Romantic relationship commitment and the threat of alternatives on social media

Although previous findings suggest a link between adults' use of social networking sites (SNS) and relationship commitment, research has been lacking. This study of 427 emerging and young adults (aged 18–32 years, 71.20% female) indicated that exposure to alternative partners on SNS was indirectly related to relationship commitment through the pursuing of alternative partners on SNS. The more frequently they were exposed to alternative partners on SNS, the more they engaged in pursuing these alternative partners, which negatively affected their relationship commitment. Furthermore, a positive relation between exposure and romantic comparison to alternative partners was found. Gender did not moderate these relations. The discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for relationship development.     

A Short-Term Longitudinal Exploration of the Impact of TV Exposure on Objectifying Attitudes Toward Women in Early Adolescent Boys

Sex Roles - The present study aimed to examine the relationships over time between television viewing (music and tween TV) and boys’ endorsement of sexualized gender roles, that is, views of...     

Behavioral Activation and Inhibition as Moderators of the Relationship Between Music Video-Viewing and Joyriding Attitudes

Recently, a growing number of studies have shown a relationship between exposure to risk-glorifying media and risky driving perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. The present study contributes to this line of research by examining emerging adults' behavioral approach system (BAS) and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) as moderators of the relationship between music video-viewing and joyriding attitudes. A cross-sectional survey among a sample of 539 emerging adults (ages 18–24) was conducted to examine the relationships between these constructs. Advanced moderation analyses indicated that, after controlling for sensation-seeking, physical aggression, gender, BIS, and BAS, the relationship between music video-viewing and joyriding attitudes only existed for respondents with a low BIS profile. Thus, low sensitivity to punishment functioned as a condition for the relationship between music video-viewing and joyriding attitudes. Furthermore, the results provided initial evidence for the hypothesis that the relationship between sensation-seeking and joyriding attitudes is explained by respondents' BAS scores. Accordingly, it seems advisable to include BIS and BAS in future media research. The present study also has important implications for the construction and planning of prevention campaigns, which are extensively discussed.     

Maternal Attachment and Television Viewing in Adolescents’ Sexual Socialization: Differential Associations Across Gender

The present study explores whether gender and maternal attachment moderate the relationship between television viewing and adolescents’ sexual and gender stereotypical attitudes. A quantitative survey was conducted among 1,026 Belgian adolescents in a targeted sample of nine schools (Mean age?=?16.3). Findings show that greater exposure to television among boys and lower maternal attachment among boys and girls is associated with more liberal and stereotypical sexual attitudes. While maternal attachment has a buffering effect on the relationship between television viewing and sexual attitudes among girls, maternal attachment has a risk-increasing effect among boys. Further research is needed to explore more fully the emergence of gender differences in the influence of maternal attachment and television viewing on adolescents’ sexual development.     

Sexting,Mobile Porn Use,and Peer Group Dynamics: Boys' and Girls' Self-Perceived Popularity,Need for Popularity,and Perceived Peer Pressure

There is considerable concern about adolescents producing, consuming, and distributing sexual materials via mobile phone communication. The purpose of this study was to examine key aspects of peer influence and the peer context in relation to two such practices: sexting and mobile porn use. The results of a high-school survey study (N = 1,943) revealed that 6% of Flemish teens (11–20 years of age) have sent a sext, while 9% use mobile porn. Teens who were more popular with the other sex and with a greater need for popularity were more likely to report both behaviors. Boys' mobile porn use was also predicted by perceived peer pressure. Same-sex popularity was unrelated to boys' sexting behavior and mobile porn use; for girls, a negative relationship was found.     

Do Gender and Age Moderate the Relationship between Friendship Quality and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Community Children and Adolescents?

