Most people I know have at least one TV show they’re passionate about. So invested are we in the lives of these fictitious characters that missing an episode can inspire small bouts of panic. People relish a good story, but there must be something else that draws us so deeply into certain programs. Why does something we know to be fake provoke such real emotions?
For all the trash talk we hear about television rotting our brains, the strong connection we have to it is exactly what makes it such a valuable presence in our lives. Aside from the pure entertainment we derive from tuning in to our favorite shows every week, we’re rewarded in unexpected ways, too. Being a bit of a couch potato can actually be good for you (in some respects).
Easing the Effects of Loneliness
After we’ve stayed loyal to a particular show for a long time, it’s hard not to feel like the characters we see regularly are good friends. We care about their well-being and feel like we have a say in how they conduct themselves. One woman I know likes to talk to the TV screen during her favorite shows, sometimes even yelling at unfavorable characters. I was once so angry at the events on one of my shows that I threw a ball of socks at the TV. (I was folding laundry at the time.) It seems strange that we get so worked up about something as trivial as television, but considering the effects it has on our own mental wellness, it’s not too surprising.
In 2008, an article published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology called, “Social surrogacy: How favored television programs provide experience of belonging,” reviewed research on the effects of TV watching. One study found that people turn to their favorite TV shows when they’re feeling lonely because doing so makes them feel better afterward. Another study showed that watching these TV shows decreased the chance of sadness and low self-esteem in participants who fought with loved ones or were socially rejected beforehand. Being a couch potato might not be the best for our physical health, but it can provide a great deal of emotional comfort.
Unfortunately, losing the presence of such programs in our lives leaves an undeniable void. A study published in a 2004 edition of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships surveyed 381 Israeli adults about their TV-viewing habits and opinions. Researchers found that those who anticipated the departure of a preferred character on their favorite shows believed it would feel like breaking up with someone. This is the result of the parasocial relationships we form with TV shows—that is, one-sided connections we feel strongly about. Watching the same people interact week after week and having the kind of personal access to them we’re rarely afforded in real life is what makes us feel that much less alone when we turn on the TV. It also makes us that much sadder when they leave our living rooms for good.
The Power of Parasocial Relationships
Not only can investing in a TV show ease loneliness and anxiety, but it helps us form real-life relationships, too. Few things bond people together more quickly and closely than learning of a shared TV show affinity. More than a few of my friendships have been solidified through a mutual love of shows like The Simpsons and Arrested Development. Popular reality shows like Top Chef and American Idol become hot topics in offices around the country the mornings after they air. When there’s nothing else to talk about, our favorite programs become easy ways to relate to one another. They’re things we feel excited enough about to discuss at length, but aren’t as controversial as similarly inspiring topics (politics, religion, etc.).
Developing parasocial relationships with characters affects the connection to our inner selves as well. Whether we chuckle or sob through an episode, it brings about an emotional release. Laughing has been shown to decrease blood pressure and stress levels, increase immune system power, and strengthen our stomach muscles. Various studies have suggested that some people tend to feel better after letting themselves cry it out. When we need cheering up or a cathartic release of sorts, watching a TV show we’re already emotionally tied to is a handy method.
I don’t know about you, but I tend to feel guilty whenever I watch an episode or two (or more …) of my favorite TV shows. The constant discussion of television’s ills makes me think I should be doing something more enriching with my time. But the fact is, sitting down with my small-screen friends does put me in a good mood, and given its constant presence in society, I’m not alone in that. So from now on, I’m not going to beat myself up about indulging in occasional couch time. Programs should never be a substitution for real-life relationships, but for the times when we can’t access that intimacy when we need it, they seem to work as a temporary solution. I will, however, try to stop getting so wrapped up in my favorite shows that I throw things at the TV. |
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