Where can I find that guy? : the role of soap operas in cultivating unrealistic expectations about marriage, 2003

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Cor

Identifier: b2271238

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate Communication program. The holdings are bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

Dates

Creation: 2003

Creator

Corcoran, Siobhan (Author, Person)
Novek, Eleanor (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 39 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Introduction [excerpt]

The participants in this study have grown up watching soap operas. They have watched them as young as grade school, through high school and then in college. Now these fans are young, single adults between the ages of 20-30 years. They have experienced romantic relationships and they have thought about marriage. Are their ideas about marriage affected by all the soap operas that they have watched? This is an important question because the answer may affect the future of the fan's romantic relationships and possibly their future marriage status.

This study will examine the soap opera General Hospital and the fans of the show. A content analysis of the program will confirm the existence of romantic and marital relationships on the program and will offer insight into the way characters of the show communicate with each other when in a marital relationship or developing a committed romantic relationship. A focus group will be conducted in order to lisen to viewers of the show discuss why they watch the program and what their ideas are about marriage and the connection between their ideas about marriage and what they see on General Hospital. Participants of the focus group will be surveyed in order to gain some demographic information and to better understand their own views about real-life marriage compared to the marriages that they have viewed on General Hospital.