Effects of Drama Serials On Housewives

Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF PAKISTANI DRAMA SERIALS ON HOUSEWIVES 1
The Effects of Pakistani Drama Serials on Housewives
Mahid Mudassar Khan
Maryam Mujahid
Muhammad Saqib Mehmood
Submitted To:
Miss Memona Nazeer

THE EFFECTS OF PAKISTANI DRAMA SERIALS ON HOUSEWIVES 2
Abstract
Television has affected every community it has ever been introduced to, for better or for worse.
For Pakistan, this revolution began in 1964 when Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) came
into being. However, in the span of a few decades, this state owned “monopoly” was challenged
by the increasing usage of Cable TV, for which PTV had to upgrade to better standards of
broadcasting; hence, marking the beginning of an era. This research will be focusing on the
social and cultural impacts of Pakistani Drama Serials on housewives. As these Drama Serials
have evolved over the past few decades, it is mandatory that we account for the impacts they
bring. Thorough research and analysis of primary and secondary data has allowed this research
to conclude that the Drama Serials do, in fact, have negative influences on the audience, in this
case the housewives. The Theory of Cultivation and Limited Effects has also been tested and
proven to be correct in accordance to our research.
Keywords: Pakistani Drama Serials, PTV, Theory of Cultivation, Housewives, Social and
Cultural Impacts.
Table of Contents
Sr No. Content Page Number
1 Abstract 2
3 Background and Context 5
4 Statement of the Problem 6
5 Scope of the Research 6
6 Significance of the Study 6
7 Research Questions 7
8 Hypotheses 8
9 Literature Review 9
11 Research Methodology 18
12 Methods 18
13 Tools 18
14 Procedure 19
15 Limitations 22
16 Delimitations 22
17 Ethical and Legal Considerations 22
18 Results 23
19 Findings from Survey 23

20 Findings on Theory of Cultivation 25
21 Findings on Theory of Limited Effect 27
22 Findings from Interview 27
23 Discussion and Analysis 31
24 Conclusion 35
25 Recommendations 36
26 References 37
27 Appendix 1 38
28 Appendix II 42
29 Appendix III 48
Background and Context
Pakistan’s entertainment industry was considered a reputable segment of the culture in
the early 90s. At this point, the dramas produced were made while keeping in mind their
viewership i.e. families. These dramas also mainly revolved around issues that actually mattered,
at that instance of time, to raise awareness among the nation. One of the major reasons for the
downfall of the Pakistani Entertainment Industry can be attributed to Invasion of International
Media, where the other nation had more resources and a broader mind towards the development
of their plots. Another major reason can be argued to be the sudden mass production of these
drama serials by private companies in the late 90s.
As obvious as it may be, an instrument such as the media is powerful enough to
transform mindsets of entire generations, from spreading hatred and propaganda to addressing
the social issues in a society and aiding in their eradication. Mass Media has the potential to
either massively deceive a society, or help form a better one. Following the former choice,
Present-Day Dramas tend to lean towards spreading propaganda and attempting to alter the
norms of our society. Their inclination towards reforming entire cultures by polluting the minds
of the masses has been a major problem since the past couple of decades. They wish to “amend”
today’s households, lifestyles and fashion trends just for the sake of a few extra positive decimals
in their ratings or for marketing their sponsors. A renowned playwright, Anwar Maqsood
reinforces this argument by saying, “People are now more concerned with the numbers rather
than the craft.”
Statement of the Problem
This research aims to evaluate the social and cultural implications of Pakistani Drama
Serials on our society as a whole. Although, the research will gradually narrow down to
housewives considering the fact that they make up a significant part of the viewers of Pakistani
Drama Serials. Researchers who have already performed their research have broken down the
implications into a binary choice: Positive Implications and Negative Implications. A mixed
method data collection process will aid the research and help us conclude our findings on both
fronts, from the sampling unit and from professionals in the field to record these implications.
Scope of the Research
This research aims to evaluate the Effects of Pakistani Drama Serials on Housewives.
The sample size taken for our research was 125 and the data was collected over a course of 6
business days. The research questionnaire consisted of a number of questions about how the
community perceives changes in the mindsets of housewives that can be attributed to watching
Drama Serials. The sample was chosen from the population of Lahore to keep the study concise.
Significance of the Study

This research will mainly anchor around the positive and/or negative impacts of Pakistani
Drama Serials on Housewives. As previously stated, media can contribute to a society either
beneficially or detrimentally. This research may also help us understand the need for censorship,
not only for explicit material but also for aspects of Drama Serials that influence representatives
of our culture. The change in the mindsets of the general population would also be taken into
consideration while gathering data. Such regular researches on the entertainment industry are
significant to comprehend which aspects are brainwashing the public and which aspects are
helping our society develop more productive members.
Research Questions
Research questions help narrow down the gist of the statement of the problem and
researching specific. For the purpose of this study the following questions were addressed:
Primary Research Questions
1. How influential can Pakistani Drama Serials be regarding the social relationships of a
housewife?
2. To what extent have the Pakistani Drama Serials affected the lifestyles of housewives?
(Including fashion trends and conduction of social gatherings)
3. Has the psychological behavior of housewives been shaped, to some extent, by the drama
serials they watch?
Subsidiary Research Questions

1. Do you think that housewives around you reproduce the language and dialogues, used in
drama serials, in their everyday life?
2. Do you think that, the women around you, question the motives and intentions of their
family members because of the drama serials they watch?
3. Do you think that drama serials have impacted the rise in divorce rates in our society?
Hypothesis
As a part of this study, the following hypothesis has been developed:
● Drama serials have led housewives to be more conscious of their social relationships, most
importantly their romantic relationships.
● Drama serials have a considerable impact on how housewives perceive them and wish to
live a similar lifestyle to the one illustrated of their favorite characters. This can include
how their physical appearances have been influenced as well as how they shape their social
life.
The feelings and emotions of the housewives have been impacted, to some extent, by the
continuous exposure to Pakistani Drama serials. Some major changes may include jealousy,
status-consciousness and jeopardy.

