The Influence of Watching Reality Crime Shows on Students: A Study on Khulna University ()
1. Introduction
Technically, criminal shows are classified as “procedural” shows on television. The procedural shows are those that represent a program in which a crime problem is addressed. Following the introduction of the crime, the entire method is discussed, and the solution is revealed at the conclusion. The entire procedure is built on illegal activities. The crime is fictionalized or presented in a film (Bhaduri et al., 2016). In just a few years, reality-based crime shows have become popular on Indian television. Crime reality shows are unlike conventional reality shows in a number of ways. And the habit of viewing Indian television series is more common in India’s neighboring countries, with Bangladesh being the most prominent. These shows have a huge influence on the youth. Television may have a significant role on the development of youth’s ideologies and attitudes. Unsurprisingly, the majority of television shows these days are violent. These crime-themed reality programs, in particular, have a devastating influence on young people’s perceptions and conduct. A huge percentage of Bangladeshi youngsters are accustomed to watching and being influenced by crime reality shows. Youngsters from Khulna University are not excluded; hence this study has been done to determine the consequences of such crime reality shows on Khulna University students. Bangladeshis are more inspired by Indian television shows than those in other regions. However, Indian TV shows with mature themes, such as thrillers, crime dramas, and horror, have captivated audiences in both countries for years. People are blaming Bollywood and TV shows not just for depicting, but for inciting real-life crimes as a result of the increasing number of criminals replicating movie sequences. As a consequence, this study focused exclusively on the influence of Indian reality television shows on youth. Indian programs, such as dramas, films, series, reality shows, and so on, have a huge influence on the people of this nation (Turnbull, 2010).
The media has a significant influence on the development of modern society. Following the commercialization of television, the audience’s lifestyle has transformed. As Berger (Berger, 2007) claimed, “The media entertain us, socialize us, inform us, educate us, sell things to us (and sell us, as audiences, to advertisers), and indoctrinate us, among other things.” This study focuses on the specifics of the TV crime shows available and conducts an in-depth investigation of the many parts of the consequences of these shows on the attitudes and behaviors of Khulna University’s youngsters.
Aims and Objectives
Research, fundamentally defined, is the methodical examination of knowledge. To perform a good study, research objectives must be determined by ascertaining what needs to be examined.
The Main Objective of the Research:
The Specific Objectives are as follows:
To examine the media influence on youths’ perception towards crime and society.
To know the youths thinking about crime shows and compare with real life crime occurrence.
To explore the hidden fear of youths about reality crime shows.
To find out the psychological effects of crime shows in youth.
To identify if there is any gender influence in the impact of watching reality crime shows.
2. Theoretical Framework
The significant and fundamental stage in understanding the complexity of a research topic is the construction of a theoretical framework for the investigation. There are various media effect theories, such as the Uses and Gratifications Theory, Cultivation Theory, and Social Learning Theory, which can assist in identifying the influence of Indian reality crime shows on young students of Khulna University.
2.1. Uses and Gratifications Theory
The Uses and gratifications theory (UGT) is a method for determining how individuals consciously seeking out various media to meet specific desires. Uses and gratifications theory is a method of comprehending mass communication that is oriented on the viewers.
UGT explores how users purposefully select media to meet certain goals such as advancement of knowledge, pleasure, social interactions/companionship, distraction, or escapism (Ansari & Khan, 2020). This objectivist communication theory is built on the socio-psychological communicative heritage and concentrates on communications at the mass media platform. The uses and gratifications theory are concerned with determining why individuals use various sorts of media, what requirements they have for them, and what enjoyment they derive from utilizing them. Historically, the notion was initially offered in the 1940s to explain why individuals choose to absorb the many types of media that were available at the time.
According to the Uses and gratifications theory, Khulna University students watch reality crime shows for pleasure, company, distraction, or escape. They take an active role in media choices, selecting TV stations and programming. In this study, how youths use the media for entertainment and other reasons, get used to it, and how it also influences their lives is discussed.
2.2. Cultivation Theory
Cultivation is a sociocultural theory that examines how television influences individuals’ perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and values (Gerbner & Gross, 1976). The basic concept of cultivation theory is that those individuals who watch television are more likely to acquire the underlying messages. The more youths watch television, the more they will have ideas that are congruent with the world as it is depicted on television. George Gerbner first described cultivation theory in the late 1960’s while studying television’s influence on viewers. The basic premise is that people’s perceptions about the reality of the real world are shaped by the social reality portrayed on television. In addition to general perceptions, television can also cultivate certain expectations, assumptions, and behaviors within the viewer (Gerbner et al., 1980). The term “cultivate” refers to a nonvisible process which can be subtle, complex, and intermingled with other influences, it is not the same as the word “effects” (Gerbner, 1998). This means that the viewer comes to adopt or believe what is shown on television instead of simply being affected on a surface level. This study found that watching these reality crime shows caused changes in the youngsters’ thoughts, lifestyle modifications, and psychological repercussions. It demonstrates how realistic media programming influences the perspective and thinking of today’s youth.
3. Literature Review
A literature review facilitates the understanding of contemporary literature in light of the most recent advancements in the subject, aiding in establishing consistency in information and the linkage of previous resources. The consequence of reality crime shows on viewers is the most contentious subject that these sorts of sectors, such as communication, journalism, sociology, psychology, and criminology, to mention a few, are studying. Studies are always being conducted in order to determine why these Reality Crimes Shows have become so popular and where they originated. Most studies suggest that people who watch reality crime shows begin to engage in crime, and some of these findings are linked to the yearly crime rate. This study is focused on the next stage of impacts.
(Bhaduri et al., 2016) studied on the effects of crime shows run on Pakistani media channels on Pakistani youth. It examined the perception of youth regarding crime shows run on Pakistani media channels and what are the psychological effects of such crime shows on youth. The results show that respondents are most likely to watch crime shows of Express News and they expressed the feelings of insecurity among them toward society and they also admitted that they come to know with new techniques of crime.
