91热爆

For Radio 4 listeners something unthinkable happened in 2020. Going to work, going out, seeing friends, normal life – all of those were hard enough, but in addition, there was a break in transmission of The Archers. And although we had a lovely dip into the programme's rich archive to fill the short gap, we can now appreciate what a regular fix of any continuing drama or soap opera that we enjoy can do for us psychologically.

Claudia Hammond, presenter of 91热爆 Radio 4’s All in the Mind explores how our daily doses of drama can be a lifeline in times of uncertainty.

First, a drama serial provides an escape from our own lives into the lives of others. As far back as 1959, in the early days of TV research, the sociologist Dr Leonard Pearlin found that the more stressed people felt, the more they enjoyed programmes which took them away from their troubles, even if the characters in the dramas were experiencing great troubles of their own. . And even though they might feature arson, accidents, domestic abuse and other traumas, research shows that we appreciate them most keenly when we are at our most anxious. The very implausibility of some plotlines adds to the sense of escape from our own woes. Things may be difficult in our lives, but our troubles are nothing as compared with those experienced in Ambridge, Albert Square or Coronation Street. This allows us to feel better psychologically through the process of social comparison. When lockdown was starting, fed up as we might feel, at least we weren’t suffering terrible burns like poor Lynda. Things could be worse.

Soap operas are also a great distraction. They have a universal relevance, but are so much more dramatic than real life that we become very absorbed in them. This is important because distraction is a coping strategy for many in difficult times. In a recent experiment conducted by the 91热爆, 55,000 people were asked for their solutions to feeling lonely, and to our surprise, finding distracting activities came top.

Loneliness is a huge social issue and while interventions quite rightly try to facilitate real social interaction, following the fortunes of the case on a daily soap opera can also make a difference. Psychologists have found that some people even develop what are known as para-social relationships, where they almost imagine they actually know and have a meaningful relationship with their favourite characters.

Loneliness is a huge social issue and while interventions quite rightly try to facilitate real social interaction, following the fortunes of the case on a daily soap opera can also make a difference. Psychologists have found that some people even develop what are known as para-social relationships, where they almost imagine they actually know and have a meaningful relationship with their favourite characters.

Along with big sporting events, royal jubilees and the like, soaps are also important psychologically in providing shared moments of joy that bring us together. I well remember escaping from school at lunchtime back in 1988 to watch Scott and Charlene’s wedding in Neighbours, and I was just one in a vast virtual congregation. An estimated 20 million people watched Kylie and Jason’s alter egos tie the knot – and didn’t we feel genuinely happy for them?

How much has The Archers’ handling of the storyline in which Rob abused his wife Helen shaped our views on coercive control? Lady Hale, former president of the Supreme Court, even expressed her gratitude to the programme for drawing attention to this issue. There are many examples around where plot lines are deliberately woven into popular soaps to change attitudes towards HIV or child marriage, for example. After a South African soap opera included stories about financial capability, viewers’ finances improved measurably in the subsequent months.

Life goes on

Finally, long running dramas echo the rhythms of our lives, the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the stand out moments and the boring bits. They are not in sync with our own lives of course. So, when we are going through a dull patch, our favourite soap might be packed with incident, reminding us that exciting things do happen, even if they aren’t happening for us just now. And if our lives are troubled, it may be that in our regular drama all is well and much-loved characters are enjoying happy moments. In these unsettling times, it has reassured me to think that Lynda is on the road to recovery and Tracy is still ruffling feathers in Ambridge. The Archers has returned, the crisis of the moment will eventually end and life will get back to normal – until the next twist happens.