Exploring Associations Between Exposure to Sexy Online Self-Presentations and Adolescents’ Sexual Attitudes and Behavior

Abstract

Previous research suggests that adolescents' social network site use is related to their sexual development. However, the associations between adolescents' exposure to sexy self-presentations of others on social network sites and their sexual attitudes and experience have not yet been empirically supported. This study investigated reciprocal longitudinal relationships between adolescents' exposure to others' sexy self-presentations on social network sites and their sexual attitudes (i.e., sexual objectification of girls and instrumental attitudes towards sex