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Running head: MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 1 The Effect of Movies’ Sexual Content on Young Adults’ Perceptions of Their Own Sexual Lives Marta Pinyol Davi Longwood University MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 2 Introduction Have you ever caught yourself comparing your sexual life with the sexual lives of the characters of movies? Movies tend to portray sex as a spontaneous, magical, and flawless affair between sweaty and passionate lovers who are totally connected and coordinated, and who always get maximal pleasure and satisfaction from their sexual relations. However, for most of us, and especially for young adults who might be starting to engage in sexual behavior, sexual relations are quite different. Let me ask you another question; when was the last time you were watching a romantic movie and the characters used some kind of sexual protection method? If you cannot recall such case is because portrayals of protection and contraception methods in movies are, for the most part, nonexistent. Thus, portrayals of sexual content in movies tend to be unrealistic and unhealthy and can potentially be dangerous for audiences who might, as a result, undermine the risks associated with sex. Media has become a primary sexual socialization context for young people (Brown, Halpern, & L’Engle, 2005; L’Engle, Brown, & Kenneavy, 2006). Many studies show that sexual content in the media is pervasive and has been increasing over the years (Hust, Brown, & L’Engle, 2008; Kunkel, Eyal, Finnerty, Biely, & Donnerstein, 2005). Research also shows that media sexual portrayals tend to be idealized and unhealthy (Hust et al., 2008). Sex is an essential part of an individual’s life and we are biologically programmed to engage in sexual behavior. Moreover, young people actively try to make sense of their identity by engaging in social comparison and social learning (Campbell, Martin, & Fabos, 2010; Wood, 2010). Given this scenario, it is not surprising that media has been suggested to have an effect on young people’s sexual ideas, attitudes, and moral evaluations of certain sexual practices (Eyal & Kunkel, 2008). MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 3 Yet, research has still not studied the potential effect that media’s sexual portrayals could have on audiences’ perceptions of their own sexual lives including sexual abilities, confidence, attitude towards safe sex, and ultimately how this affects their overall self-esteem. The communication phenomenon I am interested in studying is the effect that movies’ sexual content has on young adults’ perceptions of their own sexual lives. Portrayals of sex in such movies are pervasive and, in general, unrealistic and unhealthy, and media has become a main sexual socialization context for young people. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze if these idealistic and unhealthy repetitive messages about sex have an effect on young adults’ ideas about their own sexual lives. In this prospectus, I will review important background information, literature, and theoretical grounding that inform understanding about the effects of movies’ portrayal of sexual content on young adults’ perceptions of their own sexual lives, and I will propose methodology to test such effect. Idealizing Sex “We should all know that sex on screen is way hotter than real life. Hollywood makes sex out to be a passionate, sweaty, spontaneous affair with tons of panting and kissing and pushing things off tables. Let’s be real here: Not really the case”, says writes Mix. She explains that Hollywood rarely portrays the down side of sex, including awkward situations, sexually transmitted diseases, and unplanned pregnancies. She argues that this causes audiences to create unattainable expectations of sex. Mix concludes “Movies are glamorized versions of our own sex lives (…) we can’t all expect similar experiences for our own lives.” Indeed, Thomas (2012) explains that according to actors, movie sex scenes are not as amusing as they seem. Instead, they are like any other scene, “a merely set of memorized lines choreographed movements.” In fact, Thomas explains that Michael Lange, who directs MTV sex MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 4 scenes, states that “Sex is reduced to a technical, extremely awkward situation, which takes much of the enjoyment out of it.” Global Effects on Public Health Research on this communication phenomenon is important because sexual behavior involves crucial public health problems in the United States (Eyal & Kunkel, 2008). The United States has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies and births among all the developed nations around the world (Glazer, 2004; Martinez, Copen, & Abma, 2011). For this reason, getting adolescents and young adults to develop an accurate understanding of sex and to engage in healthy sexuality has been determined as a main goal of today’s society (Office of the Surgeon General, 2011). Many studies show