5. Media & Sex Flashcards
sexual media
Any representation of sex or sexual themes (really broad definition)
What can the definition of sexual media include
- sexual behaviour (Kissing, flirting, holding hands)
- Suggestions of sexual behaviour (Two people going into bedroom and closing door, Even if not seeing anything, it implies sex)
- sexual talk
amount of sexual content in mainstream TV & TEEN-orientated
70-80%
amount of sexual content in TWEEN-orientated
less– Sexual talk (70%) > sexual beaviour (35%),
intercourse (11%) -> varies in genre
which genre has more sexual content
dramas and sitcoms NOT reality or children’s
sexual content in movies and G-rated?
80% and 65%
content in music?
40% lyrics, 60-80% music videos
negative consequences of sexual behaviour in media
most commonly emotional/social -> pregnancy, STIs, perceptions of other people
positive consequences of sexual behaviour in media
most commonly emotional/social -> feelings of pleasure, positive perceptions
- Emotional/social = how do your friends or parents think about you, etc.
most common script?
heterosexual -> men pursue sex; sex as a defining aspect of masculinity, (To be manly, you have to want sex)
- Women are pursued; women as sex objects
Sexual socialization
the process by which our sexual knowledge, values, attitudes, and behaviours develop
- Sexual development as influenced by more than biology → parents, peers, religion, culture, media
Third-person effect
Teens think that media impacts sexual development for others, but not themselves
Sexualization
- A person’s value comes from their sexual appeal/behaviour
- A person is held to a standard that equates attractiveness with being sexy
Sexual objectification
A person is made into a “thing” for the sexual use of others; sexual objectification
is sexual socialization normal and linked with negative outcomes?
YES and NO
is sexualization normal and linked with negative outcomes?
NO and YES (^ depression, lower self esteem, ^ sexual dysfunction)
Who are more likely to be modelled? (social cognitive)
characters who are similar and have positive traits
cultivation theory
Long-term, repeated consumption of media depictions of sexual themes will shape attitudes and beliefs
what influences cultivation theory
higher amounts of consumption (Watching TV depicting high levels of sexual behaviour might lead you to think all teens are having sex, media is seen as being accurate even though this is not true)
cultural script? (provided by media)
men initiate/desire sex
- Sex is acceptable ONLY in a relationship
interpersonal scripts?
how people believe they should act within their own sexual behaviour/particular circumstance
- “I’m out at the bar, so I won’t go up to that guy I think is cute; I will wait until I am pursued”
intrapsychic scripts
personal motives, fantasies, mental rehearsals
- What you actually want or expect things to go
- “I actually want to pursuit the man” → diverges from script or cultural scenario
Not uncommon!! Men often say they want to be pursued too!
Media practice model
Assumes media use is an active process; The media user plays a role in what effect media has; Sense of self, identity, and lived experience contributes
when is media most impactful
during adolescence -> identity development is an active process, current sense of identity will impact the role of media, and media will impact identity
why is most researh correlational and survey-based
ethics— Experimental = not always ethical, especially when asking questions about younger age groups
what are the 2 main research design used in sex and media research?
correlational and survey-based
most common age group?
adolescents (NOT children)
what is consuming greater amounts of sexual media correlated with? (4) (cognitive)
- More permissiveness towards sex; positive attitudes towards sex outside of committed relationships
- Belief that more friends are engaging in sexual behaviour (cultivation)
- Expectations of fewer negative consequences associated with sex (Less STIs, unwanted pregnancies)
- Beliefs of women as sex objects (Women are pursued; cultural scripts)
eg: of positive effects of sexual media?
study on 12-17 year olds; Friends episode -> 10% learned about condoms and talked with parent after, more likely to rate condom 95-100% effective
what is consuming greater amounts of sexual media correlated with? (3) (behaviour)
- Greater likelihood of having engaged in sexual behaviour
- More sexual partners
- Having started sexual behaviour at earlier ages
what can strengthen correlational research?
Longitudinal studies -> can better examine whether sexual media consumption predicts sexual behaviour
explain study Brown et al. (2006) Sexy Media Matter: Exposure to Sexual Content in Music, Movies, Television, and Magazines Predicts Black and White Adolescents’ Sexual Behavior
7-8th grade participants, longitudinal, surveyed sexual media diet, asked about sexual behaviour 2 years later (pre-coital sex, age at first intercourse)
FINDINGS???
- High sexual media diet, more likely to report sexual intercourse earlier for WHITE YOUTH
- Lower reliability for black youth
gender factor?
mixed findings… (Maybe type of media, reasons for consumption, social consumption might play a role )
age factor?
- More of an impact on sexual behaviours in early adolescence vs late adolescence/young adulthood
- Often because older adults are already engaging
limitations
- correlational
- social desirability bias
- Definitions of sexual media and sexual media consumption
- Lack of diversity, generalizability
- Focus on sexual risks, not on sexual satisfaction, pleasure, or agency
messages in social media
- “Heterosexual script”
- Gendered sexual behaviour
- Men pursue sex; sex as a defining aspect of masculinity
- Women are pursued; women as sex objects
contemporary representation of queers in media vs. straight?
similar amounts of sexual talk and sexual behaviour in straight vs LGB roles
stereotyped portrayals
- one-dimensional portrayals
- Humour
- “funny gay friend” = common trope
- Defined by sexual orientation, storyline is about coming out, then nothing else
- Humour
impact of queer representation in media?
- 70% report getting information about sex and sexuality from media
- Identify with media representations (parasocial relationships when lacking identification in own community)
- Validating portrayals described as source of support, increasing commitment to sexual identity, associated with improved well-being
- Demeaning portrayals described as reinforcing heteronormative standards
impact on straight consumers?
- May be linked to more accepting views of same-sex relationships (Might be different if they had previous interactions with queer people ie: primed lol)
- But appears to vary across individuals → sex, religion, age
Intergroup contact theory
stereotyping and discrimination can be reduced when individuals from different social groups have contact
Para-social contact hypothesis
media consumers can form relationships with media characters, which may have similar effects on stereotyping and discrimination
porn more prevalent for:
- Men/boys
- Pubertally more advanced
- Individuals high in sensation-seeking
- Weak or troubled family relationships