Literature Review
The first television was invented in 1927 by a 21-year-old boy named Philo Taylor
Farnsworth. Ever since then T.V has become one of the major sources of entertainment in every
household. Media, especially T.V media, is consumed massively and is, therefore, an informal
source of education that can slowly but surely impact the minds of the viewers and concretely
place ideas and invigorate change throughout society due to its appeal to the masses (Shah &
Khurshid, 2017). This power, to change the dynamic of societies and the minds within it, to
systematically alter human behavior also allows it to be a force of good, to entertain individuals
with quality content and educate them regarding the dynamic of the past, present and future, and
to bind societies and unite them through national culture (Huma, 2015).
Social Issues
“Television played a dynamic role in social reformation and preservation of social market
as discussed by Klein that the rise of market was a democratizing force in eighteenth century”
(Huma, 2015). The representation of culture and tradition in dramas shown on T.V has changed
radically in the past 50 years since the airing of the first drama serial in Pakistan. They have
altered themselves not only through their story telling and the kinds of stories they tell but also
by the manner and techniques of the actors and actresses (Huma, 2015) .A study done by Zia
(2014) concluded that dramas in the past, aired on PTV, depicted society, basically, as it existed;
Lower, middle and upper class, all were shown equally and social issues that tackled problems in
our own society were portrayed and discussed but now dramas on PTV were cultivating alien
culture in the youth of the country and to some extent were instilling some frustration among
them too. Raza & Rehan (2015) say that dramas these days are an extremely powerful source of
entertainment for people of all age groups since all throughout history story telling in whatever
form, has been the basic part of basically all cultures and that all of those cultures have used
them to impart social values and norms to the society; the gist being that stories have been the
teachers throughout generations.
Cultural Appropriation
Culture is defined as the ideas, customs social behaviors of a particular people or society.
“Culture could be defined as a backbone of any society so nobody can ignore the value of culture
in the society. Culture is the basic thing to identify any person in a different place. We are
recognized in the world by our culture, and the nations who ignore their culture, lose their
dignity very soon” (Raza & Rehan, 2015). Zia (2014) claims that the transmission of cultures,
traditions and social values has been the basic functions of mass media. At first it was books and
newspapers, then came along theatre and radio and finally came television.
Impacts of Dramas as a Whole
In this day and age, we see dramas impacting our daily life, regarding how we talk and
act and carry ourselves in our daily lives. Shah & Khurshid (2017)’s study concluded that 50% of
the participants agreed that television has become important part of their lives and an important
component of societal curriculum and 70% agreed that it affects the value system of our
society.50% of the respondents disagreed that the drama was promoting our cultural and societal
values. 100% participants agreed that drama on television was affecting our daily language usage
and also responsible for spreading offensiveness. Shah& Khurshid (2017)’s study also showed
that 100% of the respondents concurred that the advertisements encourage adoption of unethical
ways to fulfill materialistic desires and to sabotage the people around them and manipulate them
into doing one’s will; Moreover, 50% of the respondents agreed that advertisements were
responsible for the negative stereotypes of women in society as they showed women mainly in
roles that include housework and handling children even though women in our society have
slowly started to transition towards a more professional role in the work environment instead of
focusing solely on housework and being wives and mothers. This negatively effects the thinking
of viewers, especially women, who end up dismissing their dreams and ambitions since they start
feeling like it is not their role, not their right, to work or have ambitions outside of homemaking.
Raza & Rehan (2015) also state that media is responsible for the change in our culture from our
roots towards that of the western nations as they show programs depicting a mixed culture which
inspires people to change the way they think and alter their norms and cultural and social value
systems. Television dramas exaggerate the situations by declining our social values (Shah &
Khurshid, 2017). We oftentimes see dramas depicting extreme situations where people are
pushed into unrealistically improbable situations, this not only instills an unnecessary sense of
fear and dread in the people who view these shows but also enables their paranoia and might
even give rise to wide spread irrationality among society as a whole. In the past decade, there has
been a rise in dubbed Turkish dramas being aired in Pakistan and a large chunk of the viewer’s
population consume them on the daily basis, close to addiction levels. Mass media is leading us
towards a globalized culture which is not a negative effect per say, but abandonment of one’s
own national culture should not diminish in any way, whatsoever; the rise of Turkish dramas has
impacted our society greatly as we have started seeing their culture in our daily life in things like
the extravagant and glamorous lifestyles and fashion trends shown in those dramas, people fail to
realise that those dramas are just that, dramas, instead they adopt their affluent behaviours and
start applying them in their everyday lives.
Portrayal of an Unrealistic Lifestyle
Entertainment programs of television not only increase the gap between different
socioeconomic classes of the society but also inculcate a sense of deprivation among the middle
and lower class of Pakistan by promoting glamour and sensation through television drama. This
class difference somehow promotes crime in the society as well. On the other hand the dance
and music programs constitute a major part of primetime programs which not only causes
wastage of time of the young generation but also deviate them from their career objectives as
stated by Shah & Khurshid (2017) that television places emphasis on materialistic values, which
has promoted among society the greed for money and glamour. Videos are displayed in a way
that gave away the message that dance and music are an enjoyable part of life. It creates an ideal
life, which is totally different from the actual productive life. Huma (2015) supports the
viewpoint by comparing the drama of 1980’s with that of 21st century. She asserts that 21st
century drama includes more of glamorous presentation in background setting as compared to
1980s drama. On the statistics acquired above, it is found that PTV drama of 1980s and 21st
century is not compatible. The world has become a global village and the foray of satellite
channels has drastically affected the viewership of Pakistan Television (PTV) during the last
three decades. Consequently, PTV has changed the moral values and the social issues-based
drama into the glamour based dramas which do not highlight social issues rather promote the
glamour and unrealistic lifestyle in an Islamic society. Zia (2014) believes that the introduction
of satellite channels through dish antenna and cable television has created a competition between
the dramas of PTV and that of the foreign channels. Thus this ‘invasion from the sky’ forced
PTV to glamorize their programs especially the drama, in order to maintain the interest of the
audience.
From Simplicity to Modernization
The actors and characters of 1980’s drama exposed simplicity of the society. The concept
of drama was mostly based on social issues and revolved around masses instead of around the
handful elite class of the society. As it was about common people therefore the characters were
not glamorized hence PTV was not used as a medium to promote glamour and the class
difference among society. Society could relate to the characters portrayed in the drama; whereas
21st century dramas rely on the physical appearance, makeup as well as the trendy outfits of the
main characters. Huma (2015) believes that the physical appearance of actors is better and
attractive in 21st century than 80s drama.
Reflection of Society
Media needs to play its role in exposing the harsh and bitter realities of society so as the
awareness among the society as well as policy makers can be created to resolve the social
problems. However, 21st century Pakistani media has been indulged in the exaggeration of
characters. The millionaire, billionaires, business tycoons and dons are usually portrayed as
inspiration characters of the society. The exaggeration in portraying negative characters
encourages sense of deprivation among young generation which consequently results in crime
rate in the society. Zia (2014) assumes that there is always a deft touch of exaggeration on the
part of writer in portraying the character. Moreover, it is assumed that realism means reflection
of society as it exits with all its charms and deformities. Statistical findings reveal that in a
survey about the departure of PTV drama from realism, 81% respondents answered in
affirmative, 18% in negative while 1% of the population was not sure.
Diversity
Role of media is very crucial in representation of all classes of the society in the drama
by revolving around different aspects of life. Olden dramas were very much concerned with the
representation of all the classes in the drama. Story was very beautifully interwoven by
clustering all the sects of life. Drama serial ‘Waris’ has 47.73% scenes which present elite class
culture, 24.27% scenes which represent middle class problems while 28% scenes were associated
with the problems of poor people. Furthermore, dramas of PTV in 21st century largely present
the stories of elite class and middle-class stories while the 1980s drama have all the subsets of
life belongs to all classes of society like upper, middle and lower class. Stories of drama in 1980s
were diverse whereas in 21st century only domestic issues are presented (Huma, 2015).
Emotional Involvement for the Audience
Pakistani drama plays with the sentiments of audience. The emotional involvement of
housewives with characters from popular TV shows cause domestic issues and sometimes works
as a stimulus for the break-up of strong family relationships (Zia, 2014)
Dissatisfaction and Frustration
Pakistani Drama Serials may have let an extended part of their viewership down a path of
dismay and exasperation with themselves and others around them. As stated by Shah & Khurshid
(2017) television also has psychological effects that refers to what we can say dissatisfaction of
one with his or her own self. The portrayal of such unrealistic and fantasy like stories on
television screens seldom leads housewives to have impractical wants. Zia (2014) confirmed