that media has become a main source of information and a key sexual socialization context for adolescents and young adults (Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). In addition, social learning theory suggests that audiences can learn behaviors by observing and imitating characters in the media, especially if these are attractive models (Campbell et al., 2010). Therefore, it is imperative to analyze current media portrayals of sex and their impact on audiences’ sexual attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of their own sexual lives. Only by studying the influence of media sexual messages, negative consequences can be found and corrected so that media can become a healthier sexual socialization context and a more accurate information tool. Theoretical Grounding Social Learning Theory According to Campbell, Martin, and Fabos (2010), social learning theory is based on the idea that individuals can learn information and behaviors by observing, imitating, and modeling selected others. Social learning theory is a four-step process -including attention, memory, MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 5 motor reproduction, and motivation- that seems to be affecting young people’s sexual attitudes and behavior in the following manner. First, individuals must pay attention to media portrayals and messages (Campbell et al., 2010). Research shows that media has become one of the mains sexual socialization contexts for young people (Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). Thus, audiences, especially adolescents and young adults, seem to be paying a great deal of attention to media portrayals of sexual content. Second, audiences must retain or remember the information or behavior learned for later use (Campbell, Martin, &, 2010). Research shows that media sexual portrayals influence audiences’ attitudes and behaviors in the short and long run (Eyal & Kunkel, 2008). Therefore, research suggests audiences are retaining the memories of the sexual portrayals they observe in media. The third step is motor reproduction which means that audiences must be able to physically imitate the behavior observed (Campbell et al., 2010). We know that human beings are biologically programmed to engage in sexual reproduction so young people have an innate tendency to engage in sexual activity. Finally individuals must be motivated or encouraged by a social reward in order to model the behavior (Campbell et al., 2010). In general, media portrayals of sex include characters that are physically attractive, successful, and wealthy (Eyal & Finnerty, 2009). Therefore, young people are very motivated to resemble such models. Social Comparison Theory Wood (2010) explains that social comparison theory is based on the idea that individuals have the need to make precise self-evaluations in order to create an integrated personal identity. Social comparison theory states that individuals determine their own personal and social worth by comparing themselves against others. Individuals measure up to other people in many aspects including physical appearance, intelligence, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors. Therefore, MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 6 audiences might unwarily or voluntarily compare themselves to media sexual portrayals to make sense out of their own sexual lives. According to Wood, we compare ourselves with others in two different ways. First, we measure up to other people to decide how similar or different we are from them. For example, audiences can unwarily compare themselves their sexual lives with those of television characters. If media portrayals of sexual content are unrealistic, audiences will find themselves measuring up to characters and sexual practices that are unpractical and/or impossible to attain. Second, people tend to feel more comfortable surrounded by individuals who they are similar to. Since sexual behavior is usually an intimate practice, people do not know much about others’ people habits and sexual behaviors. However, media constant portrayals of highly pleasurable, unhealthy, and casual sex can lead to audiences understanding this kind of sex as the social norm. As a result, young people might try to adopt such sex practices in order to fit in and measure up to what they think their peers’ sexual life is. Sex in the Media: Context, Content, and Influence In order to understand the impact of movies’ sexual content on young adults, it is imperative to review how media has become a primary sexual socialization context for young audiences. It is also important to understand how sex is generally portrayed in media and the consequences that these portrayals have on audiences’ perceptions and sexual behavior. This section will explore three significant, related areas of research to this issue: media as a sexual socialization context, sexual media scripts, and effects of media’s portrayal of sexual content on young audiences. Media as a Sexual Socialization Context MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 