Week 9 Checkpoint
PSY/265
06-31-2012
Lauren Klatzker

Week 9 Checkpoint
What are the effects of the media’s portrayal of sexuality on adolescents’ sexual lives? It is certainly evident that adolescents are directly affected by the media’s portrayal of sexuality. For instance, the media has a growing tendency to depict young adolescents acting in sexual and mischievous ways. Media that is deemed as appropriate for adolescents also contains sexual content; both directly and indirectly have an influence on them. Sex is all over the media and as a result adolescents are being greatly exposed to it. Adolescents have a higher probability of becoming involved in sexual activities, and added social pressure is placed on these adolescents since the media often times depicts it as a cool and trendy thing to do. The opposite holds true as well; it is not cool and untrendy to not be involved in sexual activities. The media’s portrayal of sexuality can cause adolescents to believe it is okay being promiscuous and/or sexually active.

What are some negative and some positive effects of the media’s portrayal of sexuality? Some of the negative effects of the media’s portrayal of sexuality pertain to the fact that it causes adolescents to become sexually active at a young age and subjects them to the possibility of disease, and pregnancy. There are additionally some positive aspects, too. For instance, the media’s portrayal of sexuality exposes adolescents to the potential outcomes of being sexually active. The media certainly promotes adolescent sexual behavior in many instances, although there are occasions in which the media attempts to deter this kind of behavior by displaying what could possibly happen and/or go wrong; this kind of exposure may potentially have a positive effect on adolescents in this capacity.

How has the media’s portrayal of sexuality