PURPOSE

To investigate associations between adolescents' television viewing, their sexual behavior, and their perceptions of having power and control in sexual situations (i.e., sexual agency). This study incorporates results from a recent content analysis of television and attends to the different motives for and consequences of girls' and boys' sexual and relational behavior.

METHODS

Adolescents (n = 703) aged 11 to 17 years from two public school districts in the Northeastern United States completed surveys assessing their television habits and sexual experiences. Survey data were combined with two content analyses, which assessed the frequency of sexual talk and behavior and the prevalence of gendered messages about sexuality (i.e., the Heterosexual Script) on primetime network television.

RESULTS

Adolescents' sexual behavior and feelings of sexual agency were not associated with viewing sexual talk and sexual behavior on television, but were related to viewing the Heterosexual Script, particularly among girls. Girls who saw sexually objectified women and portrayals of men avoiding commitment more often reported less sexual agency. Girls who saw women acting as sexual gatekeepers more often were less sexually experienced and reported more sexual agency. Boys who saw men actively asserting their sexuality more often were less sexually experienced.

CONCLUSIONS

The relationship between adolescents' television viewing and sexual experiences depends on the type of sexual messages viewed, the sexual outcome considered, and the gender of the viewer. Parents and practitioners should learn to identify the Heterosexual Script on television and encourage young people to negotiate sexual encounters in safe and positive ways.