portrayal of life in PTV drama or any other form of art can, at times, leads viewers into a Utopia,
which can have devastating effects. These, often fascinating, scenarios can include rendition of
exaggerated romantic commitments between partners as well as, depiction of glamorous
lifestyles which widely differs from the viewer's own. A research constituted by Zia (2014) for
the audience's analysis of PTV drama vis-a-vis its role as a vehicle pushing the audience in the
world of fantasies. The dominant viewers response was again in the affirmative (84%) with
partial negative (12%) and 4% gave no response. 54% of the viewers take PTV drama as
portrayal of their dreams and wishes against 44% differing. These findings serve as a great aid in
understanding how drama serials venture far away from the center of reality, extending their
radius in the reign of fantasies. Although Drama Serials end up successful in attaining the
attention of housewives by portraying the very similar mindsets they have, but this also leads to
housewives, consciously or subconsciously, drawing a comparison between the television
depiction and their own lives. Moreover, TV lends those dreams and desires that can hardly be
fulfilled in real life. This is intensified by the portrayal of glamorous life. Our youth hankers after
similar sort of glamorous life but when it sees that its dreams and wishes are going unfulfilled,
they become victims of frustration (Zia, 2014). This does not just affect the social life of
housewives but the way they see themselves too. “TV Shows and Movies show us these idyllic
versions of people's lives that just doesn't live up to realistic portrayals of real lives" (Abheek,
2017). Depression is an unrecognized yet very common end result of such comparisons between
reality and fiction. Beauty standards set by actresses on-screen give an impractical run to
housewives, who are often fascinated by the charm and wish to acquire the similar "flawless
bright skins, lean bodies and silky straight hair". Consequently, inability to do so leads to
depression and dissatisfaction with own self.
Psychological Viewpoint
"The content, which is presented on the television, affects the thoughts and behavior of
the general public." (Shah & Khurshid, 2017). It is undoubtedly very clear that the more time a
person spends watching television, the greater effects he/she is bound to have. Theory of
cultivation explains this state of affairs, which is one of the core theories of media effects
(Cultivation theory, 2015). "Various studies have supported the claim that those who watch
television more frequently, often display higher tendencies of being depressed and lonely, sense
of alienation, have feelings of mistrust and think that the world is a malicious place" (cultivation
theory, 2015). This gives rise to mean world syndrome. In relation to our research, Pakistani
drama serials too paint an extensive image of mistreatment of housewives. Ranging from
cheating husbands to conspiring mother-in-laws to taunting relatives, Pakistani Drama Serials
shows it all and that too in an exaggerated manner. Rehan & Raza (2015) cite (Raza, Awan, &
Gondal, 2016):
People want to adopt those trends and norms they usually watch the dramas and
television programs. After their parent's children now, these days are influenced by the
television programs mostly. According to the different investigations, females, teenagers and
children are heavy victims as compared to the males in every society.
As per this reference, females are easier victims to the immense level of emotional
content presented on Pakistani televisions in form of dramas. Despite just watching drama serials
for the sake of mere entertainment, viewers take home a wider range of effects like change in
daily language usage, mindset of getting easily offensive among people and encouragement to
fulfill materialistic desires by unfavorable way (Shah & Khurshid, 2017). An interesting
discovery done by Zia (2014) was in spite of the fact that majority take PTV drama as portrayal
of their dreams and wishes only a small number of respondents take drama characters as role
models as dominant response (90%) were not agreed. This begs the question that if viewers the
application of their own desires on television screens, then why aren't they taken back by the
main character? The answer lies in the theory of limited effect. Limited effects theory is
explained in relation to selective perception: viewers tend to select and interpret media messages
in accordance with their existing attitudes and beliefs, and their use of the mass media tends to
reinforce these (Chandler & Munday, 2016). This theory can be applied to Pakistani Drama
audience as Zia (2014) justifies the above-mentioned findings by the possibility that the viewers
are "more interested in the fact and in the paraphernalia that surrounds the hero/heroin than the
hero/heroin himself/herself". The current point of research also lays focus on how theory of
limited effect is also housewives who ignore the positive aspects of the dramas and mainly focus
on the negative illustrations of an unhappy married life.
Reliability
The reliability of the previous research material cited is, without question, highly
recommendable as the pilot study yielded Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to be 0.79 which makes
its questionnaires highly reliable (Shah & Khurshid, 2017).
Research Methodology
Methods
The questionnaire was distributed through emails and chat apps. It was given to
acquaintances and friends and parents of friends who fell under the age and classification group.
This allowed us to include housewives from all income classes and analyse how the difference in
income effects the difference in impacts of drama serials on the behaviour and psychology of the
housewives. The nature of this questionnaire was correlational as watching drama serials was
correlated to adverse effects in the viewers, especially housewives. The interview was conducted
using a total of 5 questions that contained questions within them as well, in total 8 questions
were asked to the expert. The expert was able to provide us with complete elaborate answers
which illustriously detailed all the aspects of the questions asked and further explained any
ambiguities or misconceptions that people may possess about the subject matter. No further
questions were required to follow up.
Tools
A combination of qualitative and quantitative tools of research were used to remove as
much ambiguity and/or bias from the results, as possible. A questionnaire with 11 quantitative
questions was developed using Google Forms on the internet. The filling of forms was done over
the internet as well. A qualitative research was done by conducting an interview with a
professional psychologist and counselor. The interview was conducted in person at the residence
of the psychologist. This combination allows us to have the public opinion and the expert
opinion on the matter and then form a conclusion on the basis of the results.
Procedure
The questionnaire that was developed and distributed to eligible participants through
email and chat apps contained 11 questions which took the participants through answering their
age group first and their income group second. The purpose of the research was to see how
watching dramas effected the psychology of housewives throughout the different income classes
and age groups. These questions were followed by having them answer how many hours a day
they watched television. This question was put in place to study whether or not the theory of
cultivation applies to this scenario or not and to understand to what extent it applies. Cultivation
theory suggests that exposure to media, over time, subtly "cultivates" viewers' perceptions of
reality. Gerbner and Gross assert: "Television is a medium of the socialization of most people
into standardized roles and behaviors. Its function is in a word, enculturation" Within his analysis
of cultivation, Gerbner draws attention to three entities, institutions, messages, and publics. Then
the questionnaire had them agree, disagree or remain neutral on questions regarding certain
effects that these drama serials were having on housewives. The team used these results to
analyse and find statistical correlations between watching dramas and the answered questions.
The team used a Likert scale to for all of the questions regarding the actual impacts that
the team is hoping to find results about. The Likert scale makes respondents specify their level of
agreement or disagreement on a symmetric agree-disagree scale for a series of statements. Thus,
the range captures the intensity of their feelings for a given item. The questionnaire first asks if
these housewives think that housewives around them follow the fashion trends shown in drama
serials. This question is asked to find out if the drama serials that housewives watch has had
impact on their fashion sense and how they choose to dress and present themselves to the world.
This was followed by asking whether dramas have affected the wedding culture in Pakistan or
not. This question is linked to the last one as most extravagant fashion is seen on the occasion of
weddings and this question helps us understand if the drama serials housewives watch, impact
their sense of style and tradition regarding weddings in their families or weddings they take part
in. Next came the question of whether or not housewives reproduce the dialogues or vernacular
that is common in the dramas that they watch. This helps in understanding if dramas are
impacting their daily lives on a granular level such as the simple act of talking. The questionnaire
follows up by asking if housewives replicate the actions of characters, they watch in drama
serials. The questionnaire then asks whether housewives question the motives and intentions of
people around them as a result of watching drama serials. This question is there to better help in
understanding whether or not watching drama serials has led to housewives in becoming
paranoid about the people around them and question if the people around them (including the
people who love them the most) are acting in their best interests or against them. Then came the
question of whether housewives feel neglected by their husband’s when they compare the
behaviour of husbands in drama serials and their own spouse. This question helps in judging if
dramas are providing housewives with a romanticised version of marriage that leads to them
being unhappy and unsatisfied with their marital lives or not. This question is then subsequently
followed by the question whether drama serials are to blame in the rise in divorce rates.
Historically, divorces have been regarded as taboo in the Pakistani culture, this question helps in
comprehending whether drama serials have affected the culture in Pakistan and if this change has
led to more women being able to stand up against oppression in their domestic lives. The last
question is a general view of whether or not housewives think that their general, day to day
behaviour has been modified as a result of their consumption of drama serials.

