The media has always been a big impact on society, influencing people in so many ways. It keeps us in on the latest fashion trends, gadgets, and what is considered “in”. The media can be considered either be considered positive and negative, but that can usually be determined by society. The group that is usually very heavily influenced on the media are teens. They tend to believe whatever the media says and displays, causing them to behave, dress, speak, talk, and think in a different manner. Even though the media can be considered social networks and blogs, teens usually set their youth lifestyle according to what kind of music they listen to and reality shows they watch. Children are commonly the most group to be very easily influenced, because they like to imitate whatever they see. During the early years of a child, usually between the toddler to teen ages children spend a lot of time watching TV and listening to music, but the teen years are where they are influenced by others, believe that whatever their friends say is correct and that the advice their parents gives is incorrect. From the advice given from their friends on what they believe is right, they go by what is commonly know as “monkey see, monkey do”.
Background and Significance
Since they see their friends as a heavy impact in their life, they will do what their friends do, whatever music or television show they watch is what they will also watch, but the one thing that is usually common is their perception of the music and shows. Their perception will be that whatever they see and hear in these reality shows and music is right, and begin to base their lifestyle on the way they see the people of TV and in music videos act and allow the words of their music to i...
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“In 2005, out of 68% of TV shows that showed steamy sexual content, only 15% discussed risk and responsibility. And it’s not just movies and TV: Music, video games, and the Internet are also filled with sexually explicit, often-degrading messages that can shape kids’ attitudes about sex.” (greatschools.org)
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Research shows “that regular readers of fashion and beauty magazines in early adolescence are more likely to suffer from a distorted body image during their teenage years” (“Children, Adolescents and the Media”), when they read beauty magazines they read articles and tips of how to look better and they try to them all to look and feel better about themselves. Research shows that “more than three-quarters of girls repot that television influenced their body image” (Mascarelli). Social media influences how we act and what we do Amanda Swartz once stated “Social media and mass media influence the way we react and interact with our world and potentially influence the perception of our own body image” (Mulliniks). In today’s worlds there are more ways to access websites to promote body image as a positive thing, “On the internet, there are now more than 100 pro anorexia websites that not only encourage disordered eating but offer specific advice on purging, severely restricting calories intake, and exercising excessively” (“Children, Adolescents and the Media”). It’s not a bad thing to eat healthy and work out to be fit and healthy but it’s another thing to eat less and work out excessively. Teens always compare themselves to others, either their peers, models and celebrities, “People are on Facebook or Instagram and they’re constantly comparing themselves to other people” (Mulliniks). Also reality television shows, show only the glamorous about what is happening, like “when teen moms become celebrities, the message to avoid teen pregnancy is lost” (Kroll). When teens watch shows like Teen Mom they don’t see the entire negative about becoming pregnant as a teen they see that the teen mom got famous and is on the show. Social media, media, magazines, and TV give teen’s unrealistical facts about body image, pregnancy and
In this century there has been a lot of attention toward the media and how its affects young people. Joyce Garity, author of “Is Sex All That Matters,” and Steve Lopez, “A Scary Time to Raise a Daughter,” write about how media such as magazines, the internet, and television affects teenagers. Both authors talk about how the media is using sex and violence to sell products, thus leading teenagers to commit wrongful deeds, including lack of using birth control leading to unwanted pregnancy, imitating girls on the magazines, and cannot distinct between fantasy and reality. Both Garity and Lopez explains how the teenagers do not have individuality and lose their virginity at a young age; Garity uses personal experience to state the point about media pounding messages about sex and violence directly at young people.
“Teens typically spend about 6 to 8 hours of their time awake [each day] with some type of media” (Overmier 1) and out of that time, they spend from 2 to 4 hours watching television programs. Two to four hours of their time seems like nothing compared to all the other time in the day, so how much harm could their favorite television shows do? “Sexually related talk and behavior occurs from eight to ten times per hour in prime-time programming” (Brown, Steele, and Walsh-Childers 60) and that is without counting all those sexually suggestive commercials during the breaks.