Bhamra & Mistry (2018) studied on youth’s watching reality-based crime shows on television and the emotions these shows evoke in them. This study was set out to explore the reasons of youth watching reality-based crime shows. It described that the youth does watch reality-based crime shows for gaining awareness and the predominant feeling evoked in most respondents was awareness. Although crime docudrama may exert a positive impact on society but responses showed that crime shows inspire imitative crime and create fear of crime in the minds of people (Arulchelvan, 2019).
Research by Kort-Butler & Hartshorn (2011) about television exposure and fear of crime. It explained that Research demonstrates a complex relationship between television viewing and fear of crime. Social critics assert that media depictions perpetuate the dominant cultural ideology about crime and criminal justice. The results support the idea that program type matters when it comes to understanding people’s fear of crime and their attitudes about criminal justice. Research by Kumar & Sriram (2015), they brought out that the greater number of young housewives prefer to watch Reality Television Program with fun and entertainment element as a major ingredient. Further the major motivation to watch these programs is the opportunity given to show case talented individuals and it becomes a platform for competition to face big challenges. The analysis further revealed that the reality TV program have definitive impact on the audience in terms of emotional affiliation towards a contestant and planned viewing schedule to gratify their quench for camaraderie. Fedorek (2013) studied on the impact of crime-related television programs on students. Basically, the research examined the impact of crime-related television viewing on a number of criminal justice issues including attitudes/perceptions of police, perceptions of forensic evidence, and perceptions of clearance rates etc. the study found that crime-related television viewing was statistically significant in influencing perceptions of forensic evidence and fear of crime (Childs et al., 2019).
Khanam, Sarwar, & Abir (2014) explained, the current status of Indian TV channels and Indian TV programs in Bangladesh identifies the primary weak spots of Bangladeshi networks. Furthermore, this article aims to demonstrate the amount of viewer addiction to those programs, particularly Indian TV serials, as well as the reasons for their widespread popularity among people of all ages, genders, and educational levels. Furthermore, this article contends that our insatiable need for Indian TV serials will have a long-term impact on our norms, values, socialization process, social institutions, and, most importantly, our future generation. A study was conducted by Ali, Khalid, & Hassan (2014), through a survey adopting a questionnaire as a data collection instrument, it illustrates the “Impact of Indian dramas on language and attire of females of village Sehowal district Sialkot”. It targeted 100 women between the ages of 16 and 30, who had watched cable television for at least two years. The respondent’s consumption patterns, level of viewing, favourite channels, favorite viewing time, and remote control were all documented in the study. It compared the above criteria to the respondent’s age group and marital status, as well as their demographic traits. The findings reveal that Indian media is attempting to instill their culture in our society; females, even in rural areas, prefer Indian clothing and utilize Hindi terminology. Intentionally or unintentionally, minor modifications in the interaction pattern occur.
Research by Tiwari (2016), found that Indian reality shows are the latest buzzword for the television industry. It is the latest mantra of television producers and channel executives. It is the technique to amplify TRP ratings. The youths of study area liked strongly the TV programs and gave high response for statements like television reality shows help participants to showcase their talents, help people to earn quick money, provide awareness on current & social issues and TV show hardly develop the qualities of talented people.
A study was conducted by Razu, Yeasmin, & Islam (2018), It demonstrates how Indian television serials are influencing Bangladeshi society through changes in lifestyle, family and intimate relationships, and artistic and literary genres. The qualitative study included 60 respondents from Bangladesh’s Khulna and Dhaka cities, who were chosen using a purposive selection procedure. According to the findings, Indian TV serials have a huge impact on people’s daily lives in Bangladesh. People’s lifestyles are influenced by the fact that they spend a significant amount of time viewing these TV serials. In addition, due to a great reliance on Indian TV serials, indigenous art, literature, language, customs, and rituals are being influenced. This proclivity raises concerns about a variety of potential consequences, including family strife, crime, mental illness, and even suicide. Arulchelvan (2019) studied on the context and impact of reality television shows on audience of Tamilnadu, India. The aim was to identify reality television audience and its preferences and also, to analyze its context, structuring and presentation styles; to analyze its impact on the audience basically examining the impact of Tamil television reality shows on culture. It explained that Tamil television reality shows are employing certain unrealistic and unacceptable concepts, which are causing a certain degree of cultural imbalance among the audience.
Zahid, Arshad, & Ammarah (2014) explored the effects of cable television on female personalities. A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed to members of the Pakistani community, with 286 responses collected, 26 of which were incomplete or incorrectly filled. SPSS was used to examine the data, which was complete and accurate in every way. The findings show that while cable television has a significant impact on society, it has had no impact on the viewer’s domestic and social lives. However, cable television is regarded as the best source of information, including religious, other languages, fashion and style, and viewers learn about other cuisines recipes, fashion and design, which in turn increases expenditures and has a big influence on Pakistani female dressing and fashion style.
Research by Pareek (2017) about to explore the impact of reality crime shows and crime news on society. The reality crime shows and news aimed to bring awareness in society are unintentionally constructing a society which is creating fear and imprisonment in their mind. It constructs misconceptions in viewers in which they believe that society is totally irrupting in crime. Hence the Reality Crime Shows, from this point of view, stand as a problem in society. Therefore, the reruns of crime show should be stopped for healthier society.
Researcher found a little bit similarity to this study with these articles. In these research work, they described the negative impact of reality crime shows on people and some research works also describe the positive impacts. But the researcher of this study thinks youth are the main victim of this issue (Pearson-Merkowitz & Dyck, 2017). There are a number of studies about the impact of reality crime shows on people but this research is more than that it will explain how the shows are creating hidden fear and influence the young students towards the crime.
4. Research Design and Methodology
Qualitative research approach has been followed in this research work. Qualitative research focuses on gaining data through both close-ended and open-ended interviews as well as conversational communication. This research approach is not only about “what” people think but also “why” they think so. This research problem uses some qualitative data, and it has been collected by in-depth interview. This research had been done in December 2022.
4.1. Study Area
This research was conducted at Khulna University of Bangladesh. The area is purposefully selected, and in order to reach the purposefully chosen participants, it uses the recommendations of the participants who recommend further qualified participants. Khulna University has 8 schools, 29 disciplines, and 1 institution. To complete the study, all Khulna University schools, disciplines, and institutions were used.
