Sexual Behavior: Effects of Media on Teenagers' Actions

This essay examines the multifaceted influence of media on sexual behavior, particularly among teenagers. It explores how various forms of media, including television, music videos, books, and social media, shape individuals' understanding and engagement in sexual activities. The paper del...Read More

Running head: SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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Introduction
Sex is probably the most used words in the society these days. In the some population the
term itself is a taboo, while for some it quite normal. Inappropriate sexual is a complicated issue
that can be perceived in many individuals. The implication is widespread and alarming among
the teenagers. This is due to the fact, that teenagers are exposed to several explicit sexual
contents in media or videos. They are now away from the adult contents at one click. As a result,
many teenagers often indulge in sexual activities. This paper will investigate on the wide array of
sexual behaviors displayed by individuals. The paper will also describe the effects of television,
books and social media on the sexual behavior of an individual.
Sexual Behaviors
As shared by several literary sources, the sexual contents often displayed on television, books
and videos affects the sexual behavior of the individuals .the internet still remains a source of
sexual content for the teenagers. However, there are few articles available associated to sexual
messages via TV and sexual practices and dispositions among the adolescents.
How does music influences Sexual Behavior?
With the advancement of the technology, people can get access to any kind of music with
their phones and iPod. It has been stated by Rideout, Foehr and Roberts, (2010), that music helps
to calm down the minds of adolescent people that often helps them to concentrate them on their
tasks. It is impossible to find a grown-up individual or an elderly person, who does not think that
the present age’s music are indecent or inappropriate, in comparison to the melodious music of
their era. Nowadays, in music videos, the female artists are featured in half-naked dresses,

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seducing males. Honestly, it seems that sexual content has become a necessity of the nowadays
music to attract public attention.
Youngsters generally listen to music, about 2-4 hours on a regular basis, thus contributing
to more than 16 hours in a week. A large range of music videos involving –hip hop, jazz, rap and
Rhythm and blues music displays sexuality in the videos (Durant et al 1997). Apart from the
music videos, the lyrics of the songs often carry clear sexual messages and this a common matter
in western music. While some positive music poses some positive effect on the minds on
teenagers and allows them to absorb the essence of music, but at the same time exposes to some
sexual and corrupting contents. This can trigger the teenagers to inappropriate sexual behaviors
at a young age. Albeit stringent, societal, rap, old-style, and popular music speak to particularly
different classes, each of them has the capacity to convey and persuade (Sellnow & Sellnow,
2001). Such music and verses can actually strengthen the unfortunate mentalities and the
practices of the audiences that are immature.
How does television affects sexual behavior
Nowadays, teenagers indulge in sexual practices, which were unacceptable in the society.
It has been found in a couple of studies that the sexual demeanors of the teenagers are widely
influenced by the sexually explicit contents that are shown in televisions. In a survey of 75
teenager girls, it has been found that the pregnant teenagers watched more dramas before getting
pregnant and were more hostile to think that the drama characteristics would use contraceptives
(Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman & Berry, 2006). It has been found from another study
consisting of 391 youths, those youths who saw high sexual contents are more likely to have sex
much earlier than the ones, who does not watch much sexual contents (Grant, 2003).

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Practices that were once regarded as disregarding and derogatory are now acceptable and
the broadcast business does not hesitate to display these in television programs. Hence, staying
away from sexual contents in TV has become really hard. Popular TV series that are generally
preferred by all, are not even aware of nude and sexual scenes. Some advertisements and movies
meant for the kids also contain mild sexual content and kids are likely to engross those messages
(Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman & Berry, 2006). It is clearly evident that sexualized
contents are easily taking place in films and web series, yet less emphasis is given on the harmful
implications like teenage pregnancy. Shows like Sixteen and pregnant and Teen Mom does not
really spread awareness about the issue, but instead praise this practice of embracing pregnancy
in teenage. Some teenagers might find them to be their role model, without even considering the
actual hardship and stigma that a teenage mother usually faces.
How does books affect sexual behavior
Similar to internet, television and music, certain books also play an important role in
designing the sexual behavior of an individual. There are certain magazines and books that
feature sexually explicit content or pictures of men and women. One noticeable subject has
referred to the way, how sex is portrayed in social media. Media generally portrays sex as
“demeaning sex” and it emphasizes on three specific features – (1) an individual (mainly male),
who has an unquenchable hunger for sex, (2) a submissive female (only present to quench the
sexual hunger of the male ) (3) The sexual worth is mainly dependent on the physical attributes
(Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman & Berry, 2006). To be very clear, all these conveys wrong
message to the teenagers. For example, in a film named ‘fifty shades of grey”, a youthful girl
with lot of academic potentialities changes her lifestyle and her goals, just to satisfy a sadist,
masochist and handsome Christian Grey. This is one of the best-selling book and it can be

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estimated that it will widely influence the young people, who are on the verge of designing their
sexual characters.
How does social media affect sexual behavior
Social media and network provide several outlets that exposes youths to inappropriate
sexual practices. With the advancement of internet connection and technologies, the tech-savvy
youths have explored various means of communication with friends and even strangers. Sexual
videos and contents are at a single click from the teenagers. They are exposed to sexual contents
since school (Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman & Berry, 2006). Teenagers can instantly
connect or communicate with an individual staying thousand miles away. This opens up the
scope for the teenagers, to meet new people quickly than ever (Straumsheim, 2015). Young
people tend to explore this newly discovered adulthood by investigating about sexual practices
online. Again, teenagers get the opportunity to chat with each other over phone close to the home
level, which increases the chance of their sexual experiences (Straumsheim, 2015).
Although, the internet remains unstudied, the media gives access to sexual pictures. In a
study, involving the adolescents, it has been found that 14 % of the teenagers use internet for
educational purposes, whereas 86 % have admitted that they use it for watching something, that
they do not want their parents to know (Grant, 2003).
.
Conclusion
Nowadays, each and every individual is exposed to sexual contents in media. Hence
introduction to human sexual behavior is unstoppable at an early age. Nowadays, young people

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have greater capacity to relate, impart and engage with people more. Only we can control, how
this can be incorporated to our daily practice. We learn many things from media that defines or
will design out sexuality forever.

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References
Durant, R. H., Rome, E. S., Rich, M., Allred, E., Emans, S. J., & Woods, E. R. (1997).
Tobacco and alcohol use behaviors portrayed in music videos: a content analysis.
American Journal of Public Health, 87(7), 1131-1135.
Grant, C. (2003). Teens, sex and the media: Is there a connection?. Paediatrics & child
health, 8(5), 285-286.
Martino, S. C., Collins, R. L., Elliott, M. N., Strachman, A., Kanouse, D. E., & Berry, S. H.
(2006). Exposure to degrading versus nondegrading music lyrics and sexual behavior
among youth. Pediatrics, 118(2), e430-e441.
Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., & Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M 2: Media in the Lives of
8-to 18-Year-Olds. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Straumsheim, C. (2015). Monitoring student behavior on Snapchat ‘next to impossible’.
Retrieved from https://www.monitoring-student-behaviorsnapchat-next-impossible?
width=775&height=500&iframe=true

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