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Media Portrayal of Sexuality and Adolescents

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Media Portrayal of Sexuality and Adolescents
Kaylene Merchant
PSY/265
September 4, 2014
Doris Tolan

Media Portrayal of Sexuality and Adolescents
It is no secret that the media can have a major influence over the lives of individuals; it helps to shape trends and social behaviors across our nation and the world. Adults and children alike can be influenced into certain behaviors based on what they witness through the media, and teenagers, who are fairly impressionable, are no exception. The effects of the media’s portrayal of sexuality are ranging, but it is safe to say that the majority of individuals in the US have all been affected in one way or another by the media.
The consequences of the media’s effect on adolescents has only been examined through correlational studies which compared the sexual activity portrayed in the media with trends among teens (Gruber & Grube, 2000). From the research found, it is obvious that adolescents tend to reflect the sexuality that they witness through the media. The media often shows sexuality as a commodity, and the casual acceptance is typically adopted by adolescents. Adolescents are more likely to engage in the behaviors that are shown as appropriate by the media. This means that after a teenage girl sees how young pregnant girls are turned into reality stars, she is more likely to engage in the same behaviors in hopes of becoming famous. As young men witness the acceptance of promiscuity, they may take part in the same activities.
Like anything, there are positives and negatives to the portrayal of sexuality by the media. Young adult movies based on books can depict characters with traditional value systems. When a popular character decides to wait until marriage to have sex, it is an attitude that can be embraced by adolescents as well. The media can also show the real-life consequences of the choices that

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