7 Researchers have studied the influence of media as a sexual socialization context for audiences. These scholars argue that media has become a primary sexual socialization context and information source for young audiences (Arthurs & Zacharias, 2006; Bragg, 2006; Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). L’Engle, Brown, and Kenneavy (2006) analyzed the influence of media on teenagers’ sexual behavior compared to the influence of other sexual socialization context including family, school, peers, and religion. They concluded that media, together with peers and parents, constitutes one of the most significant sexual socialization contexts for adolescents. Compared to other sexual socialization contexts, media is responsible for adolescents’ willingness to have sex in the near future in 13 % of the cases and for adolescents’ intentions to engage in light and heavy sexual activity in 10% and 8 % of the cases respectively. Brown, Halpern, and L’Engle (2005) surveyed early maturing girls about their curiosity and exposure to different media channels and their ideas of sexual portrayals in these media. The researchers concluded that the fact that media sexual content is pervasive, easy to access, and impersonal, has led to many adolescents using it as a source of sexual information. Indeed, they suggested that media acts as a “sexual super peer” for young people because of its role in disseminating sexual information, expectations, and norms. In fact, Bragg (2006) who analyzed the relationship between young people, media, and sex, indicates that many adolescents feel uncomfortable talking about sex with their parents and that most parents feel unprepared to have such conversations with their children. Finally, Arthurs and Zacharias (2006), who analyzed portrayals of gender in different media channels, suggest that young people are adopting media as their preferred sexual socialization context MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 8 while they still use other sexual socialization contexts such as parents and peers to discuss what they have learned in the media. Overall, media appears to influence adolescents’ sexual intentions and behavior more than school and religion and equally if not more than parents and peers. Adolescents seem to choose media as their preferred medium to get information about sex because they have easy access to it, they feel comfortable using this medium, and they may lack a better source of information (Arthurs & Zacharias, 2006; Bragg, 2006; Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). Sexual Media Scripts Researchers have described the frequency and general characteristics of sexual media scripts. Scholars argue that sexual scripts are pervasive in all media channels. They also state that sexual content tends to portray common themes across different media channels and that overall sexual media scripts tend to be unrealistic and unhealthy (Eyal & Finnerty, 2009; Hust et al., 2008; Kunkel et al.,2005; Wright, 2009). After examining media portrayals of sex in four media channels including television, movies, magazines, and music, Hust, Brown, and L’Engle (2008) found that about 25% of all media content depicts sexual content. Kunkel, Eyal, Finnerty, Biely, and Donnerstein (2005) analyzed sexual messages portrayed in television by randomly selecting programs of ten of the most frequently viewed channels. The researchers state that the amount of sexual messages on television has significantly increased over the years. In 1997-98 the percentage of television programs that contained sexual content was 56%, while in 2004-05 this number increased to 70%. Researchers also found that the percentage of television programs that portrayed sex talk (68%) was more frequent than the percent of programs featuring sexual behavior (35%). MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 9 Eyal and Finnerty (2009) analyzed 152 programs from the 2004-05 television seasons and found the majority of television characters who engage in sexual intercourse are older than 25 and 16% are adolescents or young adults. Characters are usually attractive, and female characters tend to be more attractive than their counterparts and are more likely to appear as sexual victims. Also, most of the characters who engage in sexual relations are acquaintances and unmarried. Finally, in general, sexual encounters had few consequences. When sexual intercourse did have consequences, the majority of these were positive and emotional; happiness being the most common outcome of sexual intercourse on television. Wright (2009) conducted a meta-analysis of numerous studies that analyzed portrayals of sex in different media channels including television soap operas and talk shows, music videos, movies, and magazines. Wright explains that media portrayals of sex present common themes across all these media channels. These themes include sexual norms based on heterosexual, premarital, and gender stereotypical sex. Finally, with the exception of magazines, another common