Interpersonal Relationships in Adolescent Television and in Real-Life: It’s Complicated
Lance C. Garmon, Haley L. Miller, & Samantha E. Cummins
Salisbury University
March 5th, 2010
Poster Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association, New York
ABSTRACT
While adolescent media research typically examines the behaviors of media characters and adolescent, the
current study compares representations of real-life attachment relationships and the type of televised
relationships viewed. Online questionnaires (N = 278) assessed representations of attachment and overall
exposure to televised interactions for mothers, fathers, peers, and romantic partners. Analyses suggest that
viewing preferences are positively related to an individual’s relationship with their mothers, peers, and/or
romantic partners, but not with their fathers.
PURPOSE
The current study compares an older adolescent’s representations of real-life attachment relationships
and the type of televised interpersonal interactions portrayed on the shows they preferred to view. Adolescents
watch a significant amount of television (Marshall, et al., 2006; Jordan, et al., 2007), spending almost an equal
amount of time per week watching television as they do going to school (O’Laughlin, Lambert, Gauvin,
Kestens, Daniel, 2008). It has been proposed a connection exists between what an adolescent sees on television
and how they think and/or behave in real-life (Wilkinson, 2007; Hust, et al., 2008). Previous research involving
adolescent media has most often examined behaviors of media characters and adolescent behaviors in real-life,
particularly sexual/dating behaviors, drug and/or alcohol use, and body image issues, (Bersamin, et al., 2008;
Chandra, et al., 2008; Manganello, et al., 2008; Rivadeneyra & Lebo, 2008; Schooler & Ward, 2006; Van Den
Bulck, et al., 2008). Social learning theory suggests that behavior and beliefs can be acquired and modified
through observing characters on television (Van Den Bulck et al, 2008).
In contrast to research focused on adolescent behaviors, the current study focuses solely on the empirical
interrelationship between an individual’s real-life relationships and the types of fictional relationships they
prefer to watch on television. Previous research has also been done on parasocial relationships, “one- sided
interpersonal relationships that television viewers establish with media characters” (Rubin & McHugh, 1987, p.
280), indicating that peoples’ attachment style does not only reflect their relationships with others in their lives
but to parasocial relationships as well (Cohen, 2004; Cole & Leets, 1999; Greenwood & Pietromonaco, 2004).
Giles and Maltby (2003) suggest that adolescents detach from their parents and show more idealization, and
therefore increasing attachments, to peers and television celebrities. Since adolescence is also a time that
autonomy increases, research suggests that celebrities provide a secondary group of pseudo-friends during this
time (Giles & Maltby, 2003). Adolescents also are found to be more vulnerable than any other age group to
media messages about romantic relationships because of their inexperience with dating, relationships and sex
(Potter, 1986; Van Evra, 1998). Their inexperience makes them more likely to model their real- life
relationships after romantic relationships they see on television.
To our knowledge no one has ever looked at the attachment representations individuals have in relation
to the types of relationships that appear in the television shows they watch.
METHOD
Participants
Online questionnaires were completed by 278 undergraduates from a Mid-Atlantic, medium- sized
college who received course credit for their confidential participation in this project. The students ranged in age
from 18 to 25 years (m= 18.85), but were mostly 18 or 19 years of age (118; 84.2%). A majority participants
there were females (169; 60.8%), compared to 109 (39.2%) males. Most were also Caucasion 235 (84.5%).
More than half of the participants (144; 54.3%) watched 5 hours or less television per week, whereas only 15
(5.4%) of the participants watched 21 hours or more of television a week (See Figure 1).
A wide range of interpersonal relationships was evident in the sample. Most of the participants (206;
74.1%) biological mother and father were still married to one another, with the remaining 72 (27.4%)
participants biological parents were either never married, divorced but not remarried, divorced with only one
parent remarried, divorced and both parents remarried or none of the above (an example would be adoption)
(See Figure 2). Approximately half of the participants (137; 49.3%) reported they were not currently in a
romantic relationship (See Figure 3). While almost all the participants reported having had romantic
relationships in their past (259; 93.2%), the vast majority of participants (212; 76.2%) reported having had
either 1-2 or 3-5 previous partners (See Figure 4). When asked about their current living arrangment, the
majority reported living with peers (168; 60.4%), although a significant percentage (62; 22.3%) live with their
parents (See Figure 5).
Measures
In addition to general demographic questions, research participants completed 3 primary questionnaires.
Knowledge of 21 television shows: The 21 shows were chosen based on their popularity and their
demonstration of a wide range of relationships. The shows were categorized as exhibiting high, moderate, or
low presence of relationship interactions for mother, father, peers, and romantic partners (See Table 1).
Familiarity with the 21 television shows chosen was assessed on a 9-point scale (See Table 2).
Four overall Media Interpersonal Relationship Exposure (MIRE) scores for each participant were
created based on how often participants had viewed each of these 4 relationship dyads involving an adolescent
