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 Reality Television - Reality Television. General information on reality television as well as an at a glance look at relity televsion shows...
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Effects of Reality Television: A scientific study has been called to assess the long and short term effects of reality television participants...
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Effects of Reality Television
Broadcaster and psychologist Oliver James has called for a scientific
study into the effects of reality TV in order to protect vulnerable
participants.
Big Brother Contestants
Dr
James said he feared that people could actually be "damaged" by
taking part in programmes like Big Brother and Temptation Island.
Dr James said he had spoken to a number of those who had taken part in
reality TV shows and he felt they were not aware of the impact their
participation would have on their lives.
He said "emotionally vulnerable people" were continuing to take part
in shows.
Channel 4's Big Brother does use psychologists to help choose suitable
contestants and also offer "aftercare" when the show has finished.
But Dr James had spoken to contestants who
featured in Shipwrecked, who thought the show would lead
to a TV career.
"The clinical psychologist in me can't help worrying about the dozens of other people in reality television
programmes that might actually be damaged by taking part," James
said.
Oliver James is the author of Juvenile Violence in a Winner-Loser Culture and
Britain on the Couch - Why We're Unhappier Compared With 1950
Despite Being Richer.
James believes that a proper scientific study could help out
broadcasters who cannot be expected to act as social workers.
"The results of a study could be used to screen our vulnerable
people," he said.
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