theme across all the other media channels was sex presented as a risk free activity. Sexual health in the media. While examining media portrayals of sex in four media channels, Hust et al. (2008), found that media scripts that represent sexual health content tend to be practically nonexistent. However, if scripts do illustrate healthy sex, they are unclear and/or inaccurate, portray pubertal changes as humorous and humiliating, and portray conventional gender stereotypes. Typical masculine stereotypes include obsession with sex and sexual performance and usual female stereotypes emphasize the idea that women are responsible for sexual safety including contraception and prevention against sexually transmitted diseases. Overall, sexual media scripts tend to portray common themes including attractive characters (especially women), heterosexual relationships, pre-marital sex, gender stereotyped MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 10 behaviors, and sex as a risk free activity that usually leads to positive consequences such as happiness. References to healthy sexuality including contraception measures or potential negative consequences such as sexually transmitted diseases are virtually nonexistent and when they do appear they are inaccurate (Eyal & Finnerty, 2009; Hust et al., 2008; Kunkel et al., 2005; Wright, 2009). Effects of Media’s Portrayal of Sexual Content on Young Audiences Researchers have examined the effects of media’s portrayal of sexual content on young audiences. Scholars argue that media’s portrayal of sexual content influence audiences’ sexual attitudes, behavior, and moral evaluations of determined sexual practices. Researchers also noticed that literacy lessons on media sexual content can help audiences understand and manage the influence that media’s sexual content has on them (Austin, Pinkleton, & Funabiki, 2007; Chia & Gunther, 2006; Eyal & Kunkel, 2008; Pinkleton, Austin, Chen, & Cohen, 2012). Chia and Gunther (2006) examined the influence of media on college students’ incorrect ideas of peer sexual norms and the outcomes of such misunderstandings. Results suggested that the majority of college students revealed to be pretty conservative regarding sexual standpoints yet they incorrectly perceived their peers as being sexually liberal. The researchers suggested that college students form misperceptions of sexual peer norms due to media’s frequent portrayals of sexual content, especially portrayals of pre-marital and casual sex. Eyal and Kunkel (2008) investigated the impact of sexual intercourse in television drama shows on young adults’ beliefs towards pre-marital sexual intercourse and on their ethical evaluations of the characters who engaged in this type of sexual activity. Results revealed that when participants watched positive results of sexual intercourse they evaluated the characters and behavior as appropriate and moral. On the other hand, when participants watched negative MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 11 results of sexual intercourse they judged the actions as unethical and inappropriate. Results were the same both immediately after watching the show and two weeks later. Thus, researchers concluded that television depictions of sexual intercourse influence young adults’ beliefs and ethical ideas about sexual intercourse before marriage in both the short and long run. Literacy lessons on media sexual content. Pinkleton, Austin, Chen, and Cohen (2012) studied the effects that media training has on young people based on media questionnaires given to middle school students who either underwent media lessons or not. Results suggest that sexual media literacy lessons can help adolescents better control their sexual behavior and choices. Sexual media lessons can help teenagers realize that media affect their decision making regarding sex, and that media portrayals are sometimes unrealistic and can have serious consequences. In addition participants who take sexual media lessons present more positive beliefs towards abstinence and more accurate perceptions of realistic sexual norms among teenagers. Moreover, Austin, Pinkleton, and Funabiki (2007), who analyzed the degree to which adolescents enjoyed the same media content before and after media training, argues that media literacy training improves adolescents’ critical skills towards media portrayals without decreasing the satisfaction they get from these media messages. Overall, research suggests that media seems to influence young adults and middle age adults ideas about sexual norms and pre-marital sex both in the short and long run. Research also shows that media literacy lessons can help audiences realize that media portrayals of sex can be unrealistic and have detrimental consequences on them. Media training can also help audiences, especially adolescents, better understand and control their sexuality. Finally, research also shows that while media literacy lessons can help audiences become more skeptical towards unrealistic portrayals of sex, this critical attitude does not