AP File Photo
Kate Gosselin (AP File Photo)
Many of us have sat through many an episode wondering if it’s all scripted. At best the stars of reality TV adjust their lives to suit camera crews and are all well aware of and affected by the publicity surrounding their shows. Does this twist the 'real lives' we're meant to see though?
Academics call it the Hawthorne Effect: Changes the act of observing make on the subject/phenomenon being observed. It might be as small as putting on a little extra make-up for the camera, or as big as proposing to the wrong girl for the sake of public approval. As this fad continues to dominate the tube, from primetime to daytime, we look at some of today's hottest reality shows in search of truth in reality TV.