The 5 questions that the interview consisted of were met with comprehensive and
elaborate answers. The team firstly asked whether or not the expert thinks that drama serials have
led housewives to become more conscious social relationships, especially romantic ones, and if
that has led to a rise in unhappy marriages. The expectation was to find out what the
psychological sciences have to say about the impacts of the content people consume and how
deeply it affects them followed by how these changes in individuals leads to changes in the
whole culture of the society we live in. The next question was about how the unrealistic portrayal
of certain aspects of society in drama serials can affect housewives who consume the content and
if that leads to them being dissatisfied and unhappy with their lives. As it is, drama serials these
days often depict extremely unrealistic displays of wealth and human behaviour and this question
was asked to further enhance the understanding of this phenomenon. The next question was
regarding whether or not dramas have changed the way housewives perceive society as a whole,
that is to say that whether dramas have affected their entire world view. This question will help
in further enhancing the understanding regarding how deeply this type of content roots itself into
the minds of the housewives that consume it. The next question was regarding whether the
consumption of drama serials has led to a negative view of in-laws in the eyes of housewives.
This question plays a major role in understanding the impact of drama serials on housewives as
they spend most of their time and lives at home, mostly among in-laws. Finding a relationship
between watching drama serials and negative changes in behaviours and paranoia regarding
in-laws can lead to a harrowingly unsatisfying and unhappy life in general. Lastly, the interview
led to the point where the team asked the expert about how negatively they think that consuming
drama serials has affected housewives. Getting a general verdict from an expert regarding the
effects and a confirmation of the causes of those effects was a vital part in the research and
helped in apprehending the effects drama serials are having on the housewives of Pakistan.
Limitations
A sample size of 125 people of diverse communities, coming from different lifestyles,
was selected so the data collected can be examined efficiently. The option of a bigger sample
size was rejected because of the presence of time and budget constraints. Another limitation
faced in this research was the authenticity of data collected because a major part of the sample
would not willingly provide personal information regarding their households and family politics,
if they exist. The questionnaire consisted of several questions that had to be answered with the
Likert Scale; a “neutral” choice was also added. A proportion of the answers received were
neutral, hence leading to anomalies in our research.
Delimitations
The sample chosen for collection of data were residing in Lahore. Secondly, only
Pakistani Drama Serials were included in the research to present an image of the prevailing
issues or misconceptions inside the same society. On the other hand, interviews were conducted
from a trained professional in this field having ample knowledge on the research topic.
Ethical and Legal Considerations
This research was conducted according to the five principals of Research Ethics. No
participants were physically or emotionally harmed during the collection of data. Verbal
Informed Consent was obtained from each participant before making them a part of the research.
Complete anonymity and confidentiality were promised to every participant in order to get
truthful answers for an unadulterated research. Each participant was provided the Right of
Withdrawal in case they were not comfortable filling out the questionnaire. All research was
voluntary and was done with the complete consent of the volunteers.
Results
Findings from survey
The survey consisted of housewives ranging from all ages of 18 to 45+. Five age brackets
were used with majority of participants (36%) being younger than 26. Fig1. Of Appendix II
shows the division of age groups with 52.8% of participants aging from 26 to 45 years of age.
Fig.2 shows the income class partition with a greater part of women being from Middle class
(58.4%).
The participants were asked about the amount of time they spend watching just Drama
Serials, not television, where 81.6% of respondents said 1-2 hours a day. 15.2% spent 2-4
hours while just 3.2% agreed to watching drama serials for more than 4 hours a day. Fig.4 of
Appendix II shows the findings to housewives believing that women following the fashion
trends depicted in the drama serials they watch. Combining together agree and strongly agree,
64.4% agreed to seeing housewives follow fashion trends depicted on their television screens.
20.8% were neutral while 8% disagreed. The participants were then questioned if they think
Drama Serials have affected the wedding culture in Pakistan. In response to which, 36%
strongly agreed, solid majority of 52% agreed whereas 6.4% were neutral and 4.8% disagreed
to the statement (Fig.5).
To further access the impact of drama serials, housewives were asked if they have
noticed housewives reproducing the language and dialogues, used in drama serials in their
everyday life. 19.2% strongly agreed and 48% agreed, totaling to 67.2% of respondents noting
such effect. 20.8% remained neutral whilst 12% disagreed (Fig.6). A similar question was
asked to further emphasize the effect proposed in fig.6 of Appendix II. Combining strongly
agreed and agreed, Fig.7, 49.6% agreed that housewives follow the action of any of the
characters in the serials they watch, 28.8% were neutral to the question and 21.6% disagreed.
Housewives were also asked if they have thought that women around them questions the
motives and intentions of their family members courtesy of the drama serials they watch.
63.2% agreed while 24% were neutral and 12.8% disagreed. This should also be noted that no
participant strongly disagreed.
Fig.9 of Appendix II illustrates the findings to question, do housewives think that
drama serials have impacted the rise in divorce rates in our society. 15.2% strongly agreed
along with 37.6% just agreeing. 21.6% remained neutral while 20% disagreed and 5.6%
strongly disagreed to drama serials contributing to a rise in divorce rates in Pakistani society.
Another question (Fig. 10) linking the effect of drama serials to unhappy married life was
asked in order to research a clearer relation between the former and latter. Housewives were
questioned if they ever think that women feel neglected by their husbands after comparing
their behavior with the behavior of husbands in drama serials. Majority of 60.8% agreed to
think that while 19.2% disagreed. The remaining small portion of the 20% of the respondents
was neutral.
A final follow up question was asked to confirm the influence of drama serials on
housewives. Fig 11. reveals that majority of 57.6% believes that housewives’ behavior has, at
all, been molded by the drama serials they watch. Whereas just 16.8% disagreed to believe that
and 25.6% opted for neutrality.
Findings on theory of cultivation
The survey consisted of a very limited number of participants who watched drama
serials for more than 2 hours a day, making 18.4% to be precise. "Various studies have
supported the claim that those who watch television more frequently, often display higher
tendencies of being depressed and lonely, sense of alienation, have feelings of mistrust and
think that the world is a malicious place” (cultivation theory n.d). Study shows that a majority
of people who watched drama serials for more than 2 hours, agreed to the questions asked at a
very vast scale. Table 1. on Appendix II shows the results of cultivation theory on housewives.
73.9% of the respondents thought women question the motives and intentions of the
people around them, because of the content showed in drama serials they watch. Contrary to
which, 26.1% disagreed. Similarly, 69.5% of the participants thought that woman often feel
neglected by their husbands after comparing their behaviors with the behavior of husbands in
drama serials while 30.5% thought otherwise. Lastly, the study revealed that 65.2% of the
housewives felt drama serials have molded the behavior of housewives.

