title: The association between television-viewing behaviors and adolescent dating role attitudes and behaviors.
abstract: Two hundred and fifteen ninth grade students were surveyed to examine the relationship between television use and gender role attitudes and behavior in dating situations. Findings indicate the existence of a relationship between watching "romantic" television programming and having more traditional gender role attitudes in dating situations. However, watching non-romantic television dramas and thinking television was realistic, was related to having less traditional dating role attitudes. In addition, watching soap operas was related to a younger age of dating initiation and a greater number of dating partners. These results suggest that along with their own experiences in dating peers, adolescents may be learning from television programs that dating is a gendered process with prescribed roles for males and females, an attitude connected with greater sexual risk for young women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4620, USA. rrivade@ilstu.edu
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivadeneyra
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lebo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D003380:Courtship / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011936:Reality Testing; D012925:Social Conformity; D012945:Social Values; D013240:Stereotyping; D013690:Television