Unveiling the Influence: 3 Ways Media Shapes Our Views on Marriage
How does the media we consume shape our views about marriage?
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We are in our new series discussing media influencing on our relationships.
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Unveiling the Influence: 3 Ways Media Shapes Our Views on Marriage
The way we shape culture, our households and more can be influenced by the world around us particularly the media we consume.
We are discussing in this new series how media impacts how we view relationships and marriage in general and in our own lives.
The media is a powerful tool as discussed on Tuesday and those that be know it.
Cultivation Theory
The 1960s was an interesting time. We talk about Paul Erlich’s depopulation theories in another newsletter.
At this time our society was introduced to “Cultivation Theory” by George Grabner.
Cultivation theory holds that long-term exposure to media shapes how media consumers perceive the world and conduct themselves.
He laid out how the media plays a huge role in our lives and even gave it this name.
It plays out in what our children copy what they see despite parents’ best efforts, how we feel about beauty standards and our shopping habits.
Television execs know this and use it to their advantage.
You must be aware of the impacts of media when working to build your own social empire.
This theory was later explored by other researchers and added on in the 80s and throughout the 2000s.
Effects of viewing Romantic Relationships in media
In 2012 a study was done to talk about these issues entitled, “When TV and Marriage Meet: A Social Exchange Analysis of the Impact of Television Viewing on Marital Satisfaction and Commitment” by Jeremy L. Osborn
His abstract of the study stated that:
Although several studies have examined the association between television viewing and romantic relationships, differences in theoretical grounding, methodology, and findings have produced a picture that is decidedly unclear. Furthermore, past research has been directed primarily toward general relational attitudes and hypothetical relational behaviors without considering potential effects of viewing on existing, long-term relationships. This study sought to address these issues by drawing on the theoretical traditions of cultivation analysis, uses and gratifications, and social exchange theory to explore the associations among relationship variables and measures of both television viewing and belief in television portrayals by analyzing data collected from 392 married individuals. Results revealed that both heavier viewing of romantically themed programming and greater belief in television's portrayals of romantic relationships were associated with lower marital commitment, higher expected and perceived costs of marriage, and more favorable perceptions of alternatives to one's current relationship. (Osburn, 2012)
He wanted to find more specific evidence of how our television habits transfer over into our actual real-world relationship by analyzing real couples.
In an interview conduct with this study’s author over at “For Your Marriage.com”, writer David Gibson found out some interesting facts that we can take to help us build better relationships despite what the media presents.
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3 ways media impacts our marriages based on heavier viewing of romantic themed programming:
Lower Marital commitment
Higher expected and perceived costs of marriage
More favorable perceptions to one’s current relationship.
Osburn stated in this interview that:
I found that people who believe the unrealistic portrayals on TV are actually less committed to their spouses and think their alternatives to their spouse are relatively attractive (Osburn, 2012)
This all means that the more people watched and consumed this type of entertainment their ideas about relationships and marriage were more negative and unrealistic.
He did notice that people could have viewed their own relationship less favorable beforehand and that carried over so more studying as needed.
What does this have to do with Iconic Media?
Everything.
We know that the media is dominate with specific types of relationships we have an array of marriage/relationship content and movement based on perceived soceital ills that are trying to be corrected.
But where do people do for the alternative, to learn how to build relationships that last?
They can come here.
We have over 170 newsletters, 5 Books in print and digital form, our Iconic Formula for Marriage Success course, podcasts and more services coming.
We must show up as the counterculture to marital issues with practical solutions people face.
Key Takeaways
Whether you call it Fake News or not, the media has lasting impacts on how people view marriage and relationships as a whole.
What we consume can make us think things are one way but in reality, they are not.
But it isn’t enough for us to just turn the television off or log off our phones.
We must actually show up and be the alternative options for others to get and receive positive relationship and marriage content.
And Iconic Media is here with your support to empower you to build these types of marriage every day.
And while you are building, people are taking notice.
And that is Iconic.
1-Year Anniversary Celebration: Iconic Marriage Holiday Package and Giveaway
October 1, 2022 we launched Iconic Media with the Vision to empower men and women to build social empires.
And with 170 newsletters, 5 books, 1 eCourse and podcasts shows, we are doing just that.
We have 1 quarter left of 2023 we want to celebrate with gifts.
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