On the other hand, television can “inform teens about risks and foster communication with parents”, which is a good influence on teens (544). She supports this claim using two recent studies. Those studies examine “the impact of television sex on teenagers’ sexual beliefs and activities” and “the results supported the view that watching shows with sexual content may influence teen sexual behavior, but also found that some viewing effects can be positive” (542). In the first survey, she points out the relationship between percentage of virgins initiating intercourse in subsequent year and age; the survey shows “teens who saw the most sex on television were twice as likely to initiate intercourse within the next year as were those who saw the least” (544). Finally, she closes her argument by suggesting that “teens’ expose[r] to sexual content on television” should be reduced, and that people should “…explore greater use of entertainment shows to
The media and advertising of alcohol ads are targeting the youth of today. Alcohol advertising seems to have a bad effect on most American youth. I believe that some advertisers purposely use strategies to reach the youth. Youths may see alcohol advertisements on television, billboards, or maybe even magazines. According to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University, alcohol companies spend nearly $2 billion every year on advertising in the United States.
“Sexting” is the process of sending nude pictures via text message and this is not unusual, especially among high school students around the nation. “Sexting” has become more common among all ages up to 55, but has recently become popular in the media focusing on its negative and harmful affects. “Roughly 20 percent of teens admit to participating in “sexting,” according to a nationwide survey by the National Campaign to Support Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy”(Shockingly 2). Children and teenagers partake in “sexting” and don’t realize the consequences of it. Not only has “sexting” transitioned to name calling and bullying in high school, but also teens younger than 18 could be charged with child pornography and sent to juvenile jail.
This group may be particularly at risk because the cognitive skills that allow them to critically analyze messages from the media and to make decisions based on possible future outcomes are not fully developed (Gruber & Grube, 2000). According to the text analyses of broadcast media content indicate that, on average, teenaged viewers see 143 incidents of sexual behavior on network television at prime time each week, with portrayals of three to four times as many sexual activities occurring between unmarried partners as between spouses. As much as 80% of all movies shown on network or cable television stations have sexual content. An analysis of music videos indicates that 60% portray sexual feelings and impulses, and substantial minority display provocative clothing and sexually suggestive body movements. Analyses of media content also show that sexual messages on television are almost universally presented in a positive light, with little discussion of the potential risks of unprotected sexual
One-third of young US girls, about 820,000, become pregnant before they turn 20 (80% are unmarried) and 4 million American teens contract an STD each year. (Teen Sex- Do Abstinence Only Programs Discourage Teen Sex? Web) With these statistics, it is apparent that teens are not making wise decisions regarding their own health and well-being. Nothing is more serious and personal than your health, and teens don’t seem to be able to grasp the gravity of the situation. Teens are bombarded with sex education, and yet have the highest STD rates in the country.
You may also be more likely to binge drink if you are feeling peer pressure to do so. Or, you may be feeling anxious or socially awkward, for example at a party, and you may binge drink with the aim to reduce those feelings. 14 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women drink every day Half of Britain's young adults first got drunk before the age of 15. liver disease could become one of the biggest killers as a result of the country's binge drinking culture. 48 per cent of those in the 18 to 24 age group were between the ages of 13 and 15 when they first got drunk, while 6 per cent were aged under 12. It also found that 14 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women drink every day and 6 per cent of men drink more than a week's recommended alcohol intake in one night.
Media Portrayal of Sex Today When looking at the Media’s portrayal on sex today it seems to be extremely open, vulgar as well as unrealistic. Within this paper, one will be referring to media as television, magazines or news. No matter what source of media one is talking about, sex seems to be depicted in every source as glamorous, not dangerous at all and has no consequence whatsoever in today’s society. It’s pretty obvious that speaking about sex with an adult/parent is extremely uncomfortable and every child dreads the day “the birds and the bee’s” conversation has to take place. So in most cases children try to get their information from a much more comfortable source, which is not always a very reliable source, but in most cases comes from some source of media, including social media, television and fairly open over the radio as well.
7 Oct. 2012. The article focuses on body image and how many people negative body image, which could be due to pictures portrayed in magazines and television. In June 2011 the American Medical Association released a statement that urged advertisers to stop the use of digitally altered photographs after researchers found links among exposure to mass media, negative body image and disordered eating. The article continues to show that body image distortion is on the rise with almost half of adolescent girls report being dissatisfied with their appearance, and the number of males reporting serious body image dissatisfaction is also on the rise. One out of twenty Americans suffers from a clinical body image disturbance such as an eating disorder or body dysmorphic disorder.
However, unlike with abstinence-only education, it is acknowledged that many adolescents sill still have sexual relations. There are also discussions about contraception, which is largely ignored in abstinence-only models. (ASA) According to records from the Center for Disease control and prevention, 870,000 pregnancies happen each year with young women aged 15-19, and about 30000000 cases of STDs are reported each year among 10-19 years old. (APA 1) HIV is contracted in more than half of cases before the age of 25. (APA 1) Because of facts like this, it is important that adolescents are taught how to protect themselves.
Alcohol is very dangerous. If alcohol is abused, it could hurt others unintentionally. With the drinking age at 21, it’s a safer environment. Research shows that with the drinking age raised, there are 1,000 lives saved a year. Statistics show that if the law is moved down to 18, there will be a 10% increase in deaths due to alcohol.