According to a study done by Jane Brown of the University of North Carolina and a chief author of the report 1,017 students were used in the study ages 12-14 to research what children were exposed to which at that time was only limited to what they saw on television. During a recheck two years, later the research showed that children were exposed to 264 items that included movies, music, and magazines. The media outlet that the children were exposed to was monitored for sexual content. Improving what we allow our children to listen to and watch on television is a great impact on their lives. Brown discovered in her research that children exposed to sexual content were inclined to have sexual intercourse at an earlier age. Out of the other industrialized nations, the United States has a teen pregnancy rate three times higher than other areas. With that much exposure to sex through music, videos, and television, it is becoming a major health concern. Teens having sex at a young age can result in sexually transmitted diseases as well as unplanned pregnancies. Improving how we monitor what are children are exposed to can have them to live a healthier life by staying abstinent. Thousands of teenagers have become parents at such a young age that they did have time to fulfill their adolescent years. Teens who are parents cannot go away to college and try to make something of themselves they have another life besides themselves to care for. The physical effects on teens with babies are that they tend to act out; some abandon their children because they want to continue to be with their friends.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The media’s have both positive and negative in regards to teaching sexually responsibility. They are increasing awareness to STD’s and HIV, but due to increased stimuli to sexuality the more our preteens and teenagers want to engage into having sex and because of this we are experiencing higher rates of teen pregnancy (babies having babies) because of television shows that show teens having sexual relations, getting pregnant, and making it look nonchalant as far as consequences goes.…
- 446 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
3. In addition to increased health risks, children born to teenage mothers are more likely to experience social, emotional, and other problems. Discuss two of those risks to the baby that are unrelated to health. (10 points/5 each)…
- 401 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The more sexual content that kids see on television, the earlier they initiate sexual activity, the more likely they are to regret their early sexual experiences, and the more likely they are to have an unplanned teen pregnancy.…
- 679 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
According to Collins, Elliott, Berry, Kanouse, and Kunkel, “A key period of sexual exploration and development occurs during adolescence. During this time, individuals begin to consider which sexual behaviors are enjoyable, moral, and appropriate for their age group” (280). This poses a problem when adolescents intertwine this sexual exploration with the often commercialized view of sexual activity shown in popular media. In the media’s eyes, sex is casual, common, and fun. (Epstein and Ward 120). And if sex is so casual, common, and fun, why wouldn’t the average teenager take it lightly? That’s exactly what has happened. The correlation between exposure to sexual content and the intention of adolescents to have sex is undeniable (ter Bogt, Rutger, Engels, Bogers, and Kloosterman 844) and it is posing a definite risk to the sexual and mental health of young…
- 3069 Words
- 13 Pages
Best Essays -
Curiosity and the desire to have sex for young teens is inevitable, even if the teens did not see it on television. People believe television has a negative influence on teens’ sexual activity. Their belief that sex is portrayed as a “fun, casual activity” on television is a misconception. Viewers are able to see the consequences of sexual activity through the lives of others on television. Collins argues that “TV plays a role in hastening the initiation of sexual activity,” (Collins qtd. Rottenberg 543). however, her point is rebutted because MTV’s show, 16 & Pregnant, clearly illustrates the consequences of teens who engage in sexual activity at a young age. This show documents the lives of young pregnant teens extensively in order to educate viewers about the impact of careless sexual activity. According to an article in The Independent Florida Alligator, written by Jensen Werley, Bruce Floyd, a social media specialist for UF University Relations, says that “these [shows] could encourage teenagers to think critically about the consequences of pregnancy,” which supports the fact that television has a positive influence on teens’ sexual activity. Floyd continues, “MTV shoes could help educated people how teen pregnancy is not glamorous and can change your life dramatically,” which contradicts Collins’ idea that “sex is often presented as a casual activity without risk or consequences” (Collins qtd. Rottenberg…
- 1068 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Media has changed the sexuality of everyone. Media like television has brought sexuality out in the open and this can be either a good or bad in our society. While media shows graphic sexuality, it also shows the risks. There should be laws set in place as to what can and cannot be shown. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association) made a rating system and I think it does work when the parent is involved. I would think the rating would perk the curiosity of an adolescent and they might get the wrong message. Today there are more and more sexual themed television shows catering around the adolescent. Television is pushing the envelope on what it can get away with. Media tends to glorify sexual behavior in television and movies. This can create a promiscuous behavior in adolescents and adults alike. The child gets the wrong message and sees this as a way into the in crowd. Television and movies that show the consequences of sex are doing a good job in my opinion. This teaches the child and young adult that there are consequences and they can plan for a safer sexual practice. I cannot stress enough that the main teacher of sexuality and morals in general should come from the parents. This is hard with both parents working. Take the time out to listen and talk with your children about protection. The media shows this sometimes but does not go into depth. The media is a powerful tool and can be used for good and bad. There should be more educational programming for adolescent children.…