Table.1
Do you think that, 73.9% 26.1%
the women, around you
question the motives and
intentions of their family
members because of the
drama serials they watch?
Do you ever think 69.5% 30.5%
that woman often feel
neglected by their
husbands after comparing
their behaviors with the
behavior of husbands in
drama serials?
Do you feel that 65.2% 34.8%
housewives' behavior has,
at all, been molded by the
drama serials they watch?

Findings on Theory Of Limited Effect
In order to test the theory, two questions with same root but different intensity were
taken to compare the results. The survey showed that 67.2% of the housewives agreed to have
seen other housewives reproduce the language and dialogues in drama serials. Whereas only
48.6% actually agreed to housewives coping the actions of any character from the serials they
watch. The results are shown in Table2. on Appendix II.
Table 2.
A Neutral/Dis
greed agreed
Do you think the housewives around you 67 22.8%
reproduce the language and dialogues, used in .2%
drama serials, in their daily life?
Do you think that the housewives follow 48 51.4%
the actions of any of the characters in the serials .6%
you watch?
Findings from Interview

Our expert psychologist interviewee was asked to share her knowledge about the reasons
why the Drama Serials were impacting the housewives of Pakistan and how it was contributing
to negativity in their lives. To find out more about the correlation between social relationships of
housewives and the effects of dramas, the interviewee was asked if she thought drama serials
have led housewives to become more conscious of their social relationships (especially the
romantic ones) and has it led to unhappy marriages?
N. Sarwat explained her thoughts in the following words:
Obviously, housewives are being affected by drama serials and they already are affected.
Most of the times, housewives spend their time at home watching dramas serials and movies
which are very glamorized and their impact on housewives is quite negative. After sending their
kids to schools and husbands to work, housewives (especially of single families) often put their
favorite drama from last night on repeat and obviously the content being portrayed in our drama
serials is not as such in reality. Our producers and directors have glamorized context and
fantasized relationships to a great extent. They over optimize relationships like the husband is
very romantic and he always comes back home with gifts and on birthdays he always wishes his
wife in a very fantasized way with pre-booked dinners at hotels. All these things really make
housewives feel bad when they are not treated the same by their husbands. The reality is bitter.
Everyone has become so engaged in earning their livings that husbands don't pay much attention
to such romanticism. And when housewives don't get to hear the romanticism as portrayed in
drama serials in their real life, they face difficulties and this definitely affects relationships.
N. Sarwat was then further questioned regarding the portrayal of realistic aspects of
Pakistani society in Drama Serials and how has it affected housewives. She was hinted whether
has this false portrayal led to dissatisfaction and frustration among housewives?
Regarding this question our interviewee said:
The drama serials in past times had a very realistic life like portrayal but in today's
drama serials even a girl from poor household walks around her house with set makeup,
perfect curls and heels on and when housewives see this, they regard this fantasy as reality
and create fuss in their houses. Psychologically these aspects are affecting housewives and I
am really against them.
On getting a more personal life view of housewives, the team wanted a more precise
picture of housewives’ behavior in society, thus the psychologist was questioned if thought that
drama serials shape the way how housewives perceive society. In relevance to this, the
interviewee was asked to comment upon theory of cultivation as well.
Undoubtedly, dramas are playing an important role in shaping our lives. Especially
from the perspective of housewives, drama serials are really affecting their lives because
whatever they see in dramas, housewives try to shape theory life the same way. For example, if
a drama shows some wedding event, the housewives try to copy some of the aspects of the
event in the next wedding in their family and in doing so they even enforce their male house
members to copy the similar arrangements shown in dramas. From dressing to setting,
whether they can afford it or not, housewives wish copy drama serial trends to show the
society that they are up to date with the latest modern culture. Dramas have totally changed
our society. In today's time, theory of cultivation is proving to be very apt because television
world and media is leaving very long-lasting effects on our lives. In fact, we are the ones to
cultivate these effects. Media is sowing the seeds and the viewership of such drama serials is
cultivating the effects. We are not condemning these dramas or understanding the fact that a
drama life is just a mere drama.
As we know housewives are not just daughters-in-law but they can be sisters-in-law as
well as mothers-in-law. To explain the derivation of negative impact on the former and the
contribution of Pakistani drama serials to the "Susral (In-laws)" phenomena, N. Sarwat
highlighted a clear link
Dramas often depict that sister-in-laws and mother-in-laws stay at home all day and
scheme and plan on and execute physical and mental tortures on their son’s or brother’s wife.
Dramas are basically teaching these tactics, even to the ones who have no idea about the
certain phrases that can be extrapolated as taunts to people, or certain acts that can be used
to give physical torture to people. Just like certain dramas glorify crimes and give a rise to
criminal activity in the society (which in itself is a very broad discussion), these dramas are
giving a rise to this torturous culture. These dramas are mostly showing a mother-in-laws
cruelty on her son’s wife, these dramas are teaching these tactics and strategies of mental
torture; they may not be punishable by the law as yet but they are in all senses of the words,
extremely painful. In fact, as a psychologist, I think that mental and psychological torture is
far more painful and nerve wracking than physical torture, which the mother-in-laws and
sister-in-laws are doing most of the times. Dramas are playing an extremely important role in
this, they’re slowly teaching them new tricks and tactics through which they can subject their
son’s or brother’s wife to physical, mental and emotional torture through various ways and
methods.
Lastly, the interviewee was asked to rate the amount of negativity drama serials have
inflicted on housewives. She was required to give reasons for her answers too. Comprehending
her thoughts, the psychologist replied
If we take a look at social media, unfortunately, I would like to say it has a very
negative effect and if we look at the percentage, I think it has more than 50 to 60% negative
impact. Instead of lessons and morals, more of negativity is being conveyed through drama
serials. I think the reason for this increase is negative sense is due to denying of realistic
lifestyles portrayals because when dramas show a happy world fantasy then how is it possible
that it might be the case in real life. Drama serials are negatively impacting personal
relationships as well. For example, drama serials often show 2 male characters and one
female character or a married woman having a relation with a married man. In reality when
housewives don't get the romanticized life with her husband, she takes negative impact from
these dramas and might render it normal to follow the immoral relationships. I have witnessed
with many such cases in my career where while dealing with family therapy I have seen
housewives who have taken such steps already. Thus, my answer proves that such cases are a
part of our society where housewives, after taking in negative impact from drama serials, have
disturbed their personal life.
Discussion and Analysis