4.2. Population
This study discovered the influence of reality crime shows on undergraduate Khulna University students. As a result, the population of this study is comprised of all the 4538 undergraduate students in year 2021 at Khulna University (aged between 18 and 25 as define before).
4.3. Sample Size
To examine and complete the study smoothly, field data has been collected from 100 undergraduate students from Khulna University (aged between 18 and 25 as define before) purposively by snowball sampling method. As the samples of the study must be a viewer of reality crime show. As this is qualitative research on students, the number of the sample has been narrowed down to 100 for proper analysis as it required. Khulna University has a total of 4538 undergraduate students in the year 2021.
4.4. Sampling
The sample area was selected on purpose. The researcher chose the purposive sampling method and the snowball sampling method to quickly find eligible participants who watch, are attached to, and are inspired by these Indian reality crime shows.
Two sampling methods have been used in this research.
4.5. Purposive Sampling
Purposive sampling of primary studies for inclusion in the synthesis is one way of achieving a manageable amount of data (Ames et al., 2019). Purposive sampling is the systematic selection of a participant based on the attributes the individual possesses. It is a non-random approach that does not require underlying hy potheses or a certain quantity of participants. Simply said, the researcher determines what needs to be discussed and then sets out to discover people who can and are willing to exchange the information based on their expertise or experience (Etikan, 2016).
4.6. Snowball Sampling
Snowball sampling is a well-known convenient sampling technique that identifies unseen and vulnerable participants. Snowball sampling is a well-known, nonprobability form of study sample selection that is frequently used to find hidden individuals. This strategy is based on recommendations from the original sample population to additional people thought to exhibit the desired feature (Johnson, 2014).
4.7. Tools of Data Collection
The results were obtained from respondents using qualitative research methodologies. An appropriate questionnaire, containing both closed-ended and open-ended questions, was created in order to collect information directly from respondents. There were 47 items in the questionnaire which was design by the authors following the literature reviews of previous studies. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 students who watch these programs on a regular basis, on occasion, or who stopped watching them because they were harmful. The goal of this study was to see how much anxiety the shows generated in the audience’s thoughts about society.
4.8. Method of Data Collection
An in-depth interview was performed as a data collection technique. Because in-depth interviews are the best way to do qualitative research. In order to obtain information directly from respondents, a suitable questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended questions was constructed. The questionnaire was given to 100 eligible participants.
5. Data Processing and Analysis
All the data has been computerized and analyzed using different software such as word, excel, etc.
In this chapter, the findings of the in-depth interviews have been discussed, which were carried out with 100 samples from 4538 undergraduate students of Khulna University. The samples were selected purposively, so the eligible participants who watch Indian reality shows regularly and are aged between 18 and 25 participated in this study. And the eligible respondents were found by the chain-referral method. Each respondent was asked 35 questions on average. 21 of the questions were open-ended to bring out the respondents’ thoughts about the influence of Indian reality crime shows on youth.
5.1. Interests on Watching Reality Crime Shows
Figure 1 shows that, among 100 respondents, each and every of the respondents (100%) watch Indian reality crime shows. During the interview, 81% stated they watch these shows on a regular basis, while the remaining 19% stated they watch them sometimes to pass the time.
The percentage of responses is presented in a pie chart (Figure 1) for better understanding.
A respondent from social science school mentioned, “My elder sister and younger brother love to watch Indian reality crime shows. I started watching with them when I was 19 years old.”
5.2. The Purposes of Watching Reality Crime Shows
Among 100 respondents, 30% said that they watch reality crime shows for entertainment purposes. 20% of the respondents watch reality crime shows for time passing, 18% of them for personal satisfaction, 22% of them for gaining educational knowledge, and the rest, 10% of the total respondents watch Indian reality crime shows for other reasons.
The responses are presented in a pie chart (Figure 2) for easy understanding. One of the respondents mentioned that, “Indian reality crime shows are the best
Figure 1. Percentage of respondents’ responses to watching reality crime shows.
Figure 2. Percentage of respondents’ purposes for watching reality crime shows.
way to spend quality time.” Another student from Sociology discipline mentioned that Indian reality crime shows are entertaining and educative too.
5.3. Preferences for Bangladeshi Reality Crime Shows
A large number of respondents’ majority (70%) mentioned that they don’t watch Bangladeshi crime reality shows. One of the respondents mentioned that he doesn’t have much time to watch those where he used to watch Indian shows regularly. The 70% respondents who don’t prefer Bangladeshi crime shows also mentioned some other reasons for not watching Bangladeshi reality crime shows. As mentioned in Table 1, 28% of the respondents discussed the stories and concepts of Bangladeshi crime reality shows, and they said the quality of their concept is quite low. 10% of them said they don’t prefer Bangladeshi crime reality shows because of their poor content according to 15% of respondents, most Bangladeshi crime reality shows are documentary-style, and they prefer cinematic shows over documentary-style shows. 17% of respondents said that the video efficiency, framing, camera angle, exposer, light, etc. are not of good quality in Bangladeshi crime shows.
The responses are presented in a table (Table 1) and bar char (Figure 3) for easy understanding.
Table 1. Percentage of respondents reasons for not preferring Bangladeshi reality crime shows.
Reasons |
Percentage |
Low quality |
28% |
Poor content |
10% |
Prefer narrative show |
15% |
Poor filming quality |
17% |
Figure 3. Reasons for not preferring Bangladeshi reality crime shows.
A female respondent from Statistics Discipline mentioned that, “Bangladeshi shows are not interesting. Most of them are boring because of a lack of editing and showing the raw videos.”
Another respondent said that “I don’t feel anything entertaining about them besides the fact that they are not fictional and well presented.” A student from Bangla discipline discussed about their low-quality video and poor story concept.
One respondent said that “Bangladeshi crime reality shows contain a lot of mistakes in their making process.” The remaining 30% confirmed that they watch Bangladeshi crime shows.
