UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1990 Gender construction in prime-time sitcoms: "Roseanne" and "Murphy Brown" Claudia Crowley Collins University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Collins, Claudia Crowley, "Gender construction in prime-time sitcoms: "Roseanne" and "Murphy Brown"" (1990). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2962. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/mqv2-sjjr This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. 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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Gender Construction in Prime-Time Sitcoms: Roseanne and Murphy Brown. by Claudia C. Collins A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Department of Sociology University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 1993 The Dissertation of Claudia C. Collins for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology is approved. IM Chairperson, David R. Dickens, Ph.D. Examining Committee Member, Donald E. Cams, Ph.D. Examining Committee Member, Barbara G. Brents, Ph.D. ('V: " t / Graduate Faculty Representative, Charles C. Whitney, Ph.D. / /CJ Dean of the Graduate College, Ronald W. Smith, Ph.D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 1993 ABSTRACT Gender Construction in Prime-Time Sitcoms: Roseanne and Murphy Brown analyzes gender portrayal in the highest rated situation comedies on network television in the United States in 1992. The research is constructed to examine whether gender, as presented inRoseanne andMurphy Brown, continues to be based on confining stereotypes or if female characters are being portrayed in an increasingly egalitarian manner. Findings from previous decades of media research on gender portrayal in network television are used as a standard for comparison. Variations in gender portrayal because of social class differences are also examined. The main research methodology employed is content analysis. The sample consists of five programs from each series selected from the February and November ratings periods, reflecting twenty percent of each series' annual production. Other episodes of the programs are also consulted to examine overall character development and behavior of the characters within the context of the shows' five year histories. Analysis revealed that, first, at the manifest level,Murphy Brown andRoseanne appear to defy prior gender stereotypes and present an image of female empowerment, in contrast to the previous depiction of female characters on television. Second, female gender-role construction varied by social class in two ways, in the suggestion that single life is more acceptable for a woman who enjoys economic stability, and in the suggestion that single motherhood is acceptable only if the mother is financially stable. Third, a discursive reading of the programs placed them within their socio-historical context, iii focusing on the growth of women as consumers and as the largest segment of prime-time network television viewers. The programs were found to offer strong examples of feminine discourse, presenting serious social issues such as the changing face of the "typical" American family, the changing economic landscape, and problems of age and gender discrimination. The manifest message of gender equality thus was reinforced at the latent level. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION/STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ....... 1 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE / THEORY ............................ 6 Role of television in sociocultural process .......................................... 6 Theoretical Approaches to Communications: Mass Society Theory ............................................................... 12 Liberal Pluralist Theory ......................................................... 14 Marxist Theory ........................................................................ 18 Comparison: Liberal Pluralist/Marxist .................................. 24 Intertextuality ..................................................................................... 30 Role of television in gender construction........................................ 31 Prior research findings .................................................................... 41 Recent research: Mary Tyler Moore, Cagney and Lacey, thirtysomething, Roseanne, andMurphy Brown.................... 46 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................. 53 Content Analysis................................................................................. 54 Sem iotics ................................................................................................. 56 Individual/Discursive Interpretation................................................... 61 Historical Context ................................................................................ 68 Sample ................................................................................................. 69 Hypotheses ............................................................................................... 71 Categories Hypothesis One ........................................................................ 72 Hypothesis Two ....................................................................... 78 Hypothesis Three ..................................................................... 81 CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................... 87 Hypothesis One .................................................................................. 87 Hypothesis Two .............................................................................. 140 Hypothesis Three .................................................................................. 161 V CHAPTER 5 INTERPRETATION ........................................................... 192 Hypothesis One .................................................................................. 192 Hypothesis Two ................................................................................... 207 Hypothesis Three ............................................................................... 216 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................. 241 APPENDIX I TV GUIDE PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS ....................... 252 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................... 258 Vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. David R. Dickens, who served as chair of my doctoral committee for five years, for his tireless efforts from the time this project was in the conceptual stage through each and every draft. His thoughtful editing suggestions were crucial up to the completed document. My committee members Dr. Donald E. Cams, Dr. Barbara G. Brents, and from the English Department, Dr. Charles C. Whitney, helped, each in their own special way, with suggestions and comments when my focus would drift. I also appreciate the contributions of Dr. Barbara Cloud and Dr. Gage Chapel from