affect audiences enjoyment of such MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 12 messages (Austin et al., 2007; Chia & Gunther, 2006; Eyal & Kunkel, 2008; Pinkleton et al., 2012). Justification for Research Researchers have noticed the increasing and pervasive role of media as a sexual socialization context for young people (Arthurs & Zacharias, 2006; Bragg, 2006; Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). Researchers have also described the nature, frequency, characters and consequences of sexual media scripts in different media channels including television, movies, music, magazines, and radio (Eyal & Finnerty, 2009; Hust et al., 2008). Other researchers have described the impact of sexual content in media on audiences’ attitudes and moral understandings of sex and sexual norms (Chia & Gunther, 2006; Eyal & Kunkel, 2008). Research has also suggested that sexual media training can help young people adopt a critical perspective when they watch media. This can help them make a better use of what they learn in the media without decreasing their enjoyment of these media messages (Austin et al., 2010; Pinkleton et al., 2012). My research will expand the work of all these researchers by examining the influence that movies’ sexual scripts have on young people perceptions of their own sexual lives and ultimately on their sexual confidence, abilities, overall self-esteem, and attitudes towards safe sex. I will focus my research questions on two main themes including sexual idealization and unhealthy sexuality. First I want to discover if media unrealistic portrayals of sex affect young adults’ ideas of their own sexual lives. Second, I want to find out if media unhealthy sexual health content has an impact on young people use of contraception methods and ideas about sex dangers. Research Proposal MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 13 I decided to study the portrayal of sexual content in movies and their impact on young people’s perceptions of their own sexual lives because I often hear college students who are disappointed or frustrated with their sexual lives. In addition, I noticed that people who feel this way seem to blame themselves or think something is wrong with them. I also noticed that conversations about this topic usually take place after people watch a movie, read a book, or listen to a song that includes sexual content. Moreover I often catch myself or my friends comparing our sexual lives with the ones of movie or book characters. Present research identifies media sexual scripts as idealized and unhealthy and media as a primary sexual socialization context for young people that affect their attitudes and moral evaluations regarding sex. I want to discover if movies’ unrealistic and unhealthy portrayals of sex can also affect young people perceptions of their own sexual lives including sexual abilities, confidence, selfesteem, and attitudes towards sex risks. I believe this to be a significant gap in research. Therefore I developed two hypotheses that are explained in detail in the following section. Methodology Since I want to study a particular demographic group, young adults, and a very private and intimate subject topic, sexual experiences, I will use quantitative methodology. Another reason why I am using quantitative methodology is because I am trying to show causation between variables and because I want to predict outcomes. I will use online surveys which are a very non-invasive and effective method to obtain honest and anonymous data. I will use directional hypotheses because I predict that manipulating the IV will cause a specific change (positive or negative) in the dependent variable (N. Johnson-Tsigaridas, personal communication, October 23, 2012). MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 14 H1: Young adults will be more likely to show dissatisfaction with their own sexual lives and to doubt their own sexual abilities after watching a movie that portrays an unrealistic sexual scene. I predict that by applying social comparison, young adults who watch an unrealistic sexual scene will be more likely to report dissatisfaction with their own sexual lives and doubt their own sexual abilities. I want to discover if media unrealistic portrayals of sex affect young adults’ ideas of their own sexual lives in a negative way. If this is the case I will argue that media’s glamorized and idealized portrayals of sexual content are negatively affecting college students sexual experiences, confidence, and self-esteem. H2: Young adults will be more likely to attribute importance to protection and contraception methods after watching a movie that portrays a healthy sexual scene. I predict that as a result of social learning, young adults who watch a healthy sexual scene will be more likely to attribute importance to protection and contraception methods. I want to discover if media’s portrayal of healthy sexuality can lead to young adults attributing more importance to engaging in safe sex. Participants I want to study the effects that