[MUSIC] In a large population, the effects of radio and television, particularly soap operas, on behavioral change can be quite powerful. Studies of defects of Indian soap operas on gender schemas report that often village man refer to the television as a driver for change. One man, for example, remarked that since TV had come to the village, women were doing less work than before. So, men had to do more work, like helping wives to clean the house. But how did this evoke this change? If the viewers perceive the television characters to be representative of real people and real situations, as is often the case, then these characters fill the role of the highly publicized trendsetter teaching people about alternative lifestyles. The main character of a story about education or child marriage, maybe a girl, belonging to a very difficult family, with which people can easily identify. The novelty is that the girl has different aspirations. For example, she wants an education, and maybe wants to marry for love. This fictitious character takes the place of a real trendsetter, and her adventures can draw attention to the hurdles and trials that new behavior will likely encounter. The representative, yet rebellious, protagonist not only deviates from established norms, but their deviance meets with success. This leads viewers to expect that if they were to oppose the established norm, then they would meet with the same success. Radio and television, with their fictional characters, greatly exceed a real trendsetter ability to change empirical expectations. The same message, when presented through a highly popular soap opera reaches many more people. It gets more powerful because everybody knows that all their friends watch the same program. Change in behavior, in this case, should be perceived as less risky and isolating. Some governments and international organizations have attempted to harness the power of entertainment to produce meaningful social changes. Such production are termed education entertainment, or edutainment. One of the earliest edutainment production, Simplemente Maria, which means simply Maria, was produced in Peru, and offered an alternative rags to riches reality of a young woman who successfully achieved upward social mobility through hard work and education. The effects on the watchers we're significant. Enrollment in adult literacy classes grew in Peru and surrounding countries. Maids rose in social status, likely because the star of the show was a maid. And sales of sewing machines, which Maria frequently used, are mushroomed. When one designed entertainment productions, essentially provide a tutorial for social change. Through vicarious reproduction of what effective change can look like. They demonstrate to viewers what they should expect when engaging in new behavior. When the characters deviate from the socially prototypical behaviors, they typically made to success. Signaling to the viewers that if they were to do the same, they would also be successful. This process likely amplifies the viewers perceived self efficacy, making them more willing to deviate. Tinka Tinka Sukh, which means happiness lies in small things, was an especially effective Indian radio soap designed to promote equality and female empowerment. Studies of the effects of the soap opera in the village of Lutsan showed that it had a powerful influence. Indeed, village leaders sent a large [INAUDIBLE] letter signed by 184 of its residents proclaiming, listening to Tinka Tinka Sukh has benefited all listeners of our village, especially the women. Our village now actively opposes the practice of dowry. The program gave listeners clear examples of what happens when actors engage in maladaptive, or harmful lifestyles. Child marriage results in a death through childbirth. And a bride's inadequate dowry results in extreme mistreatment by her husband family. Eventually, the protagonist signaled his approval for these practices, showing a low norm sensitivity, and reject them in favor of more progressive ones. Personal, and collective efficacy are also stressed. Several of the show initial negative characters are able to abandon their vices and direct their lives in healthier directions. The success that this protagonist encounter, and the tribulation that they overcome, signal to the viewer that the risk associated with abandoning harmful norms are manageable. These signals can help reduce the viewer perception of risk, making them more willing to deviate themselves. At the same time, the viewer's sensitivity to the standing norm diminishes, while learning about all the negative consequences of their customary practices. In addition to providing vivid realistic example of norm change, the media can promote interactivity from the audience. An Indian soap opera, HUM LOG, which means we people. Successfully used viewers to express his opinions on a particular practice of value illustrated in each episode. At the end of each episode, Kumar, the father figure, encouraged viewers to send in letters with our thoughts. HUM LOG attracted an unprecedented large viewer base that collectively sent in hundreds of thousands of letters in response to the epilogues. Analysis of these letters showed that audience members personal normative beliefs were positively influenced by the show, and that they felt deeply connected to the characters. Indeed, many young girls and boys wrote to Kumar begging him to convince their parents to let them marry the person of their choice. And enrollment rates of girls in elementary school rose from 10% to 38% in just one year of home log broadcast. In sum, successful soap operas and other media based narrative have a magic potential to change social norms. They present alternative ways of behaving and show the negative consequences of traditional practices. Lowering the norm sensitivity of their viewers. By vividly illustrating the deviance can meet with success, they also lower viewer risk perception, and booster their confidence in their ability to bring change. Because people often watch the shows together and know that many others are watching elsewhere, they updated normative expectation as they come to believe that many others now disapprove of the traditional practice. These narratives typically feature characters that are representative of all major social groups. For example, rich, poor, mother, father, child, teacher, and so on. The fact that the shows portray members of all walk of life, coming together to condemn the practice signals that many members of the viewer reference network may also be aware of the problems associated with the practice, and they might be willing to fight it. All these elements will make individuals more willing to deviate from a norm. As Sophria Mokershis stated in the interview you can watch in video seven of lecture eleven, to be successful, soap operas need to stay on air for a long time. The message must be clear, and they must reach large numbers of people. With this in mind, what are the advantages of soap operas, or entertainment, over other tools to spearhead social change? If perfectly coordinated, abandonment is not necessary, then people will abandon a social norm at a faster rate then they would otherwise, assuming that the production stays on the air, until non-abandonment has reached a tipping point. Sending girls to school, or changing breast feeding practices are examples of a situation where change does not require full participation. On the other hand, if abandoning a norm course for strong coordination, a positive affect of this type of media exposure is that coordination maybe attainable at an earlier point in time. Regal and economic intervention can and should be be implemented, but do not always reach everyone in an area. Soap operas, which are likely to reach a large number of people, spread the intended message in a format that people can relate to.
