Date
5-20-2026
Degree
Master of Arts in Professional Communication (MA)
Chair
Marie M. Mallory
Keywords
children, cultivation, cultivation theory, entertainment, family, television
Disciplines
Communication
Recommended Citation
Fletcher, Ashley Bowes, "The Message Within the Show: A Cultivation Study on the Impact of Children's Television on Perceptions of the Family" (2026). Masters Theses. 1481.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1481
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the impacts of popular early 2000s children’s television shows on now-adult viewers’ perceptions of the nuclear family. The problem is that current scholarly literature had not addressed how early 2000s television shows have impacted the perception of a traditional nuclear family’s role in society. This study sought to identify the views currently held by the participants regarding the importance and roles of the nuclear family. The study also sought to identify the participant’s perceptions of the portrayals of the nuclear family in specific early 2000s children’s sitcoms. Through a variety of interview questions and an in-depth analysis of the responses, the researcher was able to code for themes. This research examines participant beliefs and perceptions of the shows’ familial portrayals through the theoretical lens of Gerbner’s cultivation theory. The findings show that the portrayals of the nuclear family within the specific shows in the current study revealed indications of cultivation based on participant responses in their youth until they were later mitigated by external, interpersonal interactions. Additionally, the findings align with the fourth proposition of Shrum’s cognitive processing model and contribute the particular role of interpersonal communication in this process, specifically in the lives of children. This study has implications for understanding entertainment media’s influence on individuals and cultivation throughout culture. This study has contributed to the field of communication by filling a gap in the research, building upon Gerbner’s cultivation theory, and uncovering data that will aid in working towards a solution to the current crisis of the family.
