The Media’s Influence On Adolescence Sexuality

Abstract

“Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, emotional, and cognitive human development occurring before the onset of puberty and ending by adulthood. Sexuality, the expression of interest, orientation, and preference, is a normal part of adolescence. Adolescent sexuality encompasses multiple factors, such as developing intimate partnerships, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and culture (Tulloch & Kaufman, 2013).”

Adolescent sexuality has changed over the past 50 years, with adolescents now reaching physical maturity earlier and marrying later. Puberty marks the obvious physical development in early to middle adolescence and is seen as the time for potential onset of sexual thoughts. On average, middle adolescence is a time when teens begin to be interested in more intimate relationships and experimentation. Concerns regarding premature sexual activity include unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sexual abuse, and potential emotional consequences of sexual behaviors. These concerns underscore the importance of providing adolescents with preventive health services and comprehensive sexual health education.

Definition

As generations come and go, and the mainstream of mass media continually expands overtime, research studies have shown that there have been increased rates of its effect on that of an individual’s sexuality. Despite the fact that we are not entirely aware of how it affects ones own sexual beliefs and their behavior, with all of these studies, it has become suggestively clear that its impact brings up a primary connection between that of adolescence sexuality and media-influence. This topic is quite self-explanatory if one were to truly ponder over it. Statistics solemnly based on that of social media revealed that, presently, there are approximately over 3.2 billion individuals who use social media around the world every single day. In other words, this brings us to a solid 42% of the world, based on our current population. Media’s influence is far stronger than one could ever possibly think; it controls our lives alongside with our choices more than we believe them to. Whether we choose to point it out or not, the truth is, social media not only controls our lives, but it heavily affects our perspective on certain things.

As an individual, one trait that completes the sole definition of who you are is your sexuality. As media’s influence continues to expand and drive deeper within our personal lives, its impact becomes identical. The solid truth of the matter is the influence media presently has on an individual goes further than just movies or websites. Media brings up perspectives, opinions, a societal point on how one should or should not be, the very “picture” of where one’s beliefs should lie, etc. Research studies over time have shown that what media portrays has become what an individual keeps within or reinforces with that of sexuality or relationship decisions. Regardless of this steady increase in research, there is still no doubt whatsoever that more needs to be done to reach the goal of attaining the information of how media truly influences adolescent sexuality; within the categories of definition, interpretation, and incorporation within the development of adolescent sexuality of an individual influence has undeniably grown over the years, but we all have a choice to allow such influences to pass through.

Types of Media

The main media types that have been proven to be the most effective in influencing minds of adolescents are movies, games, music, and social media. Movies are one of the primary mediums that often become the fulcrum of excitement for adolescents. The youth are impatient when it comes to movies they want to watch. When a trailer of a new cool movie comes up, teens are excited, and when a movie comes out, kids flock to the theatres to watch. The same scenario can be seen in dramas, series, and other films that are streamed on sites and apps like Netflix, and HBO. Films have strong depiction of fiction, that when people (especially teens) are indoctrinated with, they are likely to imitate the film. Since most teens nowadays know how to bypass adult regulated films, they are easily exposed to adult content depicted in movies and dramas. Movies are no doubt the best method to influence teens, but it is the movies that actually promote sex, and breaking of sex regulations that hit the worst. Video games are also one of the leading influences in the media, having already been suspected to be an alibi for school shootings. Recent games like Grand Theft Auto, and Saints row have high adult contents that have materials like bars, brothels, and strip clubs. Since video games are very popular among teens, the risk of sexuality exposure are very effective. Music is the is the most common medium that promotes sexual content, and bad influences. Many pop artist like the Migos, often encourage people to inolve themselves in sex and drugs. Many lyrics in some songs promote sex without safety, rape, and other sexual content. Social Media holds one of the largest networks of information. Some of this information, are passed through servers detailing and archiving large amounts of messages, images, and other contents. Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram are some of the major engines in online socializing. These apps give teens the freedom to share media or photographic materials to other individuals. Social media plays a big role in the life of teens and how they individually develop as they continue to grow. The aforementioned types of media greatly influences teens how they live their lives today.

How the Media Influences Adolescents

If one were to firmly observe recent studies on this specific topic, you will come to find that adolescents who are actually more exposed to different things such as sexual content or other media that support such actions or thoughts, will without a doubt result in greater numbers of activity and self-thoughts based on that of adolescent sexuality. Believe it or not, the influence media has on this is growing heavily more and more each day. Media influence on its own has become one of the key traits behind that of adolescents’ sexualization or sexual socialization. Aside all the given facts, the truth behind this matter is that society digs deeper than we intend or want it to. Society is now being “assisted” by that of media, so there is no question on how things end up the way they do. Media portrays a message that we do not all necessarily favor in honest terms, or it either portrays one end more than the other. This is where you will find there to be an impact and heaps of effects on how an individual’s development turns out. Statistically speaking, as I have mentioned prior to this, adolescence sexuality is becoming more and more affected by that of media, and these numbers will only continue to grow if we do not put forth a change in how things work out or how they are portrayed within our society. Media comes in all different shapes and forms; meaning that its effect comes in variations and how much of a toll it can have on an individual will easily be brought together in something bigger than the varied

Conclusion

The media is one of the most effective ways to influence teens. The troubling effects of the media often leads to adolescence making wrong decisions. Unless regulations are put in to restrain the teens from sexual contents or any other horrifying situations.