but I can’t really tell you why, and it’s a bit embarrassing to be so hooked.

People in category A are fully invested in every character, every drama and every breakup with no shame, while those in category C think reality TV is the worst thing to ever happen to the entertainment industry.

Selfishly, the group I’m most interested in is category B, and I’m not alone. Studies have even been conducted to discover why so many middle class, well-educated folks spend hours of their free time binging these shows instead of, you know, reading or catching up on the news.

For me, that’s just it. Despite the name, reality TV is about as far as you can get from reality, so it offers the perfect escape from the stressful world around us. I’d much rather end my day watching Camilla try to decide between Jake or Charlie than listen to the COVID numbers for the fifth time that day. If that makes me willfully shallow or ignorant, then I’ll have to accept my fate.

In a 2017 study conducted by Amy Watson, 5,690 respondents shared their reasoning for watching reality TV. Like me, the majority couldn’t explain their reasoning. Those who responded, “I like the drama,” “it’s mindless,” and “it helps me forget about real issues” followed closely behind. While I think it’s important to stay informed on world events and issues, our generation experiences so much information overload that it’s not surprising to want a break.

Psychologist Zhanna Bagdasarov led a study examining voyeurism as it connects to watching reality television. In the non-sexual context, voyeurism is the pleasure gained from watching unsuspecting people. And although those gracing our screens aren’t unsuspecting, the act of watching reality TV still ticks the boxes of getting an in-depth look at the lives of others. For those of us who are constantly wondering what goes on behind closed doors, it’s the ultimate free ticket.

Dr. Carole Lieberman adds that living vicariously through the exciting experiences of reality TV stars can also add to the allure. We don’t have to risk our own heartbreak or national embarrassment to get in on the action. The outlandish arguments and whirlwind romances are the perfect distraction for the problems we experience in our own lives, providing a momentary escape from the real world.

So, is this obsession really harmful? Most experts say no. As long as you’re still interacting with those around you and aren’t playing hooky to watch the latest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, I think you’ll be alright.

Jill Ellsworth is a writer and communications specialist who lives in Dominion, N.S. Her column appears biweekly across the Saltwire Network.