The Effects of Sex in Television Drama Shows on Emerging Adults' Sexual Attitudes and Moral Judgments

Abstract

This study tests the effects of exposure to sexual television content on emerging adults' sexual attitudes and moral judgments. One hundred and ten college freshmen were randomly assigned to view shows that portrayed either positive or negative consequences of sexual intercourse. Results indicate that exposure to shows that portray negative consequences of sex leads to more negative attitudes toward premarital intercourse and to more negative moral judgments of characters engaged in this behavior. Results were observed immediately after the viewing and persisted 2 weeks later. Findings are discussed in light of social cognitive theory and previous media effects research.

Notes

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¹Participants from the university and the college did not differ significantly on any of the dependent variables. One significant difference emerged in that all college students reported having had engaged in intercourse whereas not all university students have done so (χ² = 5.70, p < .01). Sexual experience was used as a control variable in data analyses.

²Statistical analyses compared participants who did and did not return for the follow-up test on all pretest and control variables. No significant differences emerged even though sufficient power existed to detect them (Cohen, 1988). Thus, all participants were retained in the sample.

³ Kunkel et al. (1999) write, “Intercourse implied is said to occur when a program portrays one or more scenes immediately adjacent (considering both place and time) to an act of sexual intercourse that is clearly inferred by narrative device … Such portrayals are not necessarily explicit in any way but clearly convey the message that sex has occurred” (p. 9).

⁴Program comparability between the two conditions was assessed using two additional measures. Programs that presented positive and negative consequences were perceived by participants as equally realistic. This was assessed by 5 items and a response scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) (α = .80), t(108) = −1.71, p = .09. Also, identification with the same-sex character that experiences consequences for sexual intercourse was assessed. This refers to an emotional connection viewers make with a character as they imagine themselves to be this persona (Cohen, 2001). Identification is considered to be an important mediator in media effects (e.g., Ward & Rivadeneyra, 1999), thought to increase with variables such as liking of the character and viewers' perceived similarity with him or her (Eyal & Rubin, 2003). To ensure that participants identified equally with characters in both conditions, a 12-item measure was adapted from previous research (Cohen, 2001; Eyal & Rubin, 2003), using a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) (α = .87). The two conditions did not differ on identification, t(108) = 0.35, p = .73, enhancing confidence in the conditions' comparability.