Do you spend too much time in front of the TV and are a true fan of romantic TV shows? Then you, like no other, are familiar with the feeling of passionate expectation of a happy ending and worry about the fate of the main characters of love stories. But ask yourself, what effect does this have on love and relationships in real life?
Scientists from Albion College decided to study this topic. To conduct the study, more than 390 melodrama lovers who have been married for at least 19 years were interviewed for satisfaction with their love relationships and expectations. It turned out that the more people were inspired by love stories on the TV screen and empathized with them, the more critical they began to look at their own relationships and their partner.
"I found out that people who believe in fictional stories and love relationships are beginning to gradually move away from their real partner," explains Dr. Jeremy Osbourne, an employee of Albion College. No less noteworthy is the fact that the more the viewer believes in filmed novels, the more scrupulously he begins to relate to his lover, compare him with the characters in films, condemn him in an insufficiently attentive and gentle attitude to himself, notice in him unpleasant and bad sides of character and, finally, to blame that their relationship is a waste of time and effort. There are thoughts that their marriage is a heavy burden and beyond it lies a vast, interesting and fascinating life that is forever closed.
The scientist also claims that the number of melodramas and TV shows watched is completely irrelevant. Literally after viewing one or several fictional love stories, a person can begin to radically overestimate the concepts of “love”, “friendship”, “family”.
In contrast to this statement, one could say that dramas with unhappy heroes and films about evil, harmful and nasty spouses should reassure us, make us happy and make us content with what we have. However, the best conclusion from the above is that we should give more attention to our real life, more precisely, to the only, wonderful and beloved person, without plunging into the virtual world of fictional ideal relationships.
