Mark Callister

Evaluation of Sexual Content in Teen-Centered Films From 1980 to 2007

Film has become a popular form of entertainment among teenagers and provides images from which teens model behaviors and form attitudes. This study addresses the understudied area of the portrayal of teen and adult sexual behaviors over nearly three decades in the top-grossing teen-centered films from 1980 to 2007. This study analyzes the frequency, nature, character portrayals, and consequences of sexual behavior. The results show that teen-centered films are replete with passionate kissing and sexual dialogue yet contain a modicum of implied intercourse and intimate touching. Moreover, the frequency of such occurrences has remained surprisingly constant over the last three decades. This research also reveals that teen-centered films, as a source for sexual socialization, are relatively impoverished when it comes to responsible messages dealing with abstinence, safe sex practices, and the health risks associated with sex.

SWEARING IN THE CINEMA An analysis of profanity in US teen-oriented movies, 1980-2006

The exposure of children to profanity continues to be a concern for parents, media researchers, and policy makers alike. This study examines the types, frequency, and usage of profanity in movies directed at and featuring teenagers. A review of relevant literature explores the nature, use, and psychology of profanity, its potential social effects, and its prevalence in the media. A content analysis was conducted of the ninety top‐grossing domestic teen films in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s (thirty from each decade) in the US based on domestic gross box‐office amounts. Results indicate no change in preferences in types of profanity used over the decades. Teen and adult characters use similar profanity types; however, teens are more likely to use the seven dirty words than adults, whereas adult characters use mild words. Male characters use more profanity than female characters, and although both sexes frequently use mild profanity, females show a higher percentage for this type and males have a higher percentage for using the seven dirty words. Finally, results indicate that within and across rating categories (PG and PG‐13), the amount of profanity in teen movies has actually decreased since the 1980s.

Older Characters in Teen Movies from 1980–2006

Although children as young as age three have already begun to manifest negative stereotypes toward older adults, attitudes toward older adults likely crystallize during late childhood and adolescence and become entrenched by the time an individual reaches young adulthood. Studies have shown that young people view older people in general as ineffective, dependent, lonely, poor, angry, overly wrinkled, ugly, dirty, disabled, and less physically active and healthy than younger adults. Because todays children and adolescents have less contact with older people than in past decades, it is likely that some young people get most of their information about older people and aging from the media. This is all the more likely during the teen years, when vulnerable adolescents purposely seek out certain media to form their identity. This content analysis examined the 60 most popular teen movies from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s to determine how older people are portrayed. Older people were greatly underrepresented, according to their numbers in the actual U.S. population, making up only 7% of the total number of characters in teen movies. Older people were marginalized in terms of plot and were likely to be featured only as background characters. Of older characters, 60% were portrayed stereotypically, and only 45% of the older characters were portrayed in a positive manner. Also, 32% of older characters were portrayed in a negative manner, and one-fifth of older characters were portrayed only with negative characteristics. The stereotypes that adolescents today hold toward older people, including the belief that they are bad drivers, are angry most of the time, and are senile, were reflected in older character portrayals in these popular teen films. Given the negative representations of older people that adolescents are exposed to in their childhood and during the teen years, it is no wonder that they express negative attitudes toward older people. After years of exposure to media that negatively depict older adults, adolescents have been cultivated to stereotype older people. This has the potential to influence the quality of their interactions with older people, and also influence the way they come to view the prospect of getting old.

Surviving Survivor: A Content Analysis of Antisocial Behavior and Its Context in a Popular Reality Television Show

The scope and nature of reality television has changed since researchers last conducted a content analysis of the antisocial behavior for this type of programming. This study examines the content of seven seasons of Survivor, one of Americas longest running reality television programs, to determine the types, frequency, and context of antisocial behavior presented in the series as well as the possible effects of the program on longtime viewers using social learning and cultivation theories. In the 76.4 hours of programming analyzed for this study, 4,207 antisocial acts were documented in the coding database. Indirect aggression and verbal aggression were found to be the most frequently occurring types of antisocial behavior. The number (4,207) and the rate (45.7 acts per hour) of antisocial acts in the seven seasons of Survivor analyzed in this study is higher than the findings of a previous study of antisocial behavior in reality-based television conducted in 1997. This study clearly demonstrates that longtime viewers of Survivor get a higher dose of antisocial behavior than did regular viewers of news programming and other reality-based programs that aired slightly more than 10 years ago.

“A Helluva Read”: Profanity in Adolescent Literature

Although the use of profanity has been examined in a number of types of media, to our knowledge profanity has not been examined in adolescent literature. Thus, the frequency and portrayal of profanity was coded in 40 bestselling adolescent novels. Results revealed that some novels did not contain a single instance of profanity, whereas others contained hundreds of often very strong profanity. When profanity was used, characters were likely to be young, rich, attractive, and of pronounced social status. Novels directed at older adolescents contained much more profanity. However, age guidance or content warnings are not found on the books themselves. Discussion is provided regarding the implications of the findings and the appropriateness of including content warnings in adolescent literature.

