Abstract:

In the light of the cultivation theory of cultural indicators, this Research paper investigates and examines the first and second-order effects of cultivation on Nuclear Family structure due to higher and overall exposure of dramatized entertainment content. Findings at the preliminary level indicate that the higher the exposure to dramatized entertainment, the higher the perceptions of its audience towards the prevalence of nuclear family structures in Pakistani society will be cultivated. However, the second-order effect of cultivation regarding the phenomenon under investigation could not be found. While the aforementioned phenomenon is underexplored yet in very cultural settings of Pakistan, therefore this study provides basic theoretical avenues to future research in this field of cultivation.

Key Words

Cultivation theory, Drama industry, Entertainment, Nuclear Family

Introduction

What media shows is the reflection of social relationships, institutional relationships, and the fundamental form of social fabrics. The question is, must the media retain to its trait, there is no need for media to change until society changes and new sets of social relations are built? We have to consider what kind of changes do we expect from media and what are the circumstances that limit changes in media. Another question could be, will the change in media ultimately cultivates the same in the audience after some span of time? We have the cultivation theory of George Gerbner on our desk to simply answer this mass-produced content always cultivates and shapes the behavior of the audience. Elites and decision-makers always have their own intents behind a symbolic environment that includes arts, science, and governments, created by ongoing mass communication. There is a minute difference between what we can change within existing circumstances and what we cannot. There are a number of things that can be pointed out in contemporary media content and practices, changing, diversifying, and molding them could count as positive changes without loss of any commercial capital, but there are certain things that are way more difficult and complex to be altered. There are a number of social goals that can be achieved without losing any money or capital (health goals, sexism, racism, etc.). It is not very difficult to identify the indicators of mass media content in our surroundings and society, in fact, mass communication (television and online media) has changed the nature of family control; none of the parents and mentors have control over the stories being told to their children/students by the mass media. Nonetheless, the question of a change in slants due to short term viewing are not what cultivation theory tends to answer. These were rather the old methodology of traditional research approaches in mass communication which studied the effects of media. Short-term effects of media on the audience are an area of persuasion and marketing research. "Gerbner viewed that television viewing resulted in shared cultural outlooks and assumptions that were nurtured, maintained, and reinforced by television’s messages in large communities over long periods of time” (Signorielli, 2015). We are proceeding in the 21st century, where new media technologies and ever-increasing platforms, devices, and gadgets have changed and modified the television’s field of vision. However, television still lays up more of public time and advertisement capital. With ever new technologies and convenience, viewers are consuming more content than ever, television is still controlling the cultural panorama (Prince, 2018). People do not select the television out; actually, they are born into it, they grow up with it, and as they get older, they have absorbed thousands of hours of story telling, and surely these are the stories told by some business corporations for their own motives. Nowadays, storytelling is just not another usual household activity by mothers, grandmothers, or any family elder, instead, it is the domain of bigger communication giants and companies (producing stories for their commercial interest). Television is a universal, most pervasive instrument; given the concept, it is just like a civilization in itself, not like just another medium. It decides what will be the social curriculum and social conduct of all the people.

The following paper, based on the aforementioned argumentation, is keen to investigate the same phenomenon, i.e., the cultivation of family structures in Pakistan by ongoing apparent or underlying mass communication in dramatized entertainment. There has been many presumptions and speculations of decline in traditional family and value system, and the role of free entertainment media in it – generally after the private media established in Pakistan, prevalence of online media and specifically in contemporary scenario of growing questioning over traditional patriarchal structures of families by left-wingers on social media platforms. Many voices on current affairs have been blaming entertainment media to be the paramount responsibility of the negative portrayal of traditional family structures, i.e., joint family structures, and also stigmatizing them. It is, therefore need of the day to empirically investigate these speculations and to outline the relation (which may or may not be positive) between all the variables (exposure to entertainment content, inclination towards modern family structure, i.e., nuclear family). This research paper has a propensity to study, analyze and investigate the nature of the relation of dramatized content with the institution of family in very cultural settings of Pakistan. The joint family system has always been the essence of Pakistani culture, dominant tribal and fundamental social fabrics and collective wealth structures have always compelled communities within Pakistan to prefer a joint family structure over a nuclear one for many decades, but this trend is now seeming to be challenged by later one in a more appealing manner than ever. Assuming television's role in the decline of the joint family system in contemporary societal structure, it is a need of the day to empirically observe and study the relationship between the prevailing concept of the nuclear family system in Pakistani society and its exposure to entertainment content.