The study conducted breaks down the effects of drama serials on housewives into three
main categories, branching out of one principal root. As confirmed my Zia (2014) "Realism is
an evaluative term, however broadly speaking realism means reflection of society as it exits
with all its charms and deformities", and if the drama serial fails to convey this reality through
the television screens, it is said to be a false portrayal of reality. The principal root of these
effects is false portrayal of reality in drama serials. All the three effects, of courtesy of false
portrayal, lead to considerable amount of negative impact on the life of housewives.
The first type of exaggerated portrayal is fantasizing of personal relationships
especially the romantic ones. This leads housewives to be more conscious of their husband's
behavior towards them as they start comparing them with the ones, they watch in drama
serials. This claim is backed up by the agreement of majority of housewives according to the
survey conducted. The expert psychologist put a say regarding this by mentioning, "They over
optimize relationships like the husband is very romantic and he always comes back home with
gifts and on birthdays he always wishes his wife in a very fantasized way with pre-booked
dinners at hotels". When the housewives at home compare these kinds of romanticism with
their busy married life, they feel neglected and sad. Consequently, this can also lead to higher
divorce rates, as agreed by the research findings. Unhappy married life can make housewives
to take severe steps and these situations are more common than we actually think. In reference
to this N.Sarwat highlighted, "In reality when housewives don't get the romanized life with her
husband, she takes negative impact from these dramas and might render it normal to follow
the immoral relationships". This definitely leads to negativity in our society and agreement to
H1 (Hypothesis 1): Drama serials have led housewives to be more conscious of their
personal relationships, most importantly their romantic relationships.
The second depiction that is affecting the housewives is the portrayal of notorious
in-laws. The stereotyping of an evil mother-in-law, an unwelcoming sister-in-law and a
manipulating daughter-in-law has become a part of almost every storyline. The uniformity of
such ideas on every channel can cause housewives to fall in the pit of jeopardizing thinking.
The interviewed psychologist aided the research by adding, "Dramas are basically teaching
these tactics, even to the ones who have no idea about the certain phrases that can be
extrapolated as taunts to people, or certain acts that can be used to give physical torture to
people". The mothers and sisters in law are very much likely to get influenced by all the
mental torture tactics being shown on televisions in the name of entertainment. Human brain is
more prone to negative behavior than it is to positive, thus similar is the case with housewives.
The claim is backed up with the majority of housewives thinking housewives around them
copy the language as well as some actions of the characters they saw in dramas and they also
question the intentions and motives of people around them, courtesy of the doubts planted in
their heads. The sufficient evidence available concludes that the feelings and emotions of the
housewives have been impacted, to some extent, by the continuous exposure to Pakistani
Drama serials including jealousy and jeopardy (Hypothesis 3).
The last but the least factor of false portrayal in Pakistani Drama Serials is
glamorization. This factor has further two divisions: Fashion trends and wedding culture.
Pakistani drama serials nowadays often go an extra mile in adding to the beauty and glamour
of their actors, regardless of the needs of the character. "Physical appearance of actors was
better and attractive in 21st century than 80s drama" (Huma, 2017). When housewives see
these pretty faces and fashionable clothes, they try to get the same for themselves too. Once
again, majority of housewives agreed to women around them coping the fashion trends they
watch in dramas. They do so to in order to get closer to the life of their favorite characters but
at times this can cause problems in relation to financial and cultural constraints. The
interviewee used a perfect example to explain this dilemma, "The drama serials in past times
had a very realistic life like portrayal but in today's drama serials even a girl from poor
household walks around her house with set makeup, perfect curls and heels on and when
housewives see this they regard this fantasy as reality and create fuss in their houses." The
second consequence of glamorized depiction is wedding culture. Just like good appearance is
important for housewives, the social image they carry in society is close to them too. After
seeing a glamorous wedding reception in their favorite dramas, they want and try to have the
similar settings for their own social events especially weddings. Majority of housewives also
think that dramas have affected the wedding culture of Pakistan. The reason for this is
explained by N. Sarwat in the following words, “From dressing to setting, whether they can
afford it or not, housewives wish to copy drama serial trends to show the society that they are
up to date with the latest modern culture". Housewives have taken considerable amount of
influence from drama serials that is now shaping their social lives. The two factors mentioned
provide reasoning for the approval of the fact that Drama serials have a considerable impact on
how housewives perceive them and wish to live a similar lifestyle to the one illustrated of their
favorite characters. This can include how their physical appearances have been influenced as
well as how they shape their social life (H2: Hypothesis 2)