media’s portrayal of sexual content have on young adults. College students are a suitable sample for this research that is easily accessible for an undergraduate researcher like me. Other participants could be young adults who are not college students. Since I want to discover if media has an effect on young adults’ perceptions and ideas about their sexual lives, my sample will include college students and other young adults who are sexually active. However, I can also include college students and young adults who are not sexually active. I can study the effect that media’s portrayal of sexual content has on their perceptions of their future sexual life. MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 15 Procedure I will conduct my research using an online survey through surveymonkey.com. A survey is a system for collecting data that cannot be observed personally or that it is too sensitive to obtain through interviews or focus groups. Surveys tend to be based on closed-ended questions but can also include open-ended questions (N. Johnson-Tsigaridas, personal communication, November 15, 2012). I will distribute my survey to college students and other young adults that are accessible. I will divide my participants in two groups. Group A will take the survey after watching a realistic and healthy sexual scene taken from a movie, and group B will take the survey after watching an unrealistic and unhealthy sexual scene taken from another movie. The questions of the survey will focus on four main areas including satisfaction with own sexual life, confidence in own sexual abilities, overall self-esteem, and attitudes and use of protection and contraception methods (see appendix A) Using hypothesis 2 “Young adults will be more likely to attribute importance to protection and contraception methods after watching a movie that portrays a healthy sexual scene” as an example I will identify and operationalize independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is type of sexual scene. One group will watch a healthy sexual scene taken from the movie Love & Basketball and the other group will watch an unhealthy sexual scene taken from the movie, The Notebook. The dependent variable will be importance given to protection and contraception methods. The independent variable will be operationalized as following. The healthy sexual scene will portray the use of a protection and/or contraception method (i.e. a condom). The unhealthy sexual scene will not portray the use of a protection and/or contraception method. The dependent variable will be operationalized according to selfreport on a Likert Scale (ranging from1 to 5). MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 16 I will use a statistical test called t-test that measures the difference between two groups of the same independent variable on the dependent variable (J. Milne, personal communication, November 6, 2012). Therefore, I will divide my independent variable in two groups (type of sexual scene watched; realistic and healthy vs. unrealistic and unhealthy) and see how they differently influence the dependent variable (perception of own sexual life including ability and satisfaction). One group will include participants who watched a realistic and healthy sex scene and another group will include participants who watched an unrealistic and unhealthy sex scene. A t-test will allow me to collect data from young adults who were exposed to different types of sexual media scripts. This will allow me to compare the results between participants who were exposed to a realistic and healthy sexual scene and participants who were exposed to an unrealistic and unhealthy sexual scene. I predict the data will show the different impact that distinct types of sexual media scripts have on audiences. Conclusion Movies, as most other media channels, tend to idealize sexual content and omit portraying healthy sexuality (Eyal & Finnerty, 2009; Hust et al., 2008). I will conduct an experiment to investigate the effect of movies’ sexual portrayals on young adults’ perceptions of their own sexual lives. I predict that movies’ idealization of sex will lead to young adults feeling less confident regarding their sexual abilities and less satisfied with their sexual lives. I also predict that movies’ unhealthy portrayal of sexuality will lead to young adults attributing less importance to safe sex. If my predictions are correct I will argue that movies’ sexual content is having a negative influence on young adults’ sexual lives. Audiences, especially young ones, need accurate and healthy sexual socialization contexts in order to form correct and healthy understandings of their own sexuality. Since media has become a primary sexual socialization MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS context, media channels such as movies should strive to portray more realistic and healthier sexual content in order to help audiences develop safe and pleasurable sexual lives (Arthurs & Zacharias, 2006; Bragg, 2006; Brown et al., 2005; L’Engle et al., 2006). 