This thesis explores professional wrestling as a cultural medium, a form of theater/soap opera that provides psychological and sociological releases for its viewing audience. Research methodology includes participant-observation and content analysis. Findings suggest that professional wrestling provides various types of emotional outlets for its viewing audience by allowing the participants to form social groups that include specific cultural elements as well as social support.
Gender differences, violence in society, social groups, and crossing racial and income barriers are also examined.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis explores professional wrestling as a cultural medium, a form of theater/soap opera that provides psychological and sociological releases for its viewing audience. Research methodology includes participant-observation and content analysis. Findings suggest that professional wrestling provides various types of emotional outlets for its viewing audience by allowing the participants to form social groups that include specific cultural elements as well as social support.</p><p>Gender differences, violence in society, social groups, and crossing racial and income barriers are also examined.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kholer, Barbara Allen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA (Master of Arts)","degree_level":"Thesis - restricted","degree_discipline":"Sociology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z","subjects":["Soap Opera","Sociology","Professional Wrestling","Theater","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/857","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kholer, Barbara Allen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2004-05-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - restricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA (Master of Arts)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Soap Opera","Sociology","Professional Wrestling","Theater","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2014/viewcontent/KholerB020404f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/857"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis explores professional wrestling as a cultural medium, a form of theater/soap opera that provides psychological and sociological releases for its viewing audience. Research methodology includes participant-observation and content analysis. Findings suggest that professional wrestling provides various types of emotional outlets for its viewing audience by allowing the participants to form social groups that include specific cultural elements as well as social support.
Gender differences, violence in society, social groups, and crossing racial and income barriers are also examined.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Psychological, Sociological, and Cultural Aspects of Professional Wrestling as Soap Opera."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Kholer, Barbara Allen"],"dc:date.issued":["2004-05-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis explores professional wrestling as a cultural medium, a form of theater/soap opera that provides psychological and sociological releases for its viewing audience. Research methodology includes participant-observation and content analysis. Findings suggest that professional wrestling provides various types of emotional outlets for its viewing audience by allowing the participants to form social groups that include specific cultural elements as well as social support.
Gender differences, violence in society, social groups, and crossing racial and income barriers are also examined.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2014/viewcontent/KholerB020404f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/857"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["Soap Opera","Sociology","Professional Wrestling","Theater","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["The Psychological, Sociological, and Cultural Aspects of Professional Wrestling as Soap Opera."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - restricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA (Master of Arts)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z"}