character by combining the amount each relationship was portrayed in the 21 different television programs (low
= 1, moderate = 2, and high = 3) and the participant’s self-report of their familiarity with each shows (on a 9point likert scale). MIRE scores varied substantially across the programs (See Table 3) suggesting both that 1)
different participants had been exposed to differing amounts of interpersonal relationship interactions in the
media they had viewed and 2) most reported the most exposure to Peer interactions
Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA; Armsden and Greenberg, 1987). The IPPA has
three 25-item sections, one for each parent and a third for peers. Attachment to parents and peers in the IPPA is
based on three dimensions: Trust (My mother/father respects my feelings), Communication (My mother/father
can tell when I’m upset about something), and Alienation (I get upset a lot more than my mother/father knows
about).
Experiences in Close Relationship Inventory (ECR; Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998). The ECR is
a 36 item self report measure where items were derived from a factor analyses of most of the existing self-report
measures of adult romantic attachment. The measure can be used to create two subscales, avoidance (or
discomfort with closeness and discomfort depending on others) and anxiety (or fear of rejection and
abandonment).
RESULTS
Subsequent analyses suggest that participants were more likely to have watched the 21 shows selected
for this study, and therefore more likely to have been exposed to the interpersonal interactions embedded in
these programs, if they were female and/or Caucasian (See Figure 6)
Correlational analyses support the existence of significant interactions among the four overall exposure
variables, as well as between these overall exposure variables and representation of attachment to mothers,
peers, and romantic partners, but not to fathers (See Table 4). These findings suggest that individuals prefer to
watch programs with adolescent interpersonal interactions if they have a positive relationship with their
mothers, peers, and/or romantic partners, but that their interpersonal relationship with their fathers is not related
to the programs they prefer to watch.
DISCUSSION
This project focuses on how emerging adults may exhibit relationships between past television viewing
preferences and current interpersonal variables, particularly current representations of attachment to mothers
and fathers. While other research has focused on how adolescents may be affected by the shows they watch, this
project focuses more on how previous viewing preferences may be related to factors beyond adolescence and
into emerging adulthood. Strong relationships were revealed, although it is as yet unclear what implications
these findings may provide.
The previous research that was examined had shown that adolescents watch about 23 hours of television
per week. This conflicted with our data collected. The conflict may be due in part to the fact that the previous
research focused on a younger age group than the emerging adults utilized in this study (O’Laughlin, et al.,
2008). Trends in television viewing often are high during childhood then they slope off and our participants
may be in the age group where the downward slope occurs (Robers et al., 2005) A majority of our participants
watched 10 hours of television or less, causing us to experience a restriction of range and limiting our statistics,
since participants were less likely to have seen the selected programs than we expected. Future research in this
area should attempt to include more participants and programs that were viewed by a higher percentage of
emerging adults.
As many parents wonder if they have an impact on the types of media their adolescents are exposed to,
these results suggest that at least mothers do exert some type of influence. It is also interesting that only Mother
Communication was correlated to MIRE scores, and no Father attachment scores were significant. It is clear
that, at least in terms of televised parent-adolescent interactions, variations in attachment representations of
emerging adults should be considered in future research projects.
In general, these research participants had been exposed to more Peer media interactions than any other
interpersonal relationship interactions, and the representations of attachment to peers were the attachment scores
most strongly correlated to MIRE scores. The significant Peer attachment scores were mainly for
Communication, but Trust was also significant for Peer and Romantic Partner exposure scores. It is worth
noting that the representation of attachment to Peers was significantly related to Mother and Father MIRE
scores, even when representation of attachment to Father was not.
Finally, when the possible relationship between an individual’s viewing preferences while in
adolescence and their representations of romantic partner attachment in emerging adulthood was examined,
strong evidence for such a relationship was found. It is particularly interesting though that the more “negative”
of the two attachment scores, Anxiety, was the one related to the MIRE scores. Since all of these relationships
involved positive correlations, this may suggest that those with the least satisfying personal romantic
relationships are the ones most likely to focus on television programs with portrayals of romantic relationships.
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Table 1: Relationship Interactions in the 21 Television Programs Utilized in this Study
High Involvement = 3
Mother
The Big Bang
Theory
The Secret Life of
an
American
Teenager
Blossom
Father
Peer
Moderate Involvement = 2
Romantic
Partner
Mother
Father
Peer







