This paper engages in a cross-cultural discourse analysis of two reality television programs: the Japanese program Terrace House and the American program The Real World. The main goal of the analysis was to understand the conflict styles of the participants in each program, and explore the differences and/or similarities between them. Generally, the programs differed significantly in their portrayals of conflict with the Japanese program demonstrating that participants tended to attempt to maintain harmony among the group, and the American program demonstrating that participants focused more on individual concerns in conflict situations. Terrace House emphasized the resolution and management of conflict. The Real World emphasized the escalation of conflict and its management only when it became extreme. This work did identify a limited selection of similarities between the conflict management styles of both groups, however.
Smith, Graham A., "Terrace House Versus The Real World: a Cross-Cultural Comparison of Participants’ Approaches to Conflict in Japanese and American Reality Television Programs" (2018). University Honors Theses. Paper 505.