Which is the primary reason for my selection on this topic. I have witnessed the effects of television, music, cartoons, movies and video games on youths in my community, even in my own home. My little sister who is about 13 years old has grown up way faster than I did when I was her age, as well as my 14-year-old cousin who can already have a full conversation about sex. When asked where does she learn it from her reply is simply, television. It frightens me that they can comprehend the concept of sex and how it is done easily, but is naive about the consequences and aftermath of its actions. It angers me that the media does not tell both sides of the story; they flaunt sex, yet they do not advise you about protection and how it...
Victor .C, Wilson J, Jordan. A. Children, Adolescents, and the Media. (2009)second ed. California: SAGE publication,. 12-193. Pediatrics, , 958-961. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
When children are exposed to new subjects, they become curious and without adequate education, the children’s curiosity may lead them to negative outcomes such as, sexually transmitted diseases. Only nine percent of the sexual scenes on television mention the complications and health risks of having unprotected sex (Grant). With that being said, a study found that when children watch TV shows that involve sexual content, they are likely to become sexually active at an early age and, also, that sexual talk alone has the same effect as sexual depictions (Collins et al.). Associating these two points; if when youth are exposed to sexual content, they become lascivious, how safe is it to expose uncensored sexual scenes to children knowing that only a small percentage of the shows discuss the risks? Most television shows are teaching youth about the exciting part of becoming sexually active but not about how to protect themselves from diseases that are transmitted through sexual activity. Most uncensored TV shows create a lust in adolescents but do not educate them on safe sex which can be dangerous to their health. In relation, a researcher who surveyed 75 adolescent girls found out that a few of the girls were watching soap operas, prior to becoming sexually active, and did not think that their favourite characters in the soap operas would
The media, that giant intimidating creation has taken the stereotypes of teens, the way people view teens, and the way we view ourselves, and has turned it into a delusional monster. The media at this point in time portrays teenagers as generally bad. Well to be honest, not generally bad, but mostly horrible. We are seen as the cause for alarm and trouble in society. The media portrays us as manic delinquents with no solid past and no concrete future.
This report is critically analyzing the sexual content in the television shows and how it is affecting teenagers. Statistically the average teenager spends three hours of watching television a day. The typical modern television program contains an enormous quantity of sexual content from harmless kissing to scenes of intercourse. Usually sex is presented as a normal activity without any serious consequences. According to many studies it is a known fact that the stories which the immature teenagers are watching on the television can influence their lives. The media portrayals involving sexuality are contributing to the sexual socialization of young people.
Us News and World Report reported a study by Kaiser which stated “that some teens reported they learned helpful information about safe sex and how to refuse from TV shows, this isn't the norm. Most teens are surrounded by sexual gyrations on MTV; provocative
In American culture, the effects of violence and the dangers of recreational sex have caused huge controversy especially in young people. It is the nature of people in modern society to believe that sex can just be done for fun and love is not required. Particularly sex presented in TV programs teaches children that they can have sex with as many partners as they want without consequences for the irresponsible behavior. The fact that STDs, sex education, and birth control are rarely mentioned in TV programs is very disappointing. Children and young adults need to be educated on certain issues and not be encouraged to behave carelessly, because they will be forced to suffer the consequences eventually (Yeghiazaryan 8). Likewise, television is a business and it thrives off of major themes involving violence and sex. The television companies strive to maximize their viewers by entertaining them, therefore, “The TV industry is not concerned with issues of quality of programs and social responsibilities. Violence on TV is used as a tool to generate large audiences that can be sold to advertisers” (Yeghiazaryan 9). Television producers believe that violent scenes with loud music hold the viewers’ attention and improve commercial value. This is why it is more ideal to have programs that consist of violent actions. As a matter
Mokeyane, K. Nola. "Media's Positive & Negative Influence on Teenagers." Everyday Life. Globalpost, Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Sexual activity in the mass media is another negative influence on teenagers. The first example is early sexual intercourse. According to Stockwell, a research shows that teenagers who are exposed to a lot of sexual content on television are more to likely to have sex by 16 years of age than those with limited exposure.
The mass media has played a key role in shaping people’s lives. The modern society’s use of mass media including TV, radio, newspaper, as well as print media has largely influenced people’s ideas regarding themselves and the society at large. This is evident from their behavior towards themselves and their community as well as their treatment of the environment. While some experts believe that the media is to blame for most of the negative behavioral traits among the active members of society, the majority agree that the media makes people understand and develop a positive sense of association with their society within which they live, making it easy for them to identify and get their role in it.