5.4. Preferences for Indian Reality Crime Shows
Figure 4 shows that Among 100 respondents, the majority (72%) of them mentioned that they prefer Indian reality shows to shows from other countries. 28% of the rest of the respondents answered “No” to this question. The respondents who prefer Indian reality crime shows mentioned some reasons behind their preferences. Table 2 shows 30% of the respondents said they like Indian reality crime shows because of their method of making the videos, camera angle, exposer, sound effects, and overall filming method 12% of them mentioned that they like the composition of these shows because they are full of props and subjects that clearly describe the situation and story they are presenting, and their qualities are also very exclusive. 14% feel that the story concept, quality of the
Figure 4. Percentage of respondents’ preferences for Indian reality crime shows.
Table 2. Percentage of reasons for preferring Indian reality crime shows.
Reasons |
Percentage |
Method of making |
30% |
Composition |
12% |
Cinematic content |
14% |
Adventure and thrill |
16% |
content, and way of presentation are very interesting and eye-catching, and they present the factual story in a dramatic and cinematic way that makes it more interesting to the audience. The remaining 16% mentioned that Indian shows contain much more adventure and thrillers.
The responses for preferring Indian reality crime shows are presented in a bar chart (Figure 5) for easy understanding. A respondent from Law discipline said that, “Indian reality crime shows have better quality than other countries’ reality crime shows.” Another respondent said that they enjoy the concept and content quality of Indian reality crime shows. A student from MCJ discipline mentioned that “the filming procedure of Indian reality crime shows is skilled and professional, and the camera quality is very outstanding.”
5.5. Preference Level for Indian Reality Crime Shows
Respondents who participated in this study marked the Indian reality crime show based on their preference. Out of the hundred respondents, 30 of them preferred Indian shows the most, so they marked 5 for the Indian reality crime show. 18 respondents have marked 4 based on their preference. Numbers 3 and 2 were marked by 22 respondents each, and the remaining 8 respondents have marked 1 as mentioned in Table 3.
The linear scale result on the preferences for Indian reality crime shows is also shown in a 100% stacked column chart (Figure 6) for a better understanding of the trend.
Figure 5. Reasons for preferring Indian shows.
Table 3. Level of preference for Indian reality crime shows among respondents.
Marking based on preference |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Number of respondents |
30 |
18 |
22 |
22 |
8 |
Figure 6. Respondents’ preference level for Indian reality crime shows.
5.6. Respondents’ Thinking on the Hypothesis, “Reality Crime Shows Stand Out as the Best Programs among Others”
After asking this technical question, if reality crime shows stand out as the best programs among others, 38 out of the total respondents strongly agreed with the hypothesis, and 20 respondents agreed with the hypothesis that Indian reality crime shows are the best programs ever.
The 58% respondents (38% strong agreed-20% agreed) who agreed with the hypothesis, they mentioned some reasons for calling these reality crime shows the best programs ever, they are the best because of their thrilling and adventurous narrative structure, these shows are based on facts from daily life, that is why they are better than other programs, these shows are informative and give information about the hidden problems in our society and also solutions, these shows are educational in gaining a better appreciation of societal issues.
One of them mentioned that she likes to watch them because they are made based on facts from our daily life. A respondent from English discipline mentioned that, “these programs put a spotlight on our society’s hidden social abnormalities.” 22 respondents were not sure about the concept, so they marked it “Neither agree nor disagree”. 16 disagreed with this concept and only 4 respondents strongly disagreed with it.
5.7. Reasons of Preferring Reality Crime Shows over Other Entertainment Programs Available
One respondent from the chemistry discipline mentioned that, “It can show the reality behind the crime scene and deliver the message of awareness.” After asking the question why they prefer reality crime shows even though there are so many entertainment programmes available on TV, the respondents’ said that they like to watch them and they mentioned some reasons. According to 32% of respondents, these shows can be related to real-life incidents. 20% of them stated that these shows highlight the current state of society. 38% respondents said that these shows are raising public awareness towards crime. Remaining 10% respondents mentioned that, these reality crime series are incredibly realistic and fact-based.
5.8. Influencing Factors on Watching Reality Crime Shows
When asked about the feature that influenced the respondents’ towards watching reality crime shows, half of the respondents marked option a and that was by choice. As a result, the majority of people who watch reality crime shows on a regular basis do so on their own volition. Out of the remaining 50%, 24% said influence by family, 16% said influence by friends, and the remaining 10% showed other reasons.
5.9. Respondents’ Favourite Indian Reality Crime Shows
In this question, respondents were asked to compile a list of Indian reality crime shows based on their preferences. 45% of the respondents mentioned “Crime Patrol” as their favourite reality crime show. They also mentioned some other kinds of Indian crime reality shows such as CID, Savdhaan India, Adalat, Delhi Crime, etc. in their list of favourite crime reality shows.
5.10. Respondents’ Reactions to Watching Reality Crime Shows
After asking what they would feel while watching reality crime shows, 65% of the respondents mentioned their certain feelings at the time of watching these Indian reality crime shows. As mentioned in Table 4, 27% enjoy the suspense of the show. But 38% loved the emotional aspects more. A respondent from the English discipline cited that, “I can feel the suspense and relate it to real-life incidents.” Some respondents have said that they feel insecure and can’t easily trust everyone after watching these shows, because these shows reveal the illness of our society. A female student from the Sociology discipline has said that, “I could be a victim of any such crime.”
5.11. Reasons for Preferring Indian Reality Crime Shows
Most of the respondents have said that they watch reality crime shows for entertainment and personal satisfaction. They also mentioned some reasons for preferring Indian reality crime shows. The reasons are presented in a table (Table 5) and bar chart form (Figure 7) for easy reorganization.
A respondent mentioned that, “We can find out what kind of crime is happening
Table 4. Percentage of respondents’ reactions to watching reality crime shows.
Reasons |
Percentage |
Enjoy the suspense |
27% |
Feel the thrill |
20% |
Fact based story bring out emotion |
38% |
Enjoy the concepts |
10% |
Table 5. Reasons for preferring Indian reality crime shows.
