TALKING POINTS: Sexualized Media & Kids Research
Publication Information
Title: Sexualized Media and Kids Research Results
Publication: Morality In Media
Author: Mary Anne Layden, Ph.D.
Date: 12/13/2013
Young people (<18 years old) who have been exposed to sexualized media (both pornography and sexualized TV) have an increased likelihood of:
- Having intentions to engage in sexual intercourse
- Having earlier initiation of sex
- Having sexual activity more frequently
- Having more sex partners
- Having multiple lifetime sexual partners
- Having had more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months
- Having engaged in oral sex
- Having engaged in anal sex
- Having engaged in sexual intercourse
- Having a strong desire to conceive
- Becoming pregnant
- Testing positive for chlamydia
- Having negative attitudes toward using condoms
- Having not used contraception during the last intercourse
- Having not used contraception in the past 6 months
- Having used alcohol or other substances at last sexual encounter
- Having higher sexual permissiveness scores
- Having less progressive gender role attitudes
- Being more likely to see women as sex objects
- Being more accepting of sexual harassment
- Engaging in more sexual harassment perpetration
- Engaging in forced sex
- Being a juvenile sex offender
STUDIES SUPPORTING THESE POINTS
1. Having intentions to engage in sexual intercourse
L’Engle, K. L., Brown, J. & Kenneavy, K. (2006). The mass media are an important context for adolescents’ sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 4, 186-192.
2. Having earlier initiation of sex
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
Brown, J., L’Engle, K., 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. Pediatrics, 117, 1018-1027.
3. Having sexual activity more frequently
L’Engle, K. L., Brown, J. & Kenneavy, K. (2006). The mass media are an important context for adolescents’ sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 4, 186-192.
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
4. Having more sex partners
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
5. Having multiple lifetime sexual partners
Braun-Courville, D. & Rojas, M. (2009). Exposure to sexually explicit web sites and adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 156-162.
6. Having had more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months
Braun-Courville, D. & Rojas, M. (2009). Exposure to sexually explicit web sites and adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 156-162.
7. Having engaged in oral sex
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
8. Having engaged in anal sex
Braun-Courville, D. & Rojas, M. (2009). Exposure to sexually explicit web sites and adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 156-162.
9. Having engaged in sexual intercourse
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
Collins, R., Elliott, M., Berry, S., Kanouse, D., Kunkel, D., Hunter, S. & Miu, A. (2004). Watching sex on television predicts adolescent initiation of sexual behavior. Pediatrics, 114, 3, e280-e289.
10. Having a strong desire to conceive
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
11. Becoming pregnant
Chandra, A., Martino, S., Collins, R., Elliott, M., Berry, S., Kanouse, D. & Miu, A. (2008). Does watching sex on television predict teen pregnancy? Findings from a national longitudinal survey of youth. Pediatrics, 122, 1047-1054.
12. Testing positive for chlamydia
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
13. Having negative attitudes toward using condoms
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
14. Having not used contraception during the last intercourse
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
15. Having not used contraception in the past 6 months
Wingood, G., DiClemente, R., Harrington, K., Davies, S., Hook, E., & Kim, M. (2001). Exposure to X-rated movies and adolescents’ sexual and contraceptive related attitudes and behaviors. Pediatrics, 107, 5, 1116-1119.
16. Having used alcohol or other substances at last sexual encounter
Braun-Courville, D. & Rojas, M. (2009). Exposure to sexually explicit web sites and adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 156-162.
17. Having higher sexual permissiveness scores
Braun-Courville, D. & Rojas, M. (2009). Exposure to sexually explicit web sites and adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45, 156-162.
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
18. Having less progressive gender role attitudes
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
19. Being more likely to see women as sex objects
Peter, J. & Valkenburg, P. (2007). Adolescents’ exposure to a sexualized media environment and their notions of women as sex objects. Sex Roles, 56, 381–395.
20. Being more accepting of sexual harassment
Strouse, J., Goodwin, M. & Roscoe, B. (1994). Correlates of attitudes toward sexual harassment among early adolescents. Sex Roles, 31, 559-577.
21. Engaging in more sexual harassment perpetration
Bonino, S., Ciairano, S. Rabaglietti, E. & Cattelino, E. (2006). Use of pornography and self-reported engagement in sexual violence among adolescents. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 3, 3, 265-288.
Brown, J. & L’Engle, K. (2009). X-Rated: Sexual attitudes and behaviors associated with U.S. early adolescents’ exposure to sexually explicit media. Communication Research, 36, 129-151.
22. Engaging in forced sex
Bonino, S., Ciairano, S. Rabaglietti, E. & Cattelino, E. (2006). Use of pornography and self-reported engagement in sexual violence among adolescents. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 3, 3, 265-288.
23. Being a juvenile sex offender
Ford, M. & Linney, J. A. (1995). Comparative analysis of juvenile sexual offenders, violent nonsexual offenders and status offenders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10, 1, 56-70.
Compiled by Mary Anne Layden, Ph D
Director, Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program Center for Cognitive Therapy, University of Pennsylvania