The initiation of unhealthy risk behaviors such as premature sexual activity, alcohol use, and potentially violent acts like bullying and physical fights is a hallmark of adolescence. It is often the case that these behaviors occur in combination with another, increasing the potential for adverse social and health outcomes. Research has shown that exposure to media content that features depictions of a specific risk behavior is a key influence on adolescents' performance of that behavior. However, studies have failed to account for the effect of multiple risk character portrayals in popular media, and how it may affect risk behavior patterns. This project uses an innovative conceptualization of exposure to risk behavior to study the longitudinal association between multiple risk portrayals in popular movies and television shows and multiple risk behavior in youth. We will content analyze top-grossing mainstream and African American oriented films and television shows for depictions of single and multiple risk behaviors, and will link the results of the content analysisto media exposure and behavior data collected over 3 waves from a nationally representative sample of 14-17 year old teens. Because some adolescents are more susceptible to media effects than others, we will consider background factors (race) and personality characteristics (sensation seeking and impulsivity) as moderators of the exposure-behavior relationship. With the inclusion of African American media titles in our content analyses, we depart from more conventional approaches that rely solely on mainstream media despite the popularity of African American oriented media among African American youth. The findings will advance our understanding of how media contribute to youth engagement in dangerous combinations of risk behaviors and have implications for risk and disease prevention efforts.
Adolescents are constantly exposed to media portrayals of risk behaviors. The proposed study aims to further our understanding of the prospective relationship between teens' exposure to portrayals that feature combinations of multiple risk behaviors (violence, sex, alcohol) in popular television shows and films and their risk behavior patterns which may put them at significant risk for adverse health and social outcomes.