Reasons |
Number of respondents |
They are educative and provide a variety of knowledge
about a country’s society |
55 |
These Indian reality crime shows are based on true incidents |
30 |
Bring out social inconsistencies to light |
75 |
It has a lot of suspense |
35 |
Exciting concepts and stories |
20 |
Figure 7. Respondents’ reasons for preferring Indian reality crime shows.
in recent times by watching these shows.” One of the respondents from BBA discipline mentioned that, “But these programs can be a threat to society because the younger generation can learn criminal motives and types by watching them, which can also have a negative impact on them.” Another responder stated that he enjoys watching suspense in these reality crime shows.
5.12. Changes in Young People’s Thinking after Watching Reality Crime Shows
Out of 100 respondents, 60% of them said that they notice that there are some changes in their thinking. One respondent cited that, “I have started suspecting all person’s intentions surround me.” Another respondent said that now he is more careful when walking on the street alone ever before even tries to be careful if he is alone at home. The remaining 40% said they didn’t notice any changes in their thinking. The responses are also presented in a Pie chart (Figure 8) for easy understanding.
Respondents mentioned some examples of their changes in thinking after watching a reality crime show. 55 respondents reported feeling insecure after experiencing the risks of living in a community with individuals of various types and personalities. Another 40 respondents stated that they had begun to suspect people for no apparent reason. They also stated that being aware of one’s surroundings is a beneficial trait.
5.13. Changes in Young People’s Behavior after Watching Reality Crime Shows
Among 100 respondents’ 87% have said they get changes in their behavior. One respondent has said that she become more conscious around her. A small but very special response I have got from a respondent was “Respect women”. Another respondent said that he maintains extra caution while walking on street or going alone somewhere and also maintain a safe distance from strangers. Remaining 13% said they didn’t notice any changes in their behavior by watching reality crime shows.
These responses are also shown in a pie chart (Figure 9) for better understanding. The respondents who have experienced changes in their behavior also mentioned both positive and negative changes. Table 6 presenting the changes mentioned by the respondents.
Figure 8. Percentage of respondents’ changes in their thinking after watching a reality crime show.
Figure 9. Percentage of respondents’ changing behavior after watching reality crime shows.
5.14. Changes in Young People’s Life Style after Watching Reality Crime Shows
In terms of this question one respondent mentioned that “I’m preparing myself to face any kind of situation.” Another respondent said that “I’m aware of social injustice.” Among 100 respondents, 85% of the respondents have said they get changes in their daily life routine or life style. Only 15% of the overall response disagreed with the concept, indicating that watching these crime reality shows had no effect on their lifestyle.
5.15. Influence of Reality Crime Shows on Educational Performance
Among 100 respondents, 88% of the have said they didn’t get changes in their educational performance. Only 12% of the total respondents have said that crime shows affect their educational performance & 100% of them mentioned about negative impact. One respondent of them cited that “It kills my valuable time.”
The responses for the impact of reality crime shows on educational performance are also exhibited in a table (Figure 10) for a better comprehension.
5.16. Respondent’s Thinking on the Hypothesis “Reality Crime Shows Have Influence on the Changing Attitudes of Youths”
Among 100 respondents, the majority (60) agreed with the concept that reality crime shows have an influence on the changing attitudes of young people as
Table 6. Reasons for respondents’ changing behavior after watching reality crime shows.
Reasons |
Number of respondents |
These shows increase skepticism among audiences |
50 |
Increase negativity |
39 |
Increase thinking ability |
85 |
Increase responsibility |
35 |
Figure 10. Percentage of reality crime shows’ influence on youths’ educational performance.
mentioned in Table 7. The remaining 40 out of the 100 respondents are not sure about the concept, so they marked “Neither agree nor disagree” in terms of this question. But none of the total 100 respondents disagreed with the concept, so the changing attitudes of youths are observed by everyone.
The linear scale result on impact on the changing attitudes of youths is also presented in a table (Figure 11) for better understanding.
5.17. Respondent’s Thinking on the Hypothesis, “Reality Crime Shows are Influencing on Youths Perception Towards Crime and Society”
In terms of this question, 46 of the 100 respondents agreed with the concept that reality crime shows are influencing young people’s perceptions of crime and society. The remaining 52 respondents provided a neutral answer, but none of these total respondents disagreed with the concept.
The linear scale result on the concept that reality crime shows are influencing youth’s perception towards crime and society is also exhibited in a table (Table 8) for a better comprehension.
5.18. Factors that Are Influencing the Youth’s Perception towards Crime and Society
Figure 12 shows that the purpose of this section was to discover more about the participants’ views on the components of reality crime programs they believe pose a threat to the younger generation. They have raised a number of issues
Table 7. Responses for the reality crime show influence on the changing attitudes of youths.
Category |
Frequency |
Strongly agree |
30 |
Agree |
30 |
Neither agree nor disagree |
40 |
Disagree |
00 |
Strongly disagree |
00 |
Figure 11. Responses on reality crime shows influence on youths’ changing attitudes.
Table 8. Responses on the hypothesis “reality crime shows are influencing on youths perception towards crime and society”.
Category |
Frequency |
Strongly agree |
30 |
Agree |
16 |
Neither agree nor disagree |
52 |
Disagree |
00 |
Strongly disagree |
00 |
Figure 12. Percentage of factors influencing youth perception towards crime and society.
about this situation. 59% of the 100 respondents noted some negative aspects, while 41% mentioned some positive aspects.
Positive aspects the respondents mentioned:
Negative aspects the respondents mentioned:
Presents an unfavorable view of society
Acquire inspiration for crimes
Create a negative mental state
One respondent from Architecture discipline mentioned that, “They get ideas from the crime shows.” Another respondent mentioned, “Positively, many have become cautious about life and become tolerant on parents and siblings.”
5.19. Reality Crime Show Stories’ Connections to Real-Life Crime Occurrences
One respondent mentioned, “Yes. For example, the Delhi bus rape case. It was pathetic.” When asked if they could relate real-life crime to crime show plots, the majority (75%) of respondents said yes. 25 respondents out of 100 skipped the question, and 58 respondents gave positive answers and the remaining 17 gave negative answers as shown in Figure 13.
