A lot of our in-class discussions have been central to sexuality and the media, so when I came across an article from another class regarding a similar topic I was interested to see what it had to say. The article, which came from Strasburger's book Adolescents and the Media: Medical and Psychological Impact, argues that in the absence of widespread, effective sex education (both at home or in schools), television and other media have become the leading source of sex education in the U.S.
Strasburger says, "American media are the most sexually suggestive and irresponsible in the world." That said, does media sex warrant concern?
Similar to that of violence, the rates of sexual activity in young people have increased dramatically in the past two decades. This paradox, in my opinion, comes from the amount of sexuality (just like violence) they are exposed to. Numerous studies have proven the violence hypothesis, but barely any studies have been done to prove the paradox when it comes to sexuality.
This question has been raised over and over again: Does the media influence public opinion, or does public opinion influence the media? In this instance, I may argue that television influences viewer's perceptions of social behavior and social reality. Without much reflection, I'll argue, teengaers pick up directions from their social environment. Strasburger says, "Television may offer teenagers 'scripts' for sexual behavior that they might not be able to observe anywhere else."
My question to everyone else then is, does media sex warrant considerable concern? Do you think it plays a role in influencing teenage behavior, or do you think the media is influenced by public opinion in this instance?
Laura,
ReplyDeleteIt does concern me that children of any age can have access to a show like Skins. It is very explicit and is portraying sexual acts as the norm in early high school.
While this is certainly a negative if it influences the actions of high schoolers who might not be ready for sex, I can see some positives as well.
Shows like these have started to show different kinds of sexual expression in a positive light. It is hard to find a teen drama today that doesn't have representations of homosexuality. I believe this is a positive step towards acceptance and equality of other sexual orientations, with an emphasis on freedom of expression.
Getting to your question about whether or not the media influences behavior or vice versa, I am still not sure. I believe it is a two-way street. While media can drive public action, public opinions can also influence what is shown in the media.