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Because media provide a steady stream of models, they are especially poised to offer formative information about race. Yet although U.S. youth consume approximately 7 h of media daily, we know little about how media use contributes to their developing racial attitudes. Instead, research has focused mainly on adults, and studies of youth have developed along separate tracks for youth who are White and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color). In this article, we first analyze the lack of attention to media effects on the development of racial attitudes, despite their assumed prominence as socializers. Then we summarize research on youth of color and White youth. We conclude with suggestions for building a comprehensive research agenda, including addressing gaps in the associations tested, considering more nuanced assessments of race and media, and integrating approaches across fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet has become a ubiquitous central element in the lives of adolescents. In this conceptual paper, we focus on digital white racial socialization (D‐WRS), arguing: (1) for an expanded conceptualization of WRS as doings, and (2) that social media may be changing processes of WRS through an extension of traditional settings and through the creation of unique social contexts. We highlight the uniqueness of social media contexts due to the designed normalization of whiteness, weak‐tie racism, social media affordances, and racialized pedagogical zones allowing adolescents to practice doing race. We introduce a conceptual framework for D‐WRS and end with an expressed need for conceptually guided research on the multidimensional relationship between social media and WRS processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Strong Black woman (SBW) schema refers to the U.S. cultural gender role expectation of Black women as resilient despite adversity, selfless, and serving as caretakers and providers. Previous scholars have examined the nature, origins, and consequences of this schema, including the ways in which Black women navigate the SBW in their workplaces, communities, and relationships. Overall, research frames the schema as a paradox, noting that endorsing the SBW can compromise Black women's health while simultaneously encouraging resilience. In this review, we aim to provide a descriptive and holistic analysis for understanding gaps in the literature, as well as providing suggestions for the future. Using a scoping review, we examine the current state of social science knowledge about the SBW, focusing on its character, socialization practices, and consequences for Black women's physical and mental health. We end by discussing directions for future research on the SBW schema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although objectification theory posits negative consequences of self‐objectification for adolescent girls, few studies have tested how objectification and sexualization contribute to mental health for youth of color. Accordingly, the current study explores the relations among body surveillance, enjoyment of sexualization, and mental health for a sample of 473 Black and White adolescent girls (Mage = 15.21, SD = 1.43). As expected, body surveillance and enjoyment of sexualization were associated with various forms of diminished well‐being. Race moderated two of these links, with Black girls who reported higher levels of body surveillance also reporting higher levels of depression and hostility compared with their White peers. Future work should examine the implications of enjoyment of sexualization for youth of color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Puberty is a critical biopsychosocial event that has long-term consequences for adolescents' behavior and well-being. Research has shown that developing earlier than one's peers may worsen adolescent girls' body image, in part due to weight redistribution and increases in adiposity resulting from pubertal development. However, research has yet to examine if pubertal timing is associated with girls' body beliefs related to self-objectification, self-sexualization, and positive body image beyond the adolescent years. We address that issue here.Methods: Participants were 287 undergraduate White women (Mage = 18.62, SDage = 0.93) from the United States who completed surveys containing a retrospective report of pubertal timing and several scales assessing their current body beliefs.Results: Regression analyses demonstrated that earlier pubertal timing was linked to greater body surveillance, greater sex appeal self-worth, and less body appreciation, but not to body shame or enjoyment of sexualization, which were negatively related to age.Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that pubertal timing has downstream consequences for a variety of women's body beliefs. However, older women reported less body shame and less enjoyment of sexualization than younger women, suggesting possible age (and not puberty-) related developmental trends in these two body beliefs. These findings highlight a need for future work with larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much attention concerning the potential impact of sexualized media has focused on girls and women, less is known about how this content effects boys' perceptions of women and courtship. Accordingly, the current three-wave panel study investigated whether exposure to sexualizing magazines predicts adolescent boys' ( N = 592) sexually objectifying notions of women and their beliefs about feminine courtship strategies. The results indicated that when boys consumed sexualizing magazines more often, they expressed more gender-stereotypical beliefs about feminine courtship strategies over time. This association was mediated by boys' objectification of women. The possibility of a reciprocal relation whereby beliefs about courtship strategies predict future consumption of sexualizing magazines was also explored but received no support. Discussion focuses on effects of sexualizing media on boys, and supports future research to build on multidisciplinary knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenfield's () theory linking sociodemographic change to dynamic cultural values for family interdependence versus individual independence is applied to sexual and gender role socialization and development. The theory explains how cultural pathways for sexual and gender-role development transform in concert with sociodemographic changes: urbanization, formal schooling, capitalism, and communication technologies. As environments become more urban, commercial, and technological, with more opportunities for formal education, sexual development moves away from the ideals of procreation and family responsibility and toward the ideals of personal pleasure and personal responsibility. At the same time, gender-role development moves away from the ideals of complementary and ascribed gender roles and toward chosen and equal gender roles. We present psychological, anthropological, and sociological evidence for these trends in a variety of communities undergoing social and ecological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter discusses several ways in which the media may serve as a positive force in young women's sexual health and development through the information and models they provide and the opportunities they offer for validation and self-expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using both correlational and experimental methodology, this study examined contributions of TV viewing to adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior. A sample of 244 high school students was assigned to view clips depicting either one of three sexual stereotypes or neutral content. Participants then completed measures assessing their attitudes about sexual roles and relationships, their regular TV viewing habits, and their sexual experiences. Results indicated that more frequent viewing of talk shows and of “sexy” prime-time programs, and viewing TV more intently for companionship, were each associated with greater endorsement of sexual stereotypes. Additionally, more frequent viewing and stronger identification with popular TV characters were associated with greater levels of sexual experience. Laboratory exposure to specific stereotypical content lead to greater acceptance of gender and sexual stereotypes, as well. Implications for television's role as a sexual educator are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the claim that mass media use may contribute to shaping American adolescents' developing beliefs about gender, race, sexuality and beauty ideals and also their brains and biology. The goal of the article is to highlight findings in four domains that offer greater understanding of the media's multifaceted implications for the lives of children and adolescents in the U.S. The authors also explained the reason behind the growing interest in the media's role in normative development of children and adolescents. It has been claimed that this interest is being fueled by research in public health, communication studies, medicine and social and developmental psychology.