title: The Dual Role of Media Internalization in Adolescent Sexual Behavior.
abstract: Sexualizing media content is prevalent in various media types. Sexualizing media messages and portrayals emphasize unattainable body and appearance ideals as the primary components of sexual desirability. The internalization of these ideals is positively related to self-objectification and sexual body consciousness. In turn, self-objectification and sexual body consciousness affect adolescents' sexual behavior, albeit in opposing directions. While objectifying self-perceptions are linked to higher levels of sexual behavior, body consciousness during physical intimacy is linked to lower levels of sexual behavior. Based on this knowledge, the present three-wave panel study of 824 Belgian, predominant heterosexual adolescents (Mage= 15.33; SD = 1.45) proposes a dual-pathway model that investigates two different pathways through which the internalization of media ideals may impact adolescents' sexual behavior. An inhibitory pathway links media internalization to lower levels of sexual behavior through sexual body consciousness, and a supportive pathway links media internalization to higher levels of sexual behavior through self-objectification. Structural equation analyses supported the proposed dual-pathway, showing that the impact of media internalization on adolescents' sexual behavior proceeds through an inhibitory pathway and a supportive pathway. Regarding the supportive pathway, media internalization (W1) positively predicted sexual behavior (W3), through valuing appearance over competence (W2). Regarding the inhibitory pathway, media internalization (W1) positively predicted body surveillance, which, in turn, positively predicted sexual body consciousness (all W2). Sexual body consciousness (W2) is negatively related to sexual behavior (W3). From a sexual developmental perspective, these findings emphasize the importance of guiding adolescents in interpreting and processing sexualizing media messages.
authors.affiliation: Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, Box 3603, 3000, Louvain, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ine
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beyens
authors.affiliation: Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, Box 3603, 3000, Louvain, Belgium. Steven.Eggermont@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.affiliation: Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, Box 3603, 3000, Louvain, Belgium.|Research Foundation Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen), Louvain, Belgium.|MIOS (Media, ICT, and Interpersonal Relations in Organisations and Society), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vandenbosch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001530:Belgium; D001828:Body Image; D003243:Consciousness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners
keywords: Media internalization; Self-objectification; Sexual behavior; Sexual body consciousness; Sexualizing media