17 MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 18 References Arthurs, J., & Zacharias, U. (2006). Introduction. Feminist Media Studies, 6(2), 211-230. doi:10.1080/14680770600645226 Austin, E.W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Funabiki, R.P. (2007). The desirability paradox in the effects of media literacy training. Communications Research, 34, 483-506. doi:10.1177/0093650207305233 Bragg, S. (2006). Young women, the media, and sex education. Feminist Media Studies, 6(4), 546-551. doi:10.1080/14680770600990051 Brown, J. D., Halpern, C. T., & L’Engle, K. L. (2005). Mass media as a sexual super peer for early maturing girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 36(5), 420-427. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.06.003 Campbell, R. & Martin, C. & Fabos, B. (2010). Media & culture: An introduction to mass communications. Boston, NY: Bedford/St.Martin’s. Chia, S. C., & Gunther, A. C. (2006). How media contribute to misperceptions of social norms about sex. Mass Communication & Society, 9(3), 301-320. doi:10.1207/s15327825mcs0903_3 Eyal, K., & Finnerty, K. (2009). The portrayal of sexual intercourse on television: How, who, and with what consequence? Mass Communication & Society, 12(2), 143-169. doi:10.1080/15205430802136713 Eyal, K., & Kunkel, D. (2008). The effects of sex in television drama shows on emerging adults' sexual attitudes and moral judgments. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 52(2), 161-181. doi:10.1080/08838150801991757 MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 19 Glazer, S. (2004). Sexually transmitted diseases: The issues. CQ Researcher, 14(42), 99-1016 http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2004120300 Hust, S. T., Brown, J. D., & L'Engle, K. (2008). Boys will be boys and girls better be prepared: An analysis of the rare sexual health messages in young adolescents' media. Mass Communication & Society, 11(1), 3-23. doi:10.1080/15205430701668139 Kunkel, D., Eyal, K., Finnerty, K., Biely, E., & Donnerstein, E. (2005). Sex on TV 4. Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. L’Engle, K.L., Brown, J.D, & Kenneavy, K. (2006). The mass media are an important context for adolescents’ sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 381, 86-192. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.03.020 Martinez, G., Copen, C. E., Abma, J. C. (2011) Teenagers in the United States: Sexual activity, contraceptive use, and childbearing, 2006–2010: National Survey of Family Growth. National Center for Health Statistics. 23(31). Mix, C. (2012, August 3). Hollywood sex is destroying my sex life. Flurt! Retrieved from http://www.flurtsite.com/ Office of the Surgeon General (2001). The Surgeon General’s call to action to promote sexual health and responsible sexual behavior. Rockville, MD: U.S. Public Health Service. Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E., Chen, Y., & Cohen, M. (2012). The role of media literacy in shaping adolescents' understanding of and responses to sexual portrayals in mass media. Journal of Health Communication, 17(4), 460-476. doi:10.1080/10810730.2011.635770 Thomas, M. (2012). Sex scenes on screen not as fun as they look, actors say. Chicago SunTimes. Retrieved from http://www.suntimes.com/ MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 20 Wood, J. T. (2010). Interpersonal communication: Everyday encounters. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Wright, P. (2009). Sexual Socialization Messages in Mainstream Entertainment Mass Media: A Review and Synthesis. Sexuality & Culture, 13(4), 181-200. doi:10.1007/s12119-0099050-5 MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 21 Appendix A Preliminary Survey Age: Sex: Female/Male/Other Please answer the following questions using the scale below with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. Sexual Satisfaction 1. I am satisfied with my sexual life. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree 2. I enjoy engaging in sexual relations. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree Confidence on Sexual Ability 3. I am good at sex. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree 4. I give pleasure to my sexual partner. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Overall Self-Esteem. 5. I deserve to enjoy my sexual life. Neutral Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree MOVIES’ SEXUAL CONTENT ON ADULTS 22 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Somewhat Disagree Disagree Neutral Somewhat Strongly Agree Agree Attitude Towards Safe Sex. 6. Using protection and contraception methods is important. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Somewhat Disagree Disagree Neutral Somewhat Strongly Agree Agree Future Use of Protection and Contraception Methods. 7. I will use protection and contraception methods when engaging in sex in the future. 1-----------------------2----------------------3--------------------4------------------------5 Strongly Somewhat Disagree Disagree Neutral Somewhat Strongly Agree Agree