The portrayal of Families in Dramatized Entertainment

Never in the history of mankind have message systems have such huge and heterogenous publics than today. Dramatized entertainment content is perceived as just “entertainment” and thus provides frames of references across a fantasy world to the real world; it offers special opportunities for the cultivation of elements of existence, i.e., values, rituals, families conduct, and social norms. Imaginatively re-created aspects of life with significant relations with real human situations can easily create a composite and exaggerated symbolic world which reveals social norms underlying in it without making them apparent (Gerbner & Gross, 1973).

There is a continuous argument in the annals of cultivation theory about the impact of the ongoing entertainment industry over family structures. As early as 1948, Thomas E Coffins described television as a member of the family. By evolution and time, many few families remained without a television set. After (Gerbner’s 1919-2005) assumed television as an unprecedented force of cultivation for societies, there came huge numbers of researchers digging into the strong yet complex relationship between families and exposure to television. Vernon A. Stone & Judith k. Walters (1971) argued that human families became with time so acquainted with television that it becomes now difficult to ascertain what they would be doing differently if there were no television. One thing they might be doing is talking with one another (Walters & Stone, 1971). So, coming to a findingthat television does affect family communications on which structures of the family is established as McDonagh concluded from a study of television families “that they are home more, have more visitors, but they converse less now than previously" (McDonagh, 1950, p. 122). Morgan, Leggett, and Shanahan argued, citing demos, 1974 that family is a key battleground of conflicting moralities and values in society (M. Morgan et al., 1999). We can have several more citations from western cultural settings in establishing our argument that families’ structures are cultivated by the exposure to entertainment content; for instance, Skill and Robinson in 1994 argued, "on more than one occasion fictional television has been cited as a major contributory influence to apparent destruction of the nuclear family (Skill & Robinson, 1994, p. 449). Nuclear families in western cultural settings are perceived as traditional families structures which are close to very fundamentals of the cultural heritage and traditions. 

Presumptive Profile

They have a presumptive profile in considerations which indicates that dramatized entertainment in Pakistan is less welcoming towards traditional family structures, i.e., joint family structures and elements of joint family structures. Rather, it undermines and minimizes the significance of joint family structure by deliberate suppression of the positive aspects of the stated structure for a family and by synthesizing a symbolic environment in which said structure is perceived as the symbol of fundamentalism and lower socioeconomic statuses. Contrastingly the Nuclear family setting is glamorized and embraced by most of the drama stories in which it is depicted as the prosperous and enlightened structure of the family - free of cultural stereotypes and conventional cognition levels, this study tends to investigate whether viewers of fiction and dramas ascertain the stated presumption and whether a major shift towards nuclear family system from the joint family system is cultivated by the dramas and fictional entertainment content in Pakistan.

Methodology

To conduct this quantitative research study, the researcher applied the survey research method using probability sampling because it helps in inference drawing, and generalizability increases beyond the sample to the targeted population of the study. If we talk about Population, it is the general youth studying in universities of the federal capital of Pakistan, i.e., Islamabad. According to UNFPA, 61% population of Pakistan falls under the brackets of 15 – 64, and the population aged 10-24 is 29.7%. Youth in universities, having more cognition development and more prone to the exaggerated symbolic environment (especially in the metropolis) created by dramatized entertainment were the best target population to investigate said assumptions, as after graduation, as student life terminates, most of the individuals tend to get tied their knots into marriages. Their orientation and perceptions (Cultivated by exposure to entertainment content) about family structures are not able to be part of this research study. 

As far as the sampling method is concerned, in probability sampling, the researcher adopted simple random sampling because this is an unbiased approach to garnering responses from a large group, as each individual in the large population has the same probability to be selected. The researcher obtained the frame size from the university department

The sample includes 302 students from the said population; the reason of selecting the said population is the ease of access to the data, the diverse population - representing almost every demography of Pakistan, and easily reach. 302 Sample size was chosen because of the restricted budget and time. Responses are included in the analysis.

