I think the Bachelor demonstrates a great example of sociological analysis. On a show like this, there are a lot of group dynamics that emerge from when people are isolated from their normal everyday lives. Its evident that people are selected for specific reasons to go on the bachelor and are usually slim, fit and attractive. It can almost in some ways be comparable to a cult or institution as they are cut off from the outside world and stuck in a mansion. Women are being selected by the producers to spend certain time with the bachelor and one women will be chosen as "the one". The show can be compared to the Stanford Prison experiment too, where people will change their behavior and expectations based on the setting that they are in. The women are not working and living in this fantasy world where its easy to become passive to what is really going on and conform to the roles that they are given or fall into during the course of the show and at the end of the day the producers have defined their position for them. In the prison experiment, people who were prison guards fell into their role so easily and let go of their normal inhibitions which does occur to people on the bachelor.
I found your comparison between The Bachelor and the Stanford Prison experiment really interesting. I’m not that big of a fan of The Bachelor but my mom and plenty of my friends are so I’ve seen my fair share of episodes. The women on the show do end up falling into specific roles, for example there always has to be the crazy one that everyone is clueless as to how they’re still there. Since the women are all shoved into a mansion together they are separated from reality and can fully submerge themselves into the fantasy world that they are in.
ReplyDeleteI watch The Bachelor and the Bachelorette for a good laugh. It is an absurd situation that they are put in and they are completely cut off from society. They do not have any access to the outside world and they are trapped with either a bunch of girls and one guy or a bunch of guys and one girl. Of course there will be drama. Clearly, they are going to do things for the television that they would not normally do. This show is really interesting and would be great for a lot more analysis! Great job.
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