Reality TV resets tween, teen girls expectations about own lives Article Summary

Reality TV Resets Tween, Teen Girls' Expectations About Own Lives focuses on teen and tween girls and discusses how reality TV affects them emotionally. When watching an increased amount of reality TV, young females expect a higher level of drama, bullying, and aggression in their own lives. This is unhealthy and a very negative aspect of watching television. The article relies on a"Real to Me: Girls and Reality TV" survey to back up their statistical data. According to this data, 86% of girls found that TV shows often turn girls against one another in order to evoke drama and make the television series interesting. When the study further investigated this, it found that 78% vs. 54% argued that gossiping was prominent in their life. The effects TV has on these females' lives is definitely something our culture should be aware of- especially if the effects of watching television can be negative and unhealthy. Females are constantly exposed to romantic relationships on television which can also be unhealthy. This enables young girls to seek pleasure and identity in a relationship when it is healthy to be independent and single. According to the article, females portray television and its effects on their mindset differently. For instance, some girls may say TV allows them to believe they can achieve anything in life, while others mention they cannot relate because television portrays characters with different backgrounds.

The data that is retrieved from this article clearly demonstrates how television is idolized, especially by young females. Not only is television idolized, but it impact them on a physiological level. One of the main aspects of this article that caught my attention was how television portrays a "mean-girl" stereotype which illuminates the competition between girls. This competitiveness is again unhealthy and should be brought to our cultures attention. Young females need to collaborate rather than competing against one another. Television is a the core of solving these issues. Families must pay close attention to what young females are watching so that television does not develop a negative mindset in young females' lives.