Data Collection was a cross-sectional survey, as it allowed the researcher to go through the study at a single point in time and look at numerous characteristics at once. The questionnaire was given to all 303 Of the sample, and data was gathered from 16 Of June 2021 to 22 June 2021. The sample is comprised of general youth studying at the university’s media department.

A self-developed questionnaire was distributed among the sample to gather their responses. It was designed to measure the items regarding demographics, family structures, media exposures, perception, and orientation about nuclear family (First and Second order of cultivation). The questionnaire was shared with samples online through google forms, considering the restraints posed by the ongoing pandemic. The tool was comprised of 32 questions out of which 15 of them an orientation about a nuclear family structure on 5- a point Likert scale where strongly disagree was coded as 1 and strongly agree as 5, the first order of cultivation, i.e., perception about the prevalence of nuclear family structure was measured through six questions (where the respondent has to choose any one of the given choices), frequency of exposure to entertainment content was measured on 5-point Likert scale where one represents never, and five represents always. Time consumed while watching entertainment content both online and on tv was measured in hours, where 1 represents one hour or less, and 6 represents 6 hours or more. The gender and family structures of the respondents were measured on dichotomous scales where 1 = male, 2 = Female, and 1 = Joint family, 2 = Nuclear family, respectively. Respondents were given multiple choices to choose one for indication of family income level, where 1 represents 20,000 or less, and 6 represents more than 100,000. Brought up – background of respondent was also measured

by giving three multiple choices for which 1 represents village/ rural areas and 3 represents large cities. Research Models are Independent Variable: Exposure to dramatized entertainment content through online and conventional media. Dependent Variable: Inclination (perception and orientation) towards the nuclear family structure. Controlled Variables: Demographics including age, gender brought up the background, family income, and structures. Conceptualization and operationalization of variables utilized in the current study included exposure to dramatized entertainment and public inclination towards the nuclear family structure.

Independent Variable

Dramatized Entertainment: According to Merriam-webster a drama series is mostly a part of narrative fiction, a television or (online) production in which characteristics of a serious play serious play with a specific tone or subject are presented. These television series or entertainment dramas are usually categorized in to the super genre, macro genre, and micro-genre such as political drama, legal drama, historical or comedy-drama (Williams, 2017). According to George Gerbner, television’s dramatic programs mirror the synthetic societal values and aspects of social reality to cultivate them in society. Cultivation researchers take drama as the prime-time entertainment programs and television series based on elements of existence, societal values, and relationships, which are primarily not necessarily apparent reveals social mechanism and association with the human situation. (Gerbner & Gross, 1973). Nonetheless, Kaplan saw a significant difference between television drama and literature drama, as most of the literature scholars viewed the former as a cheap and less sophisticated sort of drama. (Kaplan, 1958)

Media exposure: Lisa prince contented that consumer media consumption was based on TV though the increase in streaming through new media (i.e., social media) has eventually increased total consumption of television content. This means one way or another, people are watching more television than ever. The new television environment (conventional & new media) is garnering more eyeballs towards screen and content. With so many new ways of consumption, viewers are watching content on different platforms simultaneously (Prince, 2018). By media exposure, it is established that the researcher means a collective time spent before the television screen or before any other modern devices (smartphones, laptop) to consume the television content (on digital platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Facebook, etc.). As proclaimed by Shrum & Lee (M. Morgan, Shanahan, & Signorielli, 2012), Lisa prince 2018 and other researchers. The researcher measured the time spent on exposure to dramatized entertainment both in frequency and hours by asking.

“How frequently do you watch entertainment content on the following? [Online (i.e., Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Facebook etc.)] & [On a television set]. Each item was measured on a 5-point Likert scale where 1 is coded as never, and 5 is coded always. Where time was measured in hours by asking a respondent that "Usually in a day, how many hours do you watch entertainment programming on the following? [On a television set] & Online (i.e., Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Facebook, etc.)]" responses were coded as 1 = 1 hour or less, 2 = 2 hours, 3 = 3 hours, 4 = 4 hours, 5 = 5 hours and 6=6 hours or more.