Among the 75 respondents who responded, a variety of explanations were given for the conn action between these reality crimes show stories and real-life crime incidents. 40 respondents stated that they see a connection between the storylines on these reality crime shows and real-life crime occurrences because they are inspired by real incidents. 50 respondents believe that these reality crime shows highlight social inconsistencies. Another 25 respondents believe that these reality crime shows instruct viewers on how to stand up to injustice and make them more accountable.
The reasons are also given in a table (Table 9) and for a better comprehension.
5.20. Respondent’s Thinking on the Hypothesis, “Reality Crime Shows Influencing the Youths to Commit Crime”
None of the respondents who participated in the study disagreed with the hypothesis that reality crime shows are influencing youngsters to commit crime. The hypothesis was supported by 62 out of the 100 respondents, while 38 of them gave a neutral response as mentioned in Table 10.
5.21. Effect of Reality Crime Shows on Juvenile Delinquency
The question was skipped by 12% of the 100 respondents, and 28% disagreed with the hypothesis that reality crime shows influences juvenile delinquency, but 60% (majority) agreed.
Figure 13. The percentage of reality crime show stories that are linked to real-life crime.
Table 9. Reasons for reality crime show stories’ connections to real-life crime occurrences.
Reasons |
Number of respondents |
Inspired by real incidents |
40 |
Highlight social inconsistencies |
50 |
Stand up to injustice |
25 |
These responses are also displayed in a pie chart (Figure 14) for a better comprehension. The hypothesis was supported by 60% (majority) of respondents, who also expressed some concerns about the situation.
The reasons for the respondents’ opinion on reality crime shows connection with increasing juvenile delinquency are presented in a table (Table 11). According to a respondent, most young people are concerned about new activities because their love of adventure, desire to be like heroes in the media, and participation in violent activities makes them more likely to engage in illegal activities.
Table 10. Responses on the hypothesis, “reality crime shows influencing the youths to commit crime”.
Category |
Frequency |
Strongly agree |
40 |
Agree |
22 |
Neither agree nor disagree |
38 |
Disagree |
00 |
Strongly disagree |
00 |
Figure 14. Percentage of respondents’ opinion on reality crime shows connection with increasing juvenile delinquency.
Table 11. Reasons for the respondents’ opinion on reality crime shows connection with increasing juvenile delinquency.
Reasons |
Number of respondents |
Love of adventure |
56 |
Sudden impulse |
45 |
Mental conflict |
30 |
Become violent |
55 |
5.22. Most avid Fans of These Reality Crime Shows (Male/Female)
In response to the hypothesis “who are the top viewers of these reality crime shows”, 61% said female, while the remaining 39% said male which is shown in Figure 15.
The majority of respondents identified females as the most devoted fans of these reality crime shows, and they also expressed several assumptions. Figure 15 shows that, A substantial majority of respondents (55) stated that because women have more spare time than males, they watch these reality crime shows more than men. 60 respondents stated that most women enjoy suspense. That is the reason they enjoy reality crime shows, as they are full of suspense. Another 58 respondents said that women also enjoy thrills and adventure. Majority (50 respondents) of those who believe women are the biggest viewers of these reality crime shows said that a fact-based storyline makes them emotional. 45 respondents believe that females are more sympathetic to victims than males.
5.23. Reality Crime Shows Influence on Female
55% of the total respondents were female. The purpose of this component of the research was to determine how domestic violence, which is frequently shown in Indian reality crime shows, impacts women’s psychology. The question was answered by all 55% of the women who participated in this study, all of whom stated that they feel insecure after watching various stories about women being victims of major incidents and 50% of them stated that they had grown more cautious than previously. One of them has said that, “I can’t believe people anymore, and I’m frightened of being alone at home.” Another student stated that she feels insecure while walking or going anywhere alone. One responder from the Architecture discipline stated, “I feel nervous while working with male classmates and even the teachers.”
5.24. Reality Crime Shows Demonstrate an Understanding of Resolving Personal Problems
In response to this question, 56% of all respondents noted that social contradictions
Figure 15. Respondents’ responses for the most avid fans of these reality crime shows.
highlighted in these shows assist them in resolving real-life issues. One of them mentioned that “I always keep pepper spray in my bag to ensure safety.” The remaining 44% respondents said no to this question. The 56% of students who noted that reality crime shows demonstrate an understanding of resolving personal problems also mentioned several reasons for this thought. 50 of those who believe that reality crime shows help people to resolve personal problems claim that this is because the shows highlight society’s inconsistencies. According to 48 of them, these performances increase awareness of social injustice. Another 40 stated that they also increase individual self-responsibility. 50 of them assure that these shows also assist to improve the quality of decision-making.
5.25. Respondent’s Thinking on the Hypothesis, “People Who Act in Reality Crime Shows Probably Behave the Same in Real Life”
In terms of this hypothesis, 18 of the total respondents strongly disagreed, and 14 respondents disagreed with it, while 39 (majority) gave a neutral response. Of the remaining respondents, 22 agreed and 7 strongly agreed with the hypothesis.
5.26. Respondents’ Thoughts on Whether a Reality Crime Show Helps Them to Learn about Real-Life Problems and Solutions
In response to this concept “Reality crime show makes you learn about real life problems and solutions” (majority) 56 people agreed with it and only 16 out of 100 respondents disagreed while 28 of them gave a neutral response. The linear scale outcome on the concept is also presented in the Table 12 for a better understanding.
5.27. Reality Crime Shows’ Psychological Influence
I put up the hypothesis to know if these reality crime shows have any psychological influence on youths who watch them. 48 out of 100 respondents agreed with the hypothesis that reality crime shows influence their psychology and 14 respondents disagreed with it. A large number of respondents (38) provided a neutral answer.
The linear scale result of the concept if these reality crime shows have any psychological influence on youths is also displayed in a table (Table 13) for a better comprehension.
Table 12. Respondents’ thoughts on whether a reality crime show helps them to learn about real-life problems and solutions.