GREEK
Grounded for Life

Gilmore Girls







Romantic
Partner



Still Standing
















Saved by the Bell




The Hills










The Wonder
Years
Laguna Beach

Gossip Girl



That 70’s Show



The OC




One Tree Hill




Dawson’s Creek




The New 90210





Peer




Father



Mother


What I Like
About You
Buffy the
Vampire Slayer
Boy Meets World
Romantic
Partner

7 Heaven
th
Low Involvement = 1


Table 2. Measure of Previous Exposure to the Program the OC
1 = I have never even heard of this show before today
2 = I have heard of this show before, but I have not seen an episode before today.
3 = I have seen part of an episode, but never an entire episode before today.
4 = I have seen one or two episodes of this show at some point in my life before today.
5 = I have seen several episodes of this show at some point in my life before today.
6 = I have seen an entire season of this show, but I have not seen every episode of the series.
7 = I have seen more than an entire season of this show, but I have not seen every episode.
8 = I have seen every episode of the series at least once before today.
9 = I have seen every episode of the series more than once before today.
Table 3. Summary of Overall Exposure to Media Interpersonal Relationship Exposure (MIRE) Scores
N = 276
M
SD
Mode
Min
Max
Range
Mother
174.83
51.07
137
69
325
256
Father
170.96
49.00
146
69
311
242
Peer
209.30
59.16
171
80
378
298
Romantic Partner
182.87
52.93
187
71
335
264
Table 4: Correlations Involving MIRE scores in Reel Life and Representations of Attachment in Real Life
MIRE Scores
Mothers
Fathers
Peers
Romantic Partners
Overall Exposure to Media Interpersonal Relationship Exposure (MIRE) Scores (N = 276)
Mother
Father
Peer
Romantic Partner
-.995***
.980***
.987***
-.983***
.988***
-.992***
--
Representation of Attachment Variables
Mother (N = 275)a
Trust
.069
.071
.083
.079
**
**
**
Communication
.199
.195
.205
.206**
Alienation
-.080
-.081
-.095
-.097
Father (N = 266)a
Trust
.007
.004
-.006
-.001
Communication
-.004
-.010
-.007
-.011
Alienation
.023
.023
.024
.024
a
Peer (N = 273)
Trust
.112
.115
.130*
.133*
***
***
***
Communication
.258
.251
.283
.284***
Alienation
.111
.105
.084
.084
Romantic Partner (N = 271)b
Avoidance
.069
.074
.071
.071
***
***
***
Anxiety
.226
.221
.204
.210***
*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001
a Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA; Armsden and Greenberg, 1987)
b Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory (ECR: Brennan, Clark & Shaver, 1998)