Dependent Variable

Nuclear Family Structure: It is the smallest structure in family settings according to the western cultural context it is the traditional cultural setting comprising of two individuals, mainly a heterosexual married couple of, a man and woman, and their socially recognized children. (Britannica, 2015, November 1).In an eastern cultural setting, an unconventional setting in which a married couple moves out of the joint or extended family (mainly comprising of three to four generations) with their own domestic and economic premises may or may not be with their socially and lawfully recognized children. (Clark, 2015). In this study, the researcher has employed two order cultivation analysis in which the first-order effect evaluates the perception and the second-order effect investigates the orientation of respondents toward the nuclear family structure. The perception was measured through multiple choices where respondents were given different percentage brackets to choose any one of them according to a statement like "In your view, about what percent of unmarried people in our society want to live an independent married life?” responses were coded as 1= less than 10%, 2=11-20%, 3=21-30%, 4=31-40%, 5=41-50% and 6= 51% or more. Orientation towards nuclear family was measured on 5 – a point Likert scale from 1=strongly disagree to 5= strongly agree by giving a statement like “I often think about living an independent married life with my partner.”

Demographic Measures/Controlled Variables

In accordance with the prior mass media and policing studies, to measure the media effects properly this study used a sum of potential variables which were controlled so they may not affect the results. Demographic variables involved gender (1 = male and 2 = female), age (measured continuously), brought background (1 = Village/ rural areas, 2 = Small cities/towns, 3=Large cities) family structure (1=Joint Family, 2= Nuclear Family) and household monthly income (1= 20,000 or less 2= 21,000 – 40,000, 3=41,000 – 60,000, 4=61,000 – 80.000, 5= 81,000 – 100,000 and 6=More than 100,000).

Reliability Of Measuring Instrument

Before carrying out the final survey

the researcher pretests the measuring instrument to check its reliability. The pretest-1 was done on 20 respondents. The reliability was checked for the perception-related question, i.e., the first-order effect on SPSS was Cronbach alpha .746. On deleting the particular item, a solid, reliable value Cronbach alpha.792 of the measuring instrument for survey was achieved. Similarly, the reliability check for second-order was Cronbach alpha .830

Descriptive Analyses

Prior to investigating in-depth, the following are mentioned all the descriptive analyses of demographic/controlled variables.

 

Frequency Tables and Data Narration

Table 1. Gender

Frequency
Male	126	41.6
Female	177	58.4
Total	303	100

 




The questionnaire was shared with samples online with the help of google forms. Out 303 respondents, 58.4 (177) percent were female, and the remaining 41.6 (126) were male.

The age of 303 respondent in the sample were measured continuously; most of the respondents were of 20 to 27 years ago. The mean value of 303 responses is 23.7, while the standard deviation is 5.467. Around 49 respondents were of 21 years age which marks the highest frequency out of 303 responses.

Table 2. Family Structure

Frequency
Joint Family	138	45.5
Nuclear Family	165	54.5
Total	303	100




138 respondents of the questionnaire from the sample size hailed from joint family backgrounds, and 165 others hailed from nuclear family background, as shown in table 4.2. Whereas the maximum respondents of the questionnaire were from large urban centers, the minimum was from the demographic location of villages, as indicated in table 4.3.

Table 3. Rural-Urban Background

Frequency
Village/rural areas	27	8.9
Small cities/towns	66	21.8
Large cities	210	69.3
Total	303	100

 




Most of the sample represented higher economic status, as 28.7% claimed to be living with more than 100,000 household incomes. Only 25 respondents, which makes up 8.3% of the total sample size, belonged to lower economic status as their household incomes read 20,000 or less monthly income in Pakistani rupees.

Table 4. Income

Frequency
20,000 or less	25	8.3
21,000- 40,000	38	12.5
41,000- 60,000	73	24.1
61,000- 80,000	49	16.2
81,000-100,000	31	10.2
More than 100,000	87	28.7
Total	303	100

 




To measure the frequency of viewing and overall exposure to entertainment content, descriptive analysis of independent variables is presented in table 4.4. As discussed earlier in chapter no 3, the researcher has taken overall cumulative exposure to dramatized entertainment as an independent variable, whether it is through conventional media or new media, on the precedent set by previous cultivation studies. Breaking down the responses for exposure to entertainment content via Tv, and via online media, we get to know that most of the respondents tend to prefer viewing dramatized entertainment through online media over conventional television sets. 230 out of 303 respondents watch content on television screens one hour or less in a day, but on the other hand, 16.8% of the total respondents watch entertainment content via online platforms, which is indeed the highest viewership rate.

