Reality Television, Though Often Deliberately

Reality television, though often deliberately manufactured, presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. Reality television has achieved great success among viewers for a number of reasons including its appeal to their desire for status, their competitive nature, their desire to see others humiliated and their desire to be an active participant.

According to a study in Psychology Today, "The attitude that best separated the regular viewers of reality television from everyone else is the desire for status...Reality TV allows American to fantasize about gaining status through automatic fame." (Reiss and Wiltz, 2001) These authors explain that people want status because it is a means to get attention which increases one's sense of importance. They state that when ordinary people see people like themselves on the reality television shows, they can imagine that they will also become important celebrities on these shows. or, perhaps they too can wins lots of money based on the reality shows that offer huge sums of money to people who do not necessarily possess the career skills that would lead to making lots of money (Reality Television).

Reiss and Wiltz (2001), also state that their survey reveals the competitive nature of people as one of the main reasons why people enjoy reality television. Not only are the fans of these shows competitive, they also place a higher value on revenge than other people. Thus, the reality program that shows contestants vying with others for a prize and betraying others to win is appealing to the program's viewers.

Some also claim that the success of reality television is due to its ability to provide schadenfreude or pleasure derived from the misfortune of others by satisfying the desire of viewers to see others humiliated (Reality television). For example, many reality television programs involve situations in which the motivation for positive and lasting relationships is thwarted; people vote others off the island ("Survivor"), kick unwanted roommates out of the house ("Big Brother"), reject potential romantic mates from lavish rental homes ("Rock of Love") and spurn people in search of love ("Flavor Flav" and "Tila Tequila") (DeWall, 2009). Individuals watching these types of rejections receive guilty pleasure from something they feel that they shouldn't be watching (Reality television). Also, relating to characters on reality shows helps people to feel better about their own lives and problems (DeWall, 2009).