From a psychological point of view the research was successful in highlighting that
theory of Cultivation is playing a vital role in adapting of these effects. Rehan & Raza (2015)
pointed out "Theory of cultivation seems to indicate that these changing themes are similar to
the cultivation of the different ideas (Littlejohn & Foss, 2009)" and in agreement to this the
interviewed expert said, "In today's time, theory of cultivation is proving to be very apt
because television world and media is leaving very long lasting effects on our lives. In fact, we
are the ones to cultivate these effects. Media is sowing the seeds and the viewership of such
drama serials is cultivating the effects". The more time a housewife spent watching drama
serials, the more she took the negative implications into consideration. This leads them to
think about the society as a bad body, full of negativities. The statistical provenance of this
shown is in Table1.
The second theory tested under the research was theory of limited effect which pointed
out that a greater majority of housewives were thought to have copied the language of characters
but surprisingly lesser were considered to actually follow the actions. Housewives are able to
copy what they hear more easily than to actually copy an action since it requires greater will and
concentration. Picking up random phrases and words from drama serials can be done even
sub-consciously whereas doing an action is not the same. The statistical provenance of this
shown is in Table 2.
Conclusion
Through this research the team has found overwhelmingly positive responses in favour of
the hypotheses that was developed for the research. The hypothesis that the housewives of
Pakistan are becoming conscious of their husband’s behaviour due to the content of the drama
serials they consume has been confirmed as proven through the immensely positive response in
regards to the question in the team’s questionnaire. The research has shown that housewives in
Pakistan have started comparing the behaviour of their husbands to the behaviour of husband’s
portrayed in the serials they consume and that has led them to unsatisfactory lives, romantically.
The interview conducted with the psychologist has led us to the conclusion that the portrayal of
villainous roles of the in-laws in the drama serials has also had an adverse effect on the
housewives of Pakistan, be it daughter-in-laws or mother-in-laws. The other hypothesis that
unrealistic displays of glamour and luxurious lifestyles in Pakistani drama serials has led to
dissatisfactory married lives for Pakistani housewives. Housewives try and copy the fashion
trends that they see in drama serials and fail to separate the reality from fiction. This is where the
theory of cultivation has been seen to manifest. The majority of housewives in the questionnaire
agreed that housewives around them are guilty of this behaviour. However, it was also found that
although housewives are extremely prone to reproducing phrases and words from the drama
serials, they are not as easily persuaded into following the actions of the characters they follow
since actions require more effort in comparison to phrases and words. To conclude, the research
was extremely fruitful in proving the hypotheses that the team developed.
Recommendations
We should bring the society towards positivity; directors and producers should consider
these detrimental effects when making drama serials. They should take stories which are based
on social issues, reality, and give lessons to the housewives who ignore their children just
because they are too busy tailoring the dramas into their own lives. They should depict reality
and instead take people out of jealousy and jeopardy. Housewives should accept the fact that the
life they see in dramas is different from the reality we live in, and they should take themselves
out of the fictitious world they have created around themselves.
References
Chandler, D., & Munday, R. (2016). A dictionary of media and communication. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Cultivation Theory. (2015, March 27). Retrieved April 2, 2019, from
https://www.communi-cationtheory.org/cultivation-theory/
Rehan, M. & Raza, S. H. (2015). Cultural Impacts of Turkish Dramas on Lifestyle of Pakistani
Housewives. 33(1).
Shah, S. T. & Khurshid, F. (2017). Societal Curriculum: Effects of Television on Social Values
System in Pakistani Society. Bulletin of Education and Research. 39(1):75-89.
Talukdar, A. (2017, July 20). Why modern society struggles with depression (A millennial's
view). Retrieved April 2, 2019,
from https://byrslf.co/why-modern-society-struggles-with-depression-a-millennials-view-
46b1f26b7e09
ZE, H. (2015). Analytical Study of Television Drama Narratives. Journal of Mass
Communication and Journalism. 5(8).
Zia, A. (2014). Effects of Dramas of Pakistan Television on Youth. Middle-East Journal of
Scientific Research. 122(9):1390-1395:IDOS Publishers.
Appendix I
1. Age Group:
● 18-25
● 26-30
● 31-40
● 41-45
● 45+
2. Income Class:
● Lower Middle Class
● Middle Class
● Upper Middle Class
● Upper class
3. How many hours a day do you spend watching Drama Serials?
● 1-2
● 2-4
● 4+
4. Do you see housewives following the fashion trends depicted in the serials you watch?
● Strongly Disagree
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
5. Do you think that drama serials have affected the wedding culture in Pakistan?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
6. Do you think that housewives around you reproduce the language and dialogues, used in
drama serials, in their everyday life?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
7. Do you think that the housewives around you follow the actions of any of the characters
in the serials you watch?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
8. Do you think that, the women around you, question the motives and intentions of their
family members because of the drama serials they watch?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
9. Do you ever think that women feel neglected by their husbands after comparing their
behaviour with the behaviour of husbands in drama serials?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
10. Do you think that drama serials have impacted the rise in divorce rates in our society?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
11. Do you feel that housewives’ behaviour has, at all, been molded by the drama serials they
watch?
● Disagree
● Neutral
● Agree
● Strongly Agree
Appendix II
=
Spreadsheet Results:
Appendix III
Q1. Do you think drama serials have led housewives to become more conscious of their
social relationships (especially the romantic ones) and has it led to unhappy marriages?
“The topic you have chosen is really good regarding today's situation. Most of the time I think
what is going on (in relevance to this topic). The topic you have chosen for your research makes
me really happy because it shows that today's generation is thinking about such matters. The
question you have asked regarding the impact of drama serials on personal and social life of
housewives is really insightful. Obviously, housewives are being affected by drama serials and
they already are affected. Most of the times, housewives spend their time at home watching
dramas serials and movies which are very glamorized and their impact on housewives is quite
negative. After sending their kids to schools and husbands to work, housewives (especially of
single families) often put their favorite drama from last night on repeat and obviously the content
being portrayed in our drama serials is not as such in reality. Our producers and directors have
glamorized context and fantasized relationships to a great extent. They over optimize
relationships like the husband is very romantic and he always comes back home with gifts and on
birthdays he always wishes his wife in a very fantasized way with pre-booked dinners at hotels.
All these things really make housewives feel bad when they are not treated the same by their
husbands. The reality is bitter. Everyone has become so engaged in earning their livings that
husbands don’t pay much attention to such romanticism. And when housewives don’t get to hear
the romanticism as portrayed in drama serials in their real life, they face difficulties and this
definitely affects relationships. This is so because real life varies widely from drama life. "
Q2. Whether has this false portrayal led to dissatisfaction and frustration among
housewives?
"The drama serials in past times had a very realistic life like portrayal but in today's drama serials
even a girl from poor household walks around her house with set makeup, perfect curls and heels
on and when housewives see this, they regard this fantasy as reality and create fuss in their
houses. Psychological these aspects are affecting housewives and I am really against them."
Q3. Do you think drama serials shape the way how housewives perceive society? Comment
upon theory of cultivation as well.
“Undoubtedly, dramas are playing an important role in shaping our lives. Especially from the
perspective of housewives, drama serials are really affecting their lives because whatever they
see in dramas, housewives try to shape their life the same way. For example, if a drama shows
some wedding event, the housewives try to copy some of the aspects of the event in the next
wedding in their family and in doing so they even enforce their male house members to copy the
similar arrangements shown in dramas. From dressing to setting, whether they can afford it or
not, housewives wish copy drama serial trends to show the society that they are up to date with
the latest modern culture. Dramas have totally changed our society. In today's time, theory of
cultivation is proving to be very apt because television world and media is leaving very
long-lasting effects on our lives. Infact, we are the ones to cultivate these effects. Media is
sowing the seeds and the viewership of such drama serials is cultivating the effects. We are not
condemning these dramas or understanding the fact that a drama life is just a mere drama. "
Q.4 Have Pakistani Drama Serials contributed to the "Susral (In-laws)" phenomena in
Pakistani society? How do you explain the link between the portrayal of drama serials and
this rising negativity?
"This is a very important question, about female behaviour that promotes other females to
behave the same. Your last question was about how housewives were grabbing fantasised
romanticism for their husbands due to the scenes in dramas, but the roles of mother-in-laws and
sister-in-laws, and what they’re adopting is also very important. Basically, all housewives,
mother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, etc. are all someone’s wives (and like I said in the last questions
that even unmarried girls or women at home who’re sister-in-laws or even if they have no such
relations), the dramas are affecting all of them. Dramas often depict that sister-in-laws and
mother-in-laws stay at home all day and scheme and plan on and execute physical and mental
tortures on their son’s or brother’s wife. Dramas are basically teaching these tactics, even to the
ones who have no idea about the certain phrases that can be extrapolated as taunts to people, or
certain acts that can be used to give physical torture to people. Just like certain dramas glorify
crimes and give a rise to criminal activity in the society (which in itself is a very broad
discussion), these dramas are giving a rise to this torturous culture. These dramas are mostly
showing a mother-in-laws cruelty on her son’s wife, these dramas are teaching these tactics and
strategies of mental torture; they may not be punishable by the law as yet but they are in all
senses of the words, extremely painful. In fact, as a psychologist, I think that mental and
psychological torture is far more painful and nerve wracking than physical torture, which the
mother-in-laws and sister-in-laws are doing most of the times. Dramas are playing an extremely
important role in this, they’re slowly teaching them new tricks and tactics through which they
can subject their son’s or brother’s wife to physical, mental and emotional torture through
various ways and methods. And also, regarding how to save their own selves after subjecting
these women to torturous environments, you can save yourself from any repercussions. But all of
us women and housewives, no matter what relations they have, should remember that
somewhere along the end the dramas will always show that eventually these moral crimes and
the lies are caught. So, to sum it up, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws are also adopting
negative behaviours from dramas."
Q5. On a scale of 1 to 5, can you rate the amount of negativity drama serials have inflicted
on housewives?
" Very good question. Obviously, everything has a negative and positive side, black and white. If
we take a look at social media, unfortunately, I would like to say it has a very negative effect and
if we look at the percentage, I think it has more than 50 to 60% negative impact. Instead of
lessons and morals, more of negativity is being conveyed through drama serials. I think the
reason for this increase is negative sense is due to denying of realistic lifestyles portrayals
because when dramas show a happy world fantasy then how is it possible that it might be the
case in real life. And even at some points if drama serials start to show the drawbacks, the
scenarios are yet again filled with ultimate luxuries that impact housewives in a negative way. I
think even the males of our society are being affected by this because when they see such big
businesses and lavish state and the riches and the ability to use money to bribe whomever the
characters want, the male thinks why isnt his lifestyle the same as his. Consequently, as a
negative impact, he moves towards corruption. Whom ever gets the chance at whatever position
they are, they may become involved in corruption just in an attempt to obtain similar lifestyles.
Drama serials are negatively impacting personal relationships as well. For example, drama
serials often show 2 male characters and one female character or a married woman having a
relation with a married man. In reality when housewives don’t get the romanticized life with her
husband, she takes negative impact from these dramas and might render it normal to follow the
immoral relationships. I have witnessed with many such cases in my career where while dealing
with family therapy I have seen housewives who have taken such steps already. Thus, my answer
proves that such cases are a part of our society where housewives, after taking in negative impact
from drama serials, have disturbed their personal life."