Table 5. Exposure to Entertainment Content

	Online Exposure (In hours)		TV Exposure (In hours)
Time Range	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent
1 hour or less	58	19.1	230	75.9
2 hours	64	21.1	38	12.5
3 hours	64	21.1	25	8.3
4 hours	43	14.2	5	1.7
5 hours	23	7.6	2	0.7
6 hours or more	51	16.8	3	1
Total	303	100.0	303	100

 




Nonetheless distributed viewership of entertainment content over different platforms is not something unprecedented in cultivation studies. In one way or another, entertainment content is being consumed and watched by the audience, which theoretically is cultivating perceptions and orientations of the audience about the social reality. Before digging deep, the relationships of overall television exposure, traditional and new forms with first and second orders effects of the dependent variable (inclination towards Nuclear Family structure), and the impact of these relationships on the cultivation process, descriptive analyses of dependent variables were conducted to address the following research question are people opting nuclear family structures over traditional one? In order to answer this question, percentages of responses were quantified for both first-order effect and second-order effect of cultivation; the results are presented in tables. On average, 31-40% of respondents in sample see the nuclear family as a prevailing family structure in Pakistan (M=4.00, SD=1.1400).

 

 Mean and Standard Deviation of Perceived Social Prevalence of Nuclear Family structure

Perceived Prevalence of Nuclear Family Structure In Society (%)

Table 6

Less 51%
Than	11-	21-	31-	41-           or
10%	20%	30%	40%	50%        more

Table 7

S. No	Item						Overall (%)	Mean	Std. Dev.	Item
1	In your view, about what percent of marriages in our society fail due to joint family structure?	17.5	20.8	20.1	16.8	16.2	8.6	100	3.19	1.571
2	In your view, about what percent of unmarried people in our society want to live an independent married life?	6.3	6.3	11.2	16.8	22.1	37.3	100	4.54	1.534
3	In your view, about what percent of married couples in our society live an unromantic married life due to the joint family system?	10.2	14.9	20.1	17.5	18.5	18.8	100	3.76	1.613
4	In your view, about what percent of married couples in our society suffer from toxic relationships due to  interference of their family members?	7.3	8.9	16.5	18.8	24.1	24.4	100	4.17	1.540
5	In your view, about what percent of people in our society have a family- forced marriages?	4.6	7.9	4.6	7.9	15.5	19.1	26.1	26.7	100

 




Upon a question, "In your view, about what percent of unmarried people in our society want to live an independent married life?” 37.3 % of respondents opted for a percentage bracket of 51% or more (see table -), which clearly indicates the prevailing perceptions of “new normal," i.e., nuclear family settings in Pakistani society. Perception about joint family or traditional extended family structure was investigated by asking a question “In your view, about what percent of married couples in our society suffer from toxic relationships due to interference of their family members?” To which mean of the sample (M=4.17, SD=1.540) indicates around 31-40% of married couples in society are perceived to be severely affected by interference of relatives. Around 21-30% of marriages are perceived to be failed due to traditional joint family structure (see table: Q1)

Questions examining second-order effects on the other hand have not yielded the resonance with assumption made in research question 1 i.e., people in Pakistani society are opting nuclear family settings over traditional joint family structures. Mean value of 15 questions investigating the relationships between viewing and holding attitudes/ orientation about the social reality reads as 3.416 which means neutral on the coded Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree =1 to strongly agree = 5. (M=3.416. SD= 1.1820).




