The Relationship Between Television Exposure and Individual Work Expectations: An Empirical Study

Each day, thousands of televised images of the workplace fill the airwaves through programs such as Law and Order, ER, and The Simpsons. Although communications research has suggested that the social reality of television is often accepted by high-level viewers (Perry & Roesch, 2004; Potter, 1994), management researchers have been slow to examine television as work socialization. This paper addresses possible concerns of scale and theoretical rigor through development of reliable scales based on televised content and the testing of relationships through an interdisciplinary framework. Regression results indicate that heavy television exposure may influence viewer perceptions regarding access to managers and resources. The results also indicate that non-media work information can moderate this effect. Practical implications for managers are provided.