Understanding the Nature of Media Effects From Onscreen Exposure to Alcohol, Sex, and Their Combination

Purpose Combinations of risk behaviors are common in popular media, which make it difficult to understand how exposure to risk content affects adolescent risk behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether media effects associated with exposure to multiple risk behaviors (i.e., combined alcohol and sex, sex only, alcohol only, and no risk) in television content have specific or more general effects on attitudes and norms associated with performing these behaviors. Methods Adolescents aged 14–17 years from an opt-in Qualtrics panel (n = 338) were randomized into one of four conditions, which varied the presence of risk behaviors (i.e., combined alcohol and sex, sex only, alcohol only, and no risk) that were featured in a brief video clip from a popular television show. We tested the content effects on behavioral attitudes and norms for performing each of the behaviors. Results Analysis of variance analyses showed that exposure to combined alcohol and sex resulted in more positive attitudes toward engaging in combining alcohol and sex, drinking, and smoking. Exposure to the sex only, alcohol only, and no risk videos did not influence any attitudes or norms. Conclusions A brief exposure to combined risk behaviors in media may increase positive attitudes related to the combination behavior (alcohol and sex), a component behavior (alcohol), and also more general risk-taking behaviors (smoking).