 

Mean and Standard Deviation of Orientation Towards Nuclear Family

Table 8. Level of Agreements (%)

1		5
2	3	4
SD		SA
Item		Overall (%)	Mean	SD

Table 9

1	I often think about living an independent married life with my partner.	5.3	10.6	14.5	35.6	34.0	100	3.83	1.165
2	Havinga romantic relationship with my partner is not possible in joint family	7.6	35.6	19.8	25.7	11.2	100	2.97	1.171
3	It is true that the joint family system is outdated in today’s modern society.	7.3	25.7	22.1	29.7	15.2	100	3.20	1.191
4	One can live a happier married life in a nuclear family than in a joint family.	8.9	25.7	25.7	27.1	12.5	100	3.09	1.176
5	Being independent from my family is an important priority to me.	10.9	22.1	18.5	29.7	18.8	100	3.23	1.287
6	I would not let anyone interfere in my married life	0	5.0	13.2	37.0	44.9	100	4.22	.857
7	I often feel like rebelling against old-fashioned values and traditions of my family.	5.9	34.3	24.1	22.1	13.5	100	3.03	1.161
8	Couples living in nuclear families often have candle- light dinners at restaurants.	3.3	18.8	29.0	36.0	12.9	100	3.36	1.033
9	Couples in nuclear family have very few quarrels than those living in joint family.	6.6	25.1	25.1	29.4	13.9	100	3.19	1.154
10	I often feel our parents do not always make good decisions for their children.	19.1	34.0	19.5	16.5	10.9	100	2.66	1.263
11	Generally speaking, relatives these days are too selfish to care about my problems.	1.0	11.6	13.2	40.9	33.3	100	3.94	1.008
12	It is true that most people in our society are ready to betray their blood relations for their self-interests.	1.7	7.3	16.5	43.2	31.4	100	3.95	0.958
13	I often feel that people outside of my family understand me better than my own family members.	8.9	30.7	23.4	23.4	13.5	100	3.02	1.201
14	I am more inclined to marry outside than within my family	5.6	10.6	20.8	24.4	38.6	100	3.80	1.219
15	I often think I’m in a better position to choose the right life partner for me thaan else.	2.6	11.6	24.8	32.7	28.4	100	3.73	1.077

 




Since mediation and moderation analysis were not the concern of this study, there might be some limitations which made the second-order effects neutral. However, first order effects of cultivation ‘have remained a primary concern of cultivation studies previously. Interestingly 35.6% respondents agreed while 34.06% strongly agreed with the statement which reads as “I often think about living an independent married life with my partner.” Another varying result from the cumulative result is of the statement “I would not let anyone interfere in my married life” the mean of responses to this statement is 4.22 which decodify into ‘agree.’ Around 44.9% of total respondents strongly agreed to the aforementioned statement. (See table- item:6). Preceding discussion testifies that the result of computed variables of second-order effect was mitigated by some hidden limitations which are explored in chapter 5. While these descriptive analyses reveal the interesting first & second-order effects of cultivation on perceptions and orientations of sample towards ‘new normal’ i.e., prevalence of nuclear family settings in Pakistan, in order to understand how these dependent variables are related with overall exposure to dramatized entertainment content, it must be analyzed with above discussed variables.

Cultivation Analyses (First and second-order outcomes)

Thus, for exploring and analyzing the phenomenon under investigation while controlling the demographic measures, correlation analyses have been run. Correlation analyses of dependent variables are conducted along with the overall exposure to dramatized entertainment content while controlling for demographic measures to answer the research question 2 Is dramatized entertainment in Pakistan cultivating a "new normal," i.e., inclination towards “Nuclear family structure” among its audience?

One statistical procedure has been used to analyze and address this question i.e., correlational analyses (zero-order and partial correlation). The partial correlational analysis control for gender, education level, age, family structure, rural/urban backgrounds and income level. The results of the correlational analyses are shared in table.

Table 10. Table Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's Alpha	Cronbach's Alpha Based on Standardized Items	N of Items
0.792	0.792	5

 




Reliability check for variables of first-order effects after deleting certain items stands at a moderate value of Cronbach alpha that is 0.792. (See table ) Looking first at online exposure, the correlational analyses reveal that overall entertainment content exposure via online platform in hours is only significantly positively related with growing perception about prevalence of nuclear family settings.

