2008 Woodie Awards
Is sex on TV bad for teens? YES
Sexuality should not be so popular in entertainment and programs for teenagers
By: Katrina Romero
Issue date: 9/30/04 Section: Insight
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Don't turn on the television just yet; television sex can and will misleadingly influence teens to have sex.
In this day and age, the media, particularly television, has the ability to greatly influence teenagers. Besides the latest fashions and crazes, teens are susceptible to picking up popular attitudes and behaviors. This is particularly true about attitudes and behaviors regarding sex.
In a recent study, 1,762 teenagers nationwide, ages 12 to 17, were surveyed regarding their television viewing habits as well as their sexual experiences; a year later, these same teens were re-surveyed with the same questions.
The study involved rating the shows teens watched based on three degrees of sexual involvement. The strongest degree of sexual shows revolved around characters engaged in sexual behaviors, such as kissing, touching and intercourse; the second degree of sexual involvement was concerned with characters who discussed sexual plans or desires and the third and least degree of sexuality specifically centered on the risks and consequences involved with having sex and on sexual safety such as the concepts of abstinence and using contraceptives.
The results of the study determined that teens who watched shows that depicted a greater amount of sex were two times more likely to become sexually involved than the other groups. In one year, the intercourse rate for these teens rose from 18 to 36 percent; the rate of teens involved in sexual activities not considered intercourse also rose from 62 to 75 percent.
Also, it was found that the likelihood of having sex was also the same for teens who watched characters discussing sex as opposed to being engaged in it. The study, as well as other alarming statistics, gives proof to the fact that television is a major manipulator of teens' sexual lives.
Constant exposure to sexual material is one of the reasons many teens are influenced by television sex. The average American teen watches approximately three hours of television each day.
In this day and age, the media, particularly television, has the ability to greatly influence teenagers. Besides the latest fashions and crazes, teens are susceptible to picking up popular attitudes and behaviors. This is particularly true about attitudes and behaviors regarding sex.
In a recent study, 1,762 teenagers nationwide, ages 12 to 17, were surveyed regarding their television viewing habits as well as their sexual experiences; a year later, these same teens were re-surveyed with the same questions.
The study involved rating the shows teens watched based on three degrees of sexual involvement. The strongest degree of sexual shows revolved around characters engaged in sexual behaviors, such as kissing, touching and intercourse; the second degree of sexual involvement was concerned with characters who discussed sexual plans or desires and the third and least degree of sexuality specifically centered on the risks and consequences involved with having sex and on sexual safety such as the concepts of abstinence and using contraceptives.
The results of the study determined that teens who watched shows that depicted a greater amount of sex were two times more likely to become sexually involved than the other groups. In one year, the intercourse rate for these teens rose from 18 to 36 percent; the rate of teens involved in sexual activities not considered intercourse also rose from 62 to 75 percent.
Also, it was found that the likelihood of having sex was also the same for teens who watched characters discussing sex as opposed to being engaged in it. The study, as well as other alarming statistics, gives proof to the fact that television is a major manipulator of teens' sexual lives.
Constant exposure to sexual material is one of the reasons many teens are influenced by television sex. The average American teen watches approximately three hours of television each day.