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Constructing a sexual identity is one of the major developmental tasks of adolescence. Applying the Media Practice Model, this study retrospectively examines how self-identifying lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals used media during the commencement of the coming-out process and the effects of media use during this pivotal time of development. Results indicate that the Internet plays a critical role in the development of LGB sexual identities. Heavy users of media during the coming-out process are significantly less likely to communicate openly with their families later in life. However, individuals' reports of loneliness and self-esteem are not affected. Conclusions suggest that mediated forms of communication can be beneficial for sexual exploration among LGB individuals.Keywords Sexual orientation Á Adolescent development Á Media effects Á Family communication Understanding and appreciating one's own sexuality can be an arduous process creating grief and complications for many adolescents. The case is especially true for individuals who realize their sexuality may not fit societal norms. Although adolescents spend a significant amount of time talking about sex and exploring sex in the media (Savin-Williams and Diamond 2004), using the media during sexual exploration could have consequences on the family structure. Research has systematically explored the ways in which family communication is related to media use (Wilson 2004), and how lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adolescents utilize family communication when dealing with their sexuality (Feldman and Rosenthal 2002). Previous research has not, however, analyzed how each of these

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We explore differences in House candidates' campaign agendas across Web sites and televised ads, comparing the size and scope of their online and off-line issue priorities, their patterns of partisan issue ownership and issue trespassing, and the extent of issue convergence with the agendas of their opponents. Our results, based on a sample of 129 candidates in the 2000 election, indicate that Web and ad agendas are similar in a number of ways but that differences do exist across the venues. These differences have important theoretical implications for our understanding of candidate behavior and campaign effects as well as important practical implications for political communication researchers choosing venues for study.

Secrets are common within relationships. Sometimes, unbeknownst to a secret keeper, a relational partner learns a secret but allows the keeper to believe that the secret is still unknown. This article summarizes two investigations of such instances, which we call putative secrets. Study 1 (N = 207) provided a descriptive base of putative secret topics, means by which secrets are kept, and perceived reasons for keeping secrets. Study 2 (N = 383) found that the relational impact of putative secrets depended on the secret topic, individuals’ perceptions of the topic, the ways the secret was kept, and the perceived reasons for keeping the secret. There were also theoretically interesting interactions among the reasons for keeping the secret.

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