Category |
Frequency |
Strongly agree |
10 |
Agree |
46 |
Neither agree nor disagree |
28 |
Disagree |
12 |
Strongly disagree |
4 |
Table 13. Responses on crime reality shows and psychological influence.
Category |
Frequency |
Strongly agree |
14 |
Agree |
34 |
Neither agree nor disagree |
38 |
Disagree |
10 |
Strongly disagree |
4 |
6. Study Findings
This study illustrates that 81 out of 100 respondents watch these reality crime shows regularly, and the remaining 19 watch them occasionally to pass leisure time.
All of these 100 respondents are young people (aged between 18 and 25) and undergraduate students at Khulna University. The majority of these youths stated that they watch these reality crime shows for entertainment and to pass the time.
There are a large number of reality crime shows that are available on television from many countries around the world, including Bangladesh. But 72% of the youths who participated in this study ranked Indian reality crime shows first in their preferred criteria.
This younger generation is spending a large amount of time watching these reality crime shows. Some even spend 40 - 45 hours a week on this show, wasting a great deal of time in their lives that they could have used to study. The majority of them mentioned the reality-crime shows as the best programs ever because of their fact-based stories and ability to bring out social inconsistencies.
Data shows that only 70% youngsters don’t prefer Bangladeshi reality crime shows, most of them because of low quality and content. But they prefer Indian reality crime shows because of their method of making, better quality and cinematic content.
50% of the youths said that they watch reality crime shows by their choice, and 40% are influenced by someone. And most of them say they enjoy the concept and suspense and find it thrilling.
87 of the 100 youths felt changes in their thinking and behaviour after watching the crime scenes and motives in these shows and now try to take extra precautions in their lives. That means these shows are influencing their daily life routines. They also believe that reality crime shows are influencing their lifestyle as well, both positively and negatively. 48 of them think that these reality crime shows have a psychological impact on them.
These reality crime shows have an impact on the youth’s perception towards crime and society by influencing their minds, thinking and behavior by having a negative mental setup and inspiring them to commit crimes and also become violent. There are some positive impacts as well, such as sensibility, knowledge of law and order, and inspiration to demand justice.
The maximum number of youths thinks that reality crime shows have an impact on the changing attitudes of youths. 62 respondents think that reality crime shows influence youths to commit crime. They are also concerned that these impacts will increase the likelihood of juvenile delinquency.
Data shows that the majority of the youth are familiar with Crime Petrol, CID, Delhi Crime and Savdhaan India. But crime patrol shows up in first place with their preferred criteria.
In terms of the thinking of the youths about these reality crime shows compared with real-life crime occurrences, 58 youths said they could relate to real-life crime with these shows, and they cited a variety of reasons and real-life incidents as examples.
There are a large number of youths (56%) who think that the social contradictions highlighted in these shows assist them in resolving real-life issues. They also agreed with a hypothesis that “reality crime shows make them learn about real-life problems and solutions.”
To know the youth’s psychological impact more clearly, a hypothesis was made that “People who act in reality crime shows probably behave the same in real life” and 39 of the total 100 young respondents agreed with it. It proves how much the impact is that makes them believe that the characters in these shows are real.
80% of the respondents claimed that now they have trust issues with the people around them. It shows their hidden fear of being a victim of these crime incidents. They also mentioned that they have noticed a tendency in themselves to investigate something.
Data shows that females are the most avid fans of these reality crime shows; 61% of the 100 respondents mentioned that during the interview. In fact, a majority (55%) of the total respondents who participated in this study was female, and they mentioned that they feel insecure and have become more cautious than before. So, gender influences the impact of reality crime shows on youth.
7. Discussion
Reality shows interrupt the monotony by coming up with unique concepts and ideas that set them apart from other reality shows. These shows have a powerful effect on the youths. Television may have a significant influence on the development of youth value systems and attitudes. Many nations around the world, including Bangladesh, have a high number of reality crime shows available on television. However, in this study, the majority of respondents (youth) ranked Indian reality crime shows first in their chosen criterion. They also agreed with a hypothesis that “reality crime shows make them learn about real-life problems and solutions”. This younger generation is spending a large amount of time watching these reality crime shows and wasting a great deal of time in their lives that they could have used to study. This indicates that these shows have an impact on their daily lives as well as on the youth’s perception of crime and society by influencing their minds, thinking, and behaviour. On the other hand, there is a greater chance of developing psychological stress, anxiety, and particular fears such as fear of victimization and fear of survival among young students. One of the most awful consequences of these reality crime shows’ activities on children is that they tend to replicate the actions and tricks seen on the shows. One such example was mentioned by one of the respondents, the murder case of Delhi in 2017, where a class 11 school student was murdered by a university student. When police investigated this case, they found out that the university student Naveen hatched the crime after watching “Crime Patrol” and killed Jatin (a student in class 11), along with him and their minor friend, in a fit of rage, as Jatin wanted to become friends with his girlfriend. There is a counter-argument that crime reality shows provide new ideas on how to commit crime in novel ways. This argument cannot be easily ignored, as a significant number of criminal cases allegedly inspired by crime reality shows are drawing attention in various parts of the world, especially in the subcontinent. This study also discovered a significant number of positive results for youths, such as improved personal responsibility, improved decision-making skills, and increased capacity to maintain tough situations. One of the most positive effects of reality television shows is that they address various social issues and acquaint individuals with the ills of society. For example, they played an important role in raising attention to domestic abuse of women and also in enhancing women’s empowerment in the public eye.