Table 11. Table Zero-order Correlations

	Variables of Perception		Exposure Online (In hours)	Exposure TV     (In hours)	TV Exposure (Frequency)	Online Exposure (Frequency)
Variables of perception	Pearson Correlation	1	.151**	-0.043	-0.112	0.072
	Sig. (2-tailed)		0.009	0.460	0.051	0.211
	N	303	303	303	303	303
Exposure Online (In hours)	Pearson Correlation	.151**	1	0.027	-.226**	.411**
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.009		0.643	0.000	0.000
	N	303	303	303	303	303
Exposure TV (In hours)	Pearson Correlation	-0.043	0.027	1	.161**	-.114*
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.460	0.643		0.005	0.047
	N	303	303	303	303	303
	Pearson Correlation	-0.112	-.226**	.161**	1	0.027
F TV exposure (Frequency)	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.051	0.000	0.005		0.643
	N	303	303	303	303	303
Online exposure (Frequency)	Pearson Correlation	0.072	.411**	-.114*	0.027	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	0.211	0.000	0.047	0.643
	N	303	303	303	303	303

 




It is, however, also positively correlated with frequency of exposure to overall entertainment content. The negative correlation between tv viewership and perception is not significant statistically. Sample of this research has consumed most of the dramatized entertainment content through non-conventional means (online platforms). A positive relation between the both clearly indicates and address the research question, i.e., exposure to dramatized entertainment is cultivating a “new normal," i.e., inclination towards “Nuclear family structure” among its audience in Pakistan. The highly and significantly positive association between overall exposure and the perception indicates that the greeter the exposure to dramatized entertainment content, the greater the inclination towards nuclear family structure will be cultivated. After controlling for demographic variables, the relationship remained positive as shown in table.

Table 12. Table Partial Correlational Analysis

Control Variables			Variables of perception	Online Exposure  (Inhours)	TV Exposure (Inhours)
		Correlation	1.000	0.125	-0.047
	Variables of perception	Significance (2-tailed)		0.032	0.419
Rural-urban background & Income & Education & Gender & Age & Family Structure		Correlation	0.125	1.000	0.021
	Online Exposure (In hours)	Significance (2-tailed)	0.032		0.723
		Correlation	-0.047	0.021	1.000
	TV Exposure (Inhours)	Significance (2-tailed)	0.419	0.723

 




Looking next for correlational analyses between variables of second-order effects and overall exposure to entertainment content when the demographic variables are controlled, yielded a negative correlation. The second-order effects cannot be found in this study, which means perceptions among the sample about nuclear family and attitude of respondents towards nuclear family settings are varying differently. Several other reasons (hidden effects) might have forced second-order effects to come out differently. The zero-order and partial correlations are presented


in the table.

Table 13. Table Second-Order Effects Correlational Analyses

		Partial Correlational Analysis								Zero-order Correlation
Control Variables					Variables of orientation			Online Exposure (Inhours)	Tv Exposure (Inhours)	Variables of orientation		Online Exposure (In hours)		Tv Exposure (In hours)
Rural-urban background		Variables of orientation	Correlation		1.000			-0.041	0.059	1		-0.005		0.076
			Significance (2-tailed)					0.478	0.314			0.932		0.186
& Income			Correlation		-0.041			1.000	0.021	-0.005		1		0.027
& Education  & Gender & Age & Family Structure	Online Exposure (inhours)			Significance (2-tailed)		0.478			0.723		0.932		0.643
	Tv Exposure (In hours)			Correlation		0.059	0.021		1.000		0.076	0.027	1
				Significance (2-tailed)		0.314	0.723				0.186	0.643

 




However, the varying results of first and second-order effects do not mitigate the fundamental argument of the study which is indeed yielded in first-order analysis. Viewers watching more entertainment content are more likely to perceive the nuclear family structure as prevailing new family structure and better option over the traditional joint or extended one. More specifically, a general pattern found across the significant correlational analyses for cultivation outcomes is that overall exposure of entertainment content is primarily generated from new media or online media platforms. This phenomenon might have some connection with population selection, as research was focused on university students of Islamabad. New form of exposures, even so, haven’t affected the cultivation outcomes as much which is the evidence that new forms of media technologies are supplementing the traditional exposure, this also has been the fundamental argumentation of many contemporary cultivation researches. In the following chapter, results are discussed in further detail along with limitations and directions for further research.