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Effects of Drama Serials On Housewives

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Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF PAKISTANI DRAMA SERIALS ON HOUSEWIVES 1

The Effects of Pakistani Drama Serials on Housewives

Mahid Mudassar Khan

Muhammad Saqib Mehmood

Miss Memona Nazeer

proven to be correct in accordance to our research.

Sr No. Content Page Number

3 Background and Context 5

4 Statement of the Problem 6

5 Scope of the Research 6

6 Significance of the Study 6

17 Ethical and Legal Considerations 22

19 Findings from Survey 23

20 Findings on Theory of Cultivation 25

21 Findings on Theory of Limited Effect 27

22 Findings from Interview 27

23 Discussion and Analysis 31

Background and Context

Pakistan’s entertainment industry was considered a reputable segment of the culture in

downfall of the Pakistani Entertainment Industry can be attributed to Invasion of International

drama serials by private companies in the late 90s.

As obvious as it may be, an instrument such as the media is powerful enough to

than the craft.”

Statement of the Problem

Scope of the Research

Significance of the Study

helping our society develop more productive members.

Primary Research Questions

(Including fashion trends and conduction of social gatherings)

serials they watch?

Subsidiary Research Questions

drama serials, in their everyday life?

family members because of the drama serials they watch?

As a part of this study, the following hypothesis has been developed:

importantly their romantic relationships.

status-consciousness and jeopardy.

teachers throughout generations.

Impacts of Dramas as a Whole

start applying them in their everyday lives.

Portrayal of an Unrealistic Lifestyle

century drama includes more of glamorous presentation in background setting as compared to

From Simplicity to Modernization

attractive in 21st century than 80s drama.

inspiration characters of the society. The exaggeration in portraying negative characters

affirmative, 18% in negative while 1% of the population was not sure.

Emotional Involvement for the Audience

as a stimulus for the break-up of strong family relationships (Zia, 2014)

Dissatisfaction and Frustration

exaggerated romantic commitments between partners as well as, depiction of glamorous

housewives, consciously or subconsciously, drawing a comparison between the television

depression and dissatisfaction with own self.

cheating husbands to conspiring mother-in-laws to taunting relatives, Pakistani Drama Serials

children are heavy victims as compared to the males in every society.

on the negative illustrations of an unhappy married life.

its questionnaires highly reliable (Shah & Khurshid, 2017).

questions were required to follow up.

A combination of qualitative and quantitative tools of research were used to remove as

agreement or disagreement on a symmetric agree-disagree scale for a series of statements. Thus,

behaviour has been modified as a result of their consumption of drama serials.

neutral, hence leading to anomalies in our research.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

Findings from survey

to the statement (Fig.5).