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ERIC Number: EJ990335
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0270-1367
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Weighing in on NBC's "The Biggest Loser": Governmentality and Self-Concept on the Scale
Readdy, Tucker; Ebbeck, Vicki
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, v83 n4 p579-586 Dec 2012
Previous analyses (i.e., Bernstein & St. John, 2006; Sender & Sullivan, 2008) of the television show "The Biggest Loser" have detailed its negative presentation of the obese body, potential consequences for viewers, and its role as a technology of governmentality. However, there has been little exploration of how audience members conceptualize and enact the messages communicated in the show within these intricate frameworks. The current research used information from semistructured interviews with 40 dedicated viewers to capture the salient meanings they ascribed to "The Biggest Loser" within the themes of governmentality and self-concept. Overall, the group experienced the program as a transformative, entertaining, and inspirational event that produced little change in their exercise behavior. Thus, the role of reality television in creating healthy behavior change is potentially limited.
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191. Tel: 800-213-7193; Fax: 703-476-9527; e-mail: info@aahperd.org; Web site: http://www.aahperd.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A