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between friendship quality (dimensions) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) as well as the moderating role of gender and age in this relationship. The sample consisted of 463 children and adolescents (50.10% female, age range: 9–17 years). Friendship quality and NSSI were measured using the Friendship Qualities Scale (FQS; Bukowski, Hoza, & Boivin, 1994) and the Self Harm Inventory (SHI; Sansone, Wiederman, & Sansone, 1998), respectively. Overall, total friendship quality and NSSI were significantly and negatively related. Additionally, the relationship between total friendship quality and NSSI was moderated by gender and age. Specifically, girls with low friendship quality reported more NSSI; whereas for boys an opposite effect was found. As for age, friendship quality and NSSI were positively related in older participants. In younger participants, a relationship between friendship quality and NSSI seemed rather absent. This study highlights the important association between friendship quality and NSSI, as well as gender- and age-related differences in this association, which should be taken into account in the prevention and treatment of NSSI.     

Television Viewing and Adolescents’ Judgment of Sexual Request Scripts: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis in Early and Middle Adolescence

A longitudinal study was conducted to explore the relationship between television viewing and beliefs about expressing sexual desire in dating situations. In three consecutive years, a panel of early adolescents (N = 883) and a panel of middle adolescents (N = 651) rated the effectiveness of a sexual approach and a romantic approach. Latent growth curve analyses indicate that between the ages of 12 and 15 there is a growing belief in the effectiveness of the sexual approach, which was related to respondents’ maturity status but unrelated to television viewing, and a weakening belief in the effectiveness of the romantic strategy, a decline that appeared to be quickened by television viewing in the female sample and slowed down by television viewing in the male sample. Between the ages of 15 and 18 television viewing reinforces a respondent’s belief in the effectiveness of both the sexual and the romantic strategy. Steven Eggermont, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow of the K.U. Leuven Research Fund at The Leuven School for Mass Communication Research.     

Understanding the Relationship Between Mothers’ Attitudes Toward Television and Children’s Television Exposure: A Longitudinal Study of Reciprocal Patterns and the Moderating Role of Maternal Stress

This two-wave panel study among mothers (N = 508) of children between ages six months and six years investigated a) the possibility of a reciprocal relationship between mothers’ attitudes toward television and children’s television viewing, and b) the conditional probability of this reciprocal relationship. Two-wave multigroup cross-lagged analyses provided evidence for reciprocal patterns that depend on the level of maternal stress. The findings indicated that mothers’ attitudes toward television predicted children’s subsequent television viewing among non-stressed mothers, but not among stressed mothers. Children’s television viewing predicted mothers’ subsequent negative attitudes toward television among stressed mothers, but not among non-stressed mothers. Implications for the role of parents’ attitudes regarding children’s television viewing are discussed.     

Helpful or Harmful? The Different Relationships Between Private Facebook Interactions and Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms

ABSTRACT

This study aims to provide greater insight into the role of 2 aspects of online peer interactions—perceived online social support and online corumination—in the short-term longitudinal relationship between private Facebook interactions and adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Special attention is given to gender differences. To test our hypotheses, a 2-wave panel study was set up (N_Time1 = 1,840). Using structural equation modeling, results showed that private Facebook interactions were concurrently positively related to boys’ and girls’ online corumination and online corumination was positively associated with boys’ and girls’ depressive symptoms. In addition, results revealed that private Facebook interactions were predictive of relative increases in boys’ and girls’ perceptions of online social support over time (i.e., 6 months later). Perceptions of online social support in turn were predictive of relative decreases in girls’ depressive symptoms over time. The discussion focuses on the understanding and implications of these findings.     

Beauty is Good: The Appearance Culture,the Internalization of Appearance Ideals,and Dysfunctional Appearance Beliefs Among Tweens

Dysfunctional appearance beliefs have been identified as important risk factors in the development of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors among early adolescents. The current two‐wave study among 10–14‐year‐olds (N = 1,597, M_age = 11.25, SD = 1.05) aimed to delineate factors that contribute to the endorsement of such beliefs. Results showed that tweens discussed appearance‐related topics with their friends more often when they frequently watched tween television programs (all time 1). Both media exposure and peer conversations (time 1) were related to attributing benefits to attractiveness (time 1), which, in turn, predicted the internalization of appearance ideals (time 1). The internalization of appearance ideals positively predicted the endorsement of dysfunctional appearance beliefs 6 months later.