Genre-specific Cultivation: The Impact Of Medical Drama Television Shows On Health Perceptions

Abstract

This study examined the effects of exposure to medical drama television programs on health beliefs, including perceptions of personal health risk, doctors' character, and doctors' response efficacy toward disease. An experiment that manipulated the amount of exposure to medical dramas was conducted to study these effects. Results showed a significant, positive relationship between increasing exposure to medical dramas and perceptions of doctors' physical attractiveness and a negative relationship between exposure and perceptions of doctors' composure. No significant relationship was found between medical drama exposure and perceptions of personal health risk or doctors' response efficacy.