The London School of Economics and Political Science
Abstract
What we watch on television influences what we think about the world. But what about shows which are supposedly apolitical? In new research, Nathaniel Swigger finds that such shows can still carry important messages about behavioral norms and expectations. Using two television sitcoms which give different portrayals of sex, “How I Met Your Mother” and “Parks & Recreation”, he finds that messages that “Boys will be boys” mean that viewers are more likely to believe that women bear responsibility for sex and its consequences, such as contraception and abortion
