The Portrayal of Sexual Intercourse on Television: How, Who, and With What Consequence?

Abstract

This study examines televised portrayals of sexual intercourse. Programs (N = 152) representing the overall television landscape are assessed for the presentation of intercourse acts, the characters who engage in them, and their consequences. Results indicate that 16% of characters involved in sexual intercourse acts on television are teenagers or young adults. Female participants are more attractive and more likely to be victims of sexual crimes than male characters. Consequences of sexual intercourse portrayed are mostly emotional in nature and tend to be more positive than negative in valence. Positive consequences tend to be transient whereas negative consequences are presented as more enduring and emotionally impactful. Though HBO includes the greatest number of shows with sexual intercourse acts, few differences across channels are observed in the presentation of sexual intercourse, indicating a fairly uniform portrayal. Findings are discussed in light of theory, past content analyses, and implications for viewer effects.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Keren Eyal

Keren Eyal (Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2004) is Lecturer in the Sammy Ofer School of Communications at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya. Her research interests include media content and effects, with a focus on youth socialization.

Keli Finnerty

Keli Finnerty (Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2007) is Assistant Professor in the Communication Division at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Her research focuses on media literacy and the effects of sexual media messages on adolescents and emerging adults.