What is more likely? That you will be struck by lightning or be the victim of a terrorist act? That a child will be kidnapped or you will win the lottery? That you will die in a plane crash or be murdered by a stranger? “If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.” – Mark Twain

Average person (age 8–19) spends 6 3/4 hours per day immersed in media using multiple media forms simultaneously Television-dominant Half of all youth use computer daily Analysts estimate by age 18, average child will have witnessed at least 18,000 simulated murders on television

Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Typical American adolescent: Listens to music 4 hours/day Watches TV 2 hours/day 50% go to movie at least once a month 70% of girls read popular magazines 75% have access to computers 50% have access to Internet

Media Preferences by Age Group Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Socialization Process Humans learn expectations of society through socialization Roles learned Internalization occurs when behaviors and assumptions are learned so thoroughly that people no longer question them, but simply accept them as correct

Consequences of Socialization 1.Establishes self-concepts 2.Creates capacity for role taking 3.Creates tendency to act in socially acceptable ways 4.Makes people bearers of culture

Agents of Socialization Institutions pass on expectations about appropriate social behavior: Family Media Peers Religion Sports

Theories of Media Influence You be the judge! Overall, do you think media have more potential for positive or negative effects? Cultivation Theory -- watching TV gradually shapes or cultivates person’s worldview so it becomes like worldview depicted on TV Social Learning Theory – people likely to imitate behavior they see frequently and that behavior is rewarded (or at least not punished) Famous Bobo doll experiments

Five Uses of Media 1. Entertainment “to have fun” 2. Identity Formation “Forging who I am” 3. High Sensation “Seeking intense new sensations” 4. Coping “It helps me relax and de-stress” 5. Youth Culture Identification “I feel connected to my group” “thrill seeking”

Media & other Socialization Sources Media is market-driven – providers will provide adolescents with what they believe adolescents want 1.Great diversity of media available 2.Media socialization “goes over the heads” of other socializing adults It is important to note: Not all media used by adolescents is contrary to principles of adult society – much is quite conservative. Think of media that reinforces conventional values….

TV and Aggression Research attention focused on extent to which television provokes violence in youth Majority of violent crimes committed by males aged saw rise in violent crime and violent television Most of the research on issue is correlation (can’t prove causation!) Does watching violence on TV cause adolescents to become more aggressive, or are adolescents who are more aggressive simply more likely to enjoy watching violence on TV?

Computer Games & Aggression Majority of favorite games involve themes of violence Studies show that playing violent computer games is related to aggressiveness, hostility, anxiety

Sexual Portrayals on TV Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved. MalesFemales Preoccupied with sex Always “ready and willing” Recreational attitude toward sex Value men mainly for physical appearance, wealth and status Recreational attitude toward sex Research Summary (Cope-Farrar & Kunkel, 2002) 82% of programs had sexual content82% of programs had sexual content Sexual behavior more frequent than sexual talkSexual behavior more frequent than sexual talk Sexual behavior between partners with established relationship (not married)Sexual behavior between partners with established relationship (not married) Kisses and hugs; Intercourse or nudity infrequentKisses and hugs; Intercourse or nudity infrequent Discussion of sexual risk RARELY took placeDiscussion of sexual risk RARELY took place

Music TV: Basics MTV started 1981 – now globalized Adolescents watch MTV approx minutes a day Two categories: Performance Videos – just like concert conveying song Concept Videos – tell a story, like mini- movie About 15% of videos contain violence (usually mild vs. severe violence) About 75% contain sexual themes (implied vs. explicit)

Rap (Hip-Hop) “ Rap is Black America’s TV station. It gives perspective of what exists and what black life is about” (Decker) Controversial subject matter, including drugs, violence and sex, helped popularize what became known as gangsta rap in Flocabulary

Thus far the *cathartic effect has been studied only for heavy-metal music. Do you think this effect would be found for other types of music as well? What about for TV? Computer games? *it purges spectator of certain strong emotions, such as aggression Discussion Stop

Big Tobacco & Advertising Cigarettes are second most heavily promoted consumer product in USA, totaling six billion dollars per year Is it targeted to adolescents? 90% of smokers start by age 18 Ads present images of fun, independence, and “coolness” According to research, effects of advertising on brand choice was three times as strong for adolescents as adults Three most popular brands are most heavily promoted

Adolescents’ Responses: Cigarette Ads See the pattern??

Internet Uses by year olds Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Searching for information for school projects Favor chat rooms on relationships and lifestyle Or with friends on instant messaging Boys more likely to play computer games & download music Girls more likely to visit chat rooms and

What a Tangled Web…. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Internet BenefitsInternet Cautions Access to information – potential to enhance education Can be a source of positive social interactions – opportunities to practice communication and engage in “identity play,” and finding answers to problems they may be facing Chat rooms sometimes frequented by sexual predators seeking to victimize children and adolescents Academic cheating via downloading or purchasing pre- written papers Promote social isolation (displacement effect)

Displacement Effect Bryan, you should really go outside and get some exercise or visit your friends. You’ve been on that Internet chat room since before breakfast!! Just a couple more hours….

Media and Globalization Why Western media appeals to adolescents: –Rapid social and economic change in developing countries in past 50 years (grown up with Western media) –Adolescents are more capable than younger children of exploring environment outside family –Adolescence is time of identity formation –Look outside family for information