She Probably Did Not Get a Rose : A Case Study of Audience Reception of the Swedish Adaption of The Bachelor

Abstract: Reality TV is a well-appreciated concept in the world of entertainment. The purpose of this study is to approach the viewing of reality television, with the intention to explore if men and women react to and interpret gender roles differently in a chosen reality TV show. Further social factors, such as nationality, age, sexuality and education will simultaneously play a crucial part in the analysis. The Swedish adaption of the well-known format The Bachelor was chosen for this case study to examine if the situations in the show would provoke different reactions and interpretations among the respondents. The thesis delivers two qualitative methodological approaches to capture the reactions and interpretations among the test persons. A focus group discussion with eight Finnish men and women was conducted along with eight individual interviews with Swedish men and women, with the intention of gaining insightful and valuable knowledge regarding how men and women interpret what they see. The study’s findings suggest that there are both differences and similarities among men and women in their reactions and interpretations of gender roles in the chosen show, and that further social factors aid and affect in constructing the different interpretations.