| 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 the effects of the media 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 two projects, a paper-and-pencil survey with 213 respondents and an experiment with 183 subjects. These two projects were conducted during October, 2002 and February, 2003.; Results generally supported the model: (1) late adolescents attend to sex-related media and believe their peers attend to similar media content as themselves; (2) late 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 late adolescents to become more sexually permissive; and (4) the permissive sexual attitudes of late adolescents predict the possibility for late adolescents to have premarital sex, casual sex or extramarital sex. |