8. Conclusion
This study has determined that young students at Khulna University are deeply influenced by Indian reality crime shows, especially the thrill and adventure of these shows, which could be harmful for their future as well as society. This younger generation is spending a large amount of time watching these reality crime shows and wasting a great deal of time in their lives that they could have used to study. Young students mentioned they like the thrill, adventure, and suspense presented in the reality crime shows and can also relate them to real-life incidents. They also mentioned that the most exciting part is that they are facts and are just being presented in a dramatic way. These reality crime shows influence the youth’s perception of crime and society because the young respondents of this study said they have become more sensible and careful about social rights now that they understand the laws more clearly. Furthermore, some of them mentioned that they feel these shows present an unfavourable view of society that can have a negative impact on them. According to study, these shows have an impact on young people’s thinking and behaviour as they make them feel insecure and develop negative attitudes about society and the people around them, but these shows making them more responsible than before. This insecurity, uncertainty as well as anxiety about everything around are the revelation of hidden fear among the young students. These reality crime shows influence the youth’s perception of crime and society because the young respondents of this study said they have become more sensible and careful about social rights now that they understand the laws more clearly. Furthermore, some of them mentioned that they feel these shows present an unfavourable view of society that can have a negative impact on them. According to study, these shows have an impact on young people’s thinking and behaviour as they make them feel insecure and develop negative attitudes about society and the people around them, but these shows making them more responsible than before. These psychological effects on young people’s thoughts and behaviour, as well as their feelings of insecurity and uncertainty about everything around them, reveal a hidden fear among the students. The majority of the total respondents in this study were female, and these feelings of insecurity, uncertainty, and anxiety were mentioned by them. On the other hand, male students expressed their excitement about the thriller, adventure, and suspense, which shows that gender influences the impact of reality crime shows.
The main purpose of this study was to find out the impact of crime reality television shows among the young students of Khulna University. It seems that these shows have an extreme impact on young people. Television can have a significant impact on the development of young people’s value systems and the shaping of their behaviour. Unfortunately, most of the television programs are violent nowadays. In particular, these crime-based reality shows.
9. Recommendations
Researchers advise prospective researchers who would want to do a study on this issue to consider several things, such as how to address the negative aspects of these TV crime shows and make them morally excellent in order to keep society safe and protected.
Researchers should be concerned with identifying the weaknesses in these TV crime dramas. More studies should be conducted on this issue in order to identify the actual problems and their solutions, as a result of which the impacts of TV crime episodes can be minimized.
Further study should be conducted on complex subjects such as the substance of TV crime programs and how to minimize violence in them.
Though the younger generation prefers these reality crime shows, media authorities should increase the number of these programs, focusing on solutions and education rather than violence.
At the end of these programs, some educational statements should be added about violence prevention for the younger generation to increase awareness among them.
Parents should spend more quality time with young children and keep them involved in various extracurricular activities or just plain weak-end programs, though most students admit they watch reality crime shows for enjoyment and to pass the time.
Youth who have watched these reality crime shows for a long period of time, it’s natural that they can be offended psychologically. Parents of these young people should consult a psychologist to examine if there is any harmful impact on their mental health
Parents should limit the time to watch all the TV shows, including these reality crime shows, because nothing extreme is a good thing.
Appendix
Questionnaire on TV Reality Crime Show
An Experimental Study on the Impact of Indian Reality Crime Shows on Youth
(Khulna University Students)
Name |
|
Age |
|
Gender |
|
Discipline |
|
Student Id |
|
1. Do you watch Indian reality crime shows? a) Yesb) No
2. Mostly, why do you watch reality crime shows?
a) For entertainment purposeb) For personal satisfactionc) For gaining educational knowledge
d) Time passe) Other __________________
3. Do you watch Bangladeshi reality crime shows? a) Yesb) No
4. If your answer is No—Please explain why?
5. Do you prefer Indian reality crime shows compare to other countries? a) Yesb) No
6. Why do you prefer Indian reality crime shows?
7. How much do you like Indian reality crime shows? (Mark on the basis of preference)
8. How much time do you spend for Indian reality crime shows weekly?
9. Do you used to watch repeat shows? a) Yesb) No
10. If yes then Please explain the reason:
11. Reality crime shows stand out as the best programme than others:
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
12. Why do you used to watch reality crime shows even though there are so many programs for entertainment?
13. What feature influence you to watch reality crime shows?
a) By your choiceb) Influenced by familyc) Influenced by friendsd) Other ________________
14. Make a list of your favourite Indian crime reality shows whom you used to watch regularly.
(Base on your preference)
15. What do you feel while watching Indian reality crime shows?
16. Why do you watch Indian reality crime shows?
17. Have you feel any changes in your thinking after watching reality crime shows? a) Yesb) No
18. (If yes) What kind of changes you feel in your thinking?
19. Have you get any changes in your behaviour? a) Yesb) No
20. (If yes) What kind of changes you feel in your behaviour?
21. Is there any changes happen in your daily life routine or lifestyle? a) Yesb) No
22. (If yes) What kind of changes you feel in your daily life routine or lifestyle?
23. Do reality crime shows influence your educational performance? a) Yesb) No
24. If yes, then what kind of influence? a) Positiveb) Negative
25. If negative) Please explain:
26. Reality crime shows have influence on the changing attitudes of youths-
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
27. Reality crime shows are influencing on youths perception towards crime and society.
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
28. How reality crime shows are influencing on youths perception towards crime and society? (Explain in your words)
29. Can you relate the real life crime occurrence with reality crime show stories? (Explain in your words)
30. Reality crime shows influencing the youths to commit crime-
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
31. What is your thought about influence of reality crime shows to the youth?
32. Reality crime shows influencing juvenile deliquesce: a) Yesb) No
33. (If yes) Please explain how?
34. What do you think, who are the top viewer of reality crime shows? a) Maleb) Female
35. Please explain the reason:
36. Answer this question if you are female:
36.1. Do you feel any insecurity after watching crime reality shows? a) Yesb) No
36.2. If your answer is yes, explain why?
37. Do reality crime show ideas help you to solve your problem? a) Yesb) No
38. If yes, please explain how?
39. People who act in reality crime shows probably behave the same in real life:
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
40. Reality crime show makes you learn about real life problems and solutions:
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
41. Reality crime shows influence you psychologically:
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
|
|
|
|
|
42. Do you feel any trust issue in the people around you after watching these crime reality shows- a) Yesb) No
43. If yes, please explain:
44. I enjoy most about these shows: a) The occurrence of crimeb) The solution and punishment
45. If your answer is “a”—please explain,
46. If your answer is “b”—please explain:
47. Any question or suggestion?