Conclusion

Heavy viewers of entertainment content are more inclined towards nuclear family structures, despite the fact that nuclear family structures are not new to Pakistani eastern society, however it is clear empirical indication that society of Pakistan is undergoing a great deal of change in regards of family institutions. A traditional family structure is always thought to be dominant over modern family structure is subject to very cultural settings of Pakistan. This solid shift towards nuclear family is also indicating a major change in traditional cultural panorama of the country. Modern global entertainment content has yielded a huge vulnerability of the traditional family system to modern norms of family and lifestyle. People in Pakistani are observing a shift from traditional to slightly liberal value system, this change has been a gradual process, and apparently, it will remain to be so, but at least this study has opened up a new aspect of cultivation argumentation in Pakistan.

Appendix Questionnaire Independent Variable

FreqTV: How frequently do you watch entertainment content on the following? [On a  television set]

1. Never

2. Rarely

3. Sometimes

4. Often

5. Always

Free Online: How frequently do you watch entertainment content on the following? [Online (i.e., Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Facebook etc.)

1. Never

2. Rarely

3. Sometimes

4. Often

5. Always

Time: Usually in a day, how many hours do you watch entertainment programming on the following? [On a television set]

1. 1 hour or less

2. 2 hours

3. 3 hours

4. 4 hours

5. 5 hours

6. 6 hours or more

Online Time: Usually in a day, how many hours do you watch entertainment programming on the following? [Online (i.e., Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Facebook etc.)

1. 1 hour or less

2. 2 hours

3. 3 hours

4. 4 hours

5. 5 hours

6. 6 hours or more

Time: Usually in a day, how many hours do you spend on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp etc.)

1. 1 hour or less

2. 2 hours

3. 3 hours

4. 4 hours

5. 5 hours

6. 6 hours or more

Dependent Variables (First Order)

NFP (1). In your opinion, about what percent of married couples in our society are living in a nuclear family structure?

1. Less Than 10%

 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6.  51% or more

NFP (2). In your view, about what percent of marriages in our society fail due to joint family structure?

1. Less Than 10% 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6.  51% or more

NFP (3). In your view, about what percent of unmarried people in our society want to live an independent married life?

1. Less Than 10% 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6.  51% or more

NFP (4). In your view, about what percent of married couples in our society live an unromantic married life due to joint family system?

1. Less Than 10% 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6.  51% or more

NFP (5). In your view, about what percent of married couples in our society suffer from toxic relationships due to interference of their family members?

1. Less Than 10% 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6.  51% or more

NFP (6). In your view, about what percent of people in our society have family-forced marriages?

1. Less Than 10% 2. 11-20%

3. 21-30%

4. 31-40%

5. 41-50%

6. 51% or more

Dependent Variables (Second Order)

NFO (1). I often think about living an independent married life with my partner.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (2). Having a romantic relationship with my partner is not possible in joint family.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (3). It is true that the joint family system is outdated in today’s modern society.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (4). One can live a happier married life in a nuclear family than in a joint family.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (5). Being independent from my family is an important priority to me.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (6). I would not let anyone interfere in my married life.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (7). I often feel like rebelling against old-fashioned values and traditions of my family.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (8). Couples living in nuclear families often have candle-light dinners at restaurants.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (9). Couples in nuclear family have very few quarrels than those living in joint family.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (10). I often feel our parents do not always make good decisions for their children.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (11). Generally speaking, relatives these days are too selfish to care about my problems.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (12). It is true that most people in our society are ready to betray their blood relations for their self-interests.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (13). I often feel that people outside of my family understand me better than my own family members.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (14). I am more inclined to marry outside than within my family.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

NFO (15). I often think I’m in a better position to choose the right life partner for me than anyone else.

1. Strongly Disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neutral

4. Agree

5. Strongly Agree

Controlled Variables

DemFS. In which of the following family structure you grew up?

1. Joint Family

2. Nuclear Family Age. Your age in years

Gender. Your Gender

1. Male

2. Female

Edu. Which of the following degree programs you are currently enrolled in?

1. Under graduation

2. Graduation

3. Post-graduation

Income. Your family’s average monthly income?

1.   20,000 or less 2. 21,000 – 40,000 3. 41,000 – 60,000 4. 61,000 – 80.000

5. 81,000 – 100,000

6. More than 100,000

Area. For most part of your life, you lived in:

1. Village/ Rural Areas

2. Small Cities/towns

3. Large cities

 

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