{"id":{"repo_id":"wvu","oai_identifier":"oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1773"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/wvu/oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1773","repository":{"repo_id":"wvu","name":"West Virginia University","base_url":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"The dating game: Cultivation effects on relational investment","abstract":"This study investigated the relationship between high exposure to reality television dating shows (Rock of Love, The Bachelorette, etc) and higher perceptions of alternatives to a current romantic relationship as explained by Cultivation Theory (Gerbner & Gross, 1973) and the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980). This study employs interpersonal communication strategies to study media effects. Surveys were collected from 273 students at a large university. Results indicate higher exposure to reality television dating shows may cultivate a higher perception of alternatives to a current romantic relationship, however do not cultivate a belief that one's partner believes themselves to have a high perception of alternatives. Various covariates are also tested including love styles and the perceived reality of television. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.","abstract_html":"This study investigated the relationship between high exposure to reality television dating shows (Rock of Love, The Bachelorette, etc) and higher perceptions of alternatives to a current romantic relationship as explained by Cultivation Theory (Gerbner & Gross, 1973) and the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980). This study employs interpersonal communication strategies to study media effects. Surveys were collected from 273 students at a large university. Results indicate higher exposure to reality television dating shows may cultivate a higher perception of alternatives to a current romantic relationship, however do not cultivate a belief that one's partner believes themselves to have a high perception of alternatives. Various covariates are also tested including love styles and the perceived reality of television. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Meade, Thomas L."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["David Westerman.","Brain Patterson","John Cole"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:14:53Z","subjects":["Mass communication","Social psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/770"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/770","href":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/770","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.770","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["David Westerman.","Brain Patterson","John Cole"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Meade, Thomas L."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-01-17T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mass communication","Social psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.770","https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/770"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigated the relationship between high exposure to reality television dating shows (Rock of Love, The Bachelorette, etc) and higher perceptions of alternatives to a current romantic relationship as explained by Cultivation Theory (Gerbner & Gross, 1973) and the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980). This study employs interpersonal communication strategies to study media effects. Surveys were collected from 273 students at a large university. Results indicate higher exposure to reality television dating shows may cultivate a higher perception of alternatives to a current romantic relationship, however do not cultivate a belief that one's partner believes themselves to have a high perception of alternatives. Various covariates are also tested including love styles and the perceived reality of television. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The dating game: Cultivation effects on relational investment"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["David Westerman.","Brain Patterson","John Cole"],"dc:creator":["Meade, Thomas L."],"dc:date.available":["2019-01-17T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigated the relationship between high exposure to reality television dating shows (Rock of Love, The Bachelorette, etc) and higher perceptions of alternatives to a current romantic relationship as explained by Cultivation Theory (Gerbner & Gross, 1973) and the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980). This study employs interpersonal communication strategies to study media effects. Surveys were collected from 273 students at a large university. Results indicate higher exposure to reality television dating shows may cultivate a higher perception of alternatives to a current romantic relationship, however do not cultivate a belief that one's partner believes themselves to have a high perception of alternatives. Various covariates are also tested including love styles and the perceived reality of television. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed."],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.770","https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/770"],"dc:subject":["Mass communication","Social psychology"],"dc:title":["The dating game: Cultivation effects on relational investment"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:14:53Z"}