FCS23.

Fall 2011 Adrianna Torres Professor Kenyon

Medias influence on children and young people

There is a growing concern over the increasing role played by all forms of media in the young peoples behavior, there is evidence of the harm done to children and young peoples sexualization and other forms of emotional distress. Children and young adults today are increasingly being bombarded with material, explicitly or implicitly, of such diverse nature that at times is overwhelming. Moreover, the peers pressure to adopt appearances and behavior at an early age is greatly enhanced by the combination of the direct medias advertising influence and the popular culture. Consequently Media is a significant part of this cultural trend and admittedly a great factor in our popular culture that contribute to the children and young people development as the next three articles assert.

Sexy Media Matter: Exposure to Sexual Content in Music, Movies, Television, and Magazines Predicts Black and White Adolescents' Sexual Behavior By: Jane D. Brown, PhD, Kelly Ladin L'Engle, PhD, Carol J. Pardun, PhD, Guang Guo, PhD, Kristin Kenneavy, MA, Christine Jackson, PhD, MA

This article evaluates whether exposure to sexual content in television, movies, music, and magazines on early adolescents predicts sexual behavior in middle adolescence. The resulting

data displayed that white adolescents in the top quintile of sexual media usage(SMD) when 12 to 14 years old were 2.2 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse when 14 to 16 years old than those who were in the lowest SMD quintile. Another issued addressed was the sexual content in much of the media that these teens attended to was of a frequent, glamorized, and consequence free nature. The study also mentions that in 2002, greater than 83% of the 20 television shows watched frequently by adolescents included sexual content, but only 1 in 8 of those shows included any depiction of sexual risks and/or responsibilities. The study mentions that the mass media: television, movies, music, and magazines may be powerful sex educators, because they provide frequent and compelling portraits of sex as a fun and risk free activity, disregarding consequences. As conclusion, exposure to sexual content in music, movies, television, and magazines accelerates white adolescents sexual activity and increases their risk of engaging in early sexual intercourse. However, the study also mentions that Black teens appear more influenced by perceptions of their parents expectations and their friends sexual behavior than by what they see and hear in the media.

Influence of New Media on Adolescent Sexual Health: Evidence and Opportunities By: Rebecca L. Collins, Steven C. Martino, Rebecca Shaw

This researchs goal, requested within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was to develop a working knowledge base about the use of new media such as the Internet, social networking sites, cell phones, online video games, and MP3 players among adolescents and the potential impact on their sexual activity and Sexual risk behavior among U.S. adolescents, a major public health concern. Nearly 800,000 young women aged 15-19 years become pregnant in the United States each year, most of them unintentionally, and half of the

roughly 19 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed each year are among 15- to 24-year-olds, bringing enormous social, economic, and public health consequences. Over the past decade, new research has identified media as having the potential to serve both roles, of positive and negative influence. Much of that work had focused on traditional media, such as television, film, music, and magazines. But the media landscape is evolving at a rapidly, and a greater diversity of content, new types of media, and new platforms for delivering media are constantly emerging. Given the emerging media, there is evidence, linking more traditional media use with initiation of various sexual activities, than to the extent that new media contain relevant sexual messages. Researchers are finding that these media are also linked to developing sexual attitudes and behavior. Moreover, According to most theories of media effects, the influence of media depends largely on the content it contains. Much of the research linking media and sex, the most thoroughly studied area is Internet pornography. Research in this area indicates that intentional exposure to such depictions may influence adolescent attitudes, promoting more recreational attitudes toward sex.

The Major Issues Facing Teenagers By Ofer Zur, Ph.D. The Article addresses some of the most important issues facing our teenagers at this time. These include Internet use, cyber-bullying, online gaming, violence on T.V. Some of the more concerning issues related to the medias influence, which are caused by a number of social, cultural, communal, economic, familial and individual factors. In regard internet, younger generations, unlike their parents' generations, often socialize, and communicate online, rather than in person. Some young people spend up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week. This can interfere with young peoples emotional, physical, intellectual development. The article

mentions that there is a worldwide concern and of Internet Addiction in Korea, Japan, Germany and the United States, of young people who spend over 40 hours a week online. At times, when parents take away the computer or disconnect the Internet, some youngsters have responded with violence towards the computer, themselves or even their parents and others have fallen into depression. Regardless, most of the time, children find other ways to connect to the Web due to the rather availability of the computers access. Also, Television influences behavior and violence as depicted in most programs and even more so, in cartoons. By age 12, the average child has witnessed tens of thousands of acts of violence on T.V. and games. The gaming acts of violence are even more damaging, because the player is actively seeking to kill or wound fellow players. Thousands of studies have shown that violence on T.V. can influences behavior and attitudes among children who watch it. Another issue in this report is bullying online. Cyber-bullying is a growing problem among Middle and High School aged student. Overall the Medias influence is of negative connotation, although given the right approach, can be diverted to a positive way.

Conclusion: There is increasing evidence of a link between the Media in sexualization of children and young peoples serious mental health problems like eating disorders and depression. Also the medias negative impact can seriously inhibit other aspects of their lives. The media must accept that, as an influential part of popular culture. it is responsible for some of the messages being disseminated to our children and young people. Also, the corporate sector must take steps to ensure that, in marketing to children, they are not contributing to their premature sexualization, violence and undesirable behavior. The entertainment industry must be more self restricting when releasing material that arent in the best interest of our young people

and children. Nevertheless, an urgent combined government and community approach is required for any action to be effective. Hence, current research on the detrimental effects on our children and young people must be carefully considered by both parties. In my personal life, I will certainly utilize the conveyed message of the articles by becoming more actively involved with my relatives in the awareness of the medias negative influence and risks that their children are exposed on a daily basis. Although, as one of the article mentions that while it may be hard to change the nature of the Internet, T.V. or Media in general, there is always something that each one of us can do to reduce their negative impact on our lives.

Works Cited:

Brown, D.J., LEngle, K.L., Pardun, C., Guo, G., Kenneavy, K., Jackson, C. (2006). Sexy Media Matter: Exposure to Sexual Content in Music, Movies, Television, and Magazines Predicts Black and White Adolescents' Sexual Behavior. Zur Institute. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/117/4/1018.full?linkType=FULL&journalCode=ped iatrics&resid=117/4/1018#sec-1 Collins, L. R., Martino, C. S., Shaw, R. (April 2011). Influence of New Media on Adolescent Sexual Health: Evidence and Opportunities. Health and Human Services. Retrieved from : http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/11/AdolescentSexualActivity/NewMediaLitRev Zur, O. (2011). The Major Issues Facing Teenagers. Zur Institute. Retrieved from http://zurinstitute.com/teenviolence.html.