A Content Analysis of the Prevalence and Portrayal of Sexual Activity in Adolescent Literature

Most research on sexual content in the media has focused on visual images such as those in TV, film, advertisements, and magazines. However, researchers have largely overlooked sexual content in novels. The popularity of novels and the potential for such literature to educate teens on sexual behaviors merits a closer examination into the sexual messages contained in popular adolescent literature. This study content analyzes the top 40 novels targeting adolescents. Results show that adolescent novels are replete with sex-related information, especially in novels targeted to girls. These sexual behaviors range from passionate kissing and romantic ideation to sexual intercourse. Over one third of the instances focus on references to sex, suggestive innuendos, or sexual descriptions; and an additional one third of sexual behavior involved sexual affection in the form of passionate kissing, intimate touching, and playful sexual behavior. Across the 40 books, there were 56 instances of sexual intercourse, most of which involved unmarried couples (94%); and many were in non-committal relationships. Moreover, sexual material rarely dealt with issues of abstinence, safe sex practices, and the health risks associated with sex.

MEDIA PORTRAYALS OF THE FAMILY IN CHILDREN'S TELEVISION PROGRAMMING DURING THE 2005–2006 SEASON IN THE US

Television portrayals of families have varying, yet significant, effects on young children’s cognitions, behaviors, and emotions. Children take a personal interest in television families: they identify with family characters, form parasocial relationships, and experience emotional connections with them (Miller & Sparks, 2002, cited in Pistole & Marson, 2005), closely follow their fictional lives, discuss episodes with friends, and even model the behaviors and fashions of favorite characters. Indeed, television families provide more than mere entertainment; they offer a source from which children learn about family life, rules, roles, and relationships and draw comparisons to their own families. Expectations for how families are or ought to be may be derived in part from exposure to television families. Some scholars argue that television families exercise as much influence on real families as the home environment and parents (Singer, Singer, & Rapaczynski, 1984). Signorielli and Morgan (2001) assert that the ‘‘importance of television’s messages in shaping people’s conceptions about families and family life is not trivial’’ (p. 333). Although previous media research has examined family portrayals, the vast majority of these studies focus on prime-time television families that have teenagers and adults as the intended audience (Comstock & Strzyzewski, 1990; Dail & Way, 1985; Douglas, 1996; Douglas & Olson, 1996; Greenberg & Neuendorf, 1980; Heintz, 1992; Larson, 1989; Moore, 1992; Press & Strathman, 1994; Robinson & Skill, 2001; Signorielli, 1982; Skill & Robinson, 1994; Skill, Wallace, & Cassata, 1990). Understudied, yet vital to understanding the potential impact of television on various realms of young children’s lives, are those television families featured during children’s programming hours when much of a young child’s television consumption occurs. Examination of children’s television families shown in the US during popular children times (such as Saturday mornings and after school) and on popular children’s stations (e.g. Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, etc.) would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the family-related messages that are intended for young children. In addition, American sitcoms and dramas are watched globally, so the implications of this research will have relevance beyond the US.

Backbiting and bloodshed in books: Short-term effects of reading physical and relational aggression in literature

The current research consisted of two studies examining the effects of reading physical and relational aggression in literature. In both studies, participants read one of two stories (containing physical or relational aggression), and then participated in one of two tasks to measure aggression. In Study 1, participants who read the physical aggression story were subsequently more physically aggressive than those who read the relational aggression story. Conversely, in Study 2, participants who read the relational aggression story were subsequently more relationally aggressive than those who read the physical aggression story. Combined, these results show evidence for specific effects of reading aggressive content in literature.

''Three sheets to the wind'': Substance use in teen-centered film from 1980 to 2007

The issue of substance use in America is a serious public health concern, and while some substances show downward trends, current levels of adolescent use and abuse are alarming. Film has become a popular form of entertainment among teenagers and provides images from which teens model behaviors and form attitudes. This study examines substance use among adult and teen characters in the top grossing teen-centered films from 1980 to 2007. This content analysis examines the frequency and nature of substance portrayals and the consequences of use. The results show that substance use is largely consequence free and socially approved. No gender differences exist in the percent of users to nonusers. While users and nonusers do not differ in social status, users were portrayed as more attractive than nonusers. A higher percentage of users are Caucasian and adults. The vast majority of characters were not even given the choice to accept or refuse substances, and of those offered, few rejected. Finally, this study provides evidence that in the realm of teen-centered movies, the trend in substance use has been surprisingly downward across the decades.

Yes, Another Teen Movie

The current study consisted of a content analysis of physical violence in films aimed at adolescents over the past three decades. A total of ninety films (thirty each from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s) were included in the sample. Gender and age of the aggressor were also assessed. As a whole, levels of violence decreased from the 1980s to the 2000s. However, this depended on the type of violence portrayed. Specifically, gun violence decreased over the past three decades, but other types of physical aggression (including indirect physical aggression) increased. Moreover, female violence doubled across the same period of time. Violence by teenage characters (as opposed to adults) was portrayed less frequently than expected. The influence of films on adolescent aggression is discussed.