Literature Review #12: Peer Influence Mediates Sexual Behavior in Adolescents

Chia, S. C. , 2004-05-27 "How peer influence mediates media influence on adolescent sexual behavior" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, New Orleans Sheraton, New Orleans, LA Online. 2009-05-26 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p112824_index.html

How Peer Influence Mediates Media Influence on Adolescent Sexual Behavior
by Stella Chia

Summary:
"Previous studies of media effects on adolescent sexuality have primarily focused on the direct effects that were explained by social learning theory or cultivation theory. This study examined an alternative model to explain that peer influence mediates media influence on adolescent sexuality. This model uses the “perceptions of the influence of mass media on others” as a key element to bridge media exposure, perception of peer norms and teenagers’ personal sexuality. It argues that perception of peer norms is the consequence of presumed media influence on peers and that perception, in turn, influences adolescent sexuality.
Data came from a paper-and-pencil survey with 213 late adolescents of 18 or 19-years old. Results generally supported the model. The findings show that: 1) adolescents attend to sex-related media and believe their peers attend to similar media content as themselves; 2) adolescents anticipate influence of the sex-related media content on their peers, and a corresponding increase of their peers’ sexual permissiveness; 3) perceptions of media influence on peer norms regarding sexual issues led adolescents to become more sexually permissive; and 4) the permissive sexual attitudes of adolescents predict the possibility for adolescents to engage in sexual activities."

-D.Ha