- 524 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Children are subjected to sex thru the news and media every day. It is in magazines and television shows. The show “Private Practice”, a drama on Thursday nights on ABC, recently aired a show in which a thirteen year old girl and her mother went to the girls’ pediatrician asking for birth control. The news show 20/20 on ABC is in the…
- 1878 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
Attainment of Unwed African American Teen Mothers: A Meta Analysis. The Journal of Negro Education, 75 (3), 458-477. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/stable/pdfplus/40026815.pdf?acceptTC=true&&…
- 2129 Words
- 9 Pages
Better Essays -
3 in 10 teen American girls will get pregnant at least once before age 20. That’s nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies every year. Parenthood is the leading reason that teen girls drop out of school. More than half of teen are mothers that never graduate from high school or neither go to college.…
- 593 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Teen pregnancy is up partly because there is less of a stigma associated with teen pregnancy since there is more of a "cultural permission" to be a younger mother. The rise is also partly due to the portrayal of celebrity teens such as Jamie Lynn Spears in the media and other cultural shifts, giving teens the idea that "having a baby is the new handbag".…
- 1732 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
Even though it can affect any age groups, young people are at risk because they are not fully developed yet. Young people are still in a developmental stage where gender roles, sexual attitudes, and sexual behaviors are not fully shaped yet. Nowadays, many music videos and video games contain sexual violence, and TV shows rarely talk about the importance of using condoms and negative side of unprotected sex. Rather, the media makes young people to think that sex is an easy or risk-free. According to the article, “Adolescent sexuality and the media,” “a recent study of African American girls aged 14 to 18 years found that teens with either multiple sexual partners or a history of sexually transmitted infections reported a higher rate of viewing television shows that depicted women as sexual objects or prizes. A few experimental studies have shown that viewing sexual content can have moderate effects on sexual knowledge or attitudes.” As this article shows, many young children are being the victims of the media which can causes harmful reactions. So, it is important to prevent them from seeing sexual images and messages to avoid negative…
- 1266 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In 26 states teen birth rates are on a rise and in 15 years the United States rate increased for the first time. When facing an unplanned pregnancy teens choose abortion for many reasons. Most young girls considering abortion are influenced by where she lives, her religious beliefs, her relationship with her parents, access to family planning services, and the reactions of her peers. Her educational level and socioeconomic status also play a role. They must also consider do they want the baby? Can they afford to raise the child? How will it impact her life? Am I ready to be a mother?…
- 1560 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
A big issue Americans are dealing with is teenage pregnancies. There are different factors that contribute to this. At the micro-level the biggest overall factor is poverty levels. Many teenagers use contraceptives and still get pregnant. “If I use a condom I won’t get pregnant, right?” Wrong. The reason for this is because even though the condom was used, it may have been used improperly or was torn. Many low-income families and minority groups “receive little accurate information about the use of, and problems associated with, contraception (Kendall, 2011). Many teenagers, however, do not use contraceptives. One reason why this might be is because of the level of influence the media has on our society. In 1988, on average, Americans watched TV seven hours a day. Teenagers watched 24 hours of TV a week and listened to 18.5 hours of music a week (Lynn & Bernards, 1988). Other forms of media include advertising, films, magazines, and music. Another micro-level factor is that some teenagers view pregnancy as a way to gain adult status. This is called a subjective reality.…
- 817 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
Each generation has its own views sexuality. These views have changed drastically over the years. In today’s society sex is always present in various forms of media. Due to the easy access to media, there should be restrictions on what is shown to the public. The influence that the media holds will lead to misconceptions in young adults, unrealistic views of romance and increase of unhealthy sexual practices.…
- 624 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Have you ever been in your car and the song Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke is being played on the radio? Why do our Disney Channel teenage idols turn to exploiting their selves in a sexual matter to better their careers? This is what sells in American society; this what sex in the media brings about. With the increase of technology in the past decade we are viewing and listening to more sexually explicit material then ever. With the mass media distinctively hiding sexual messages anywhere and everywhere they are finding new ways to basically sell sex to kids. Children spend 5 hours a day using media and listen to music for about 2 hours a day, this many hours of media puts many ideas in the minds of young impressible children, when children are learning derogatory sex information from the media it leads to negative effects on the individual and our society as whole.…
- 1577 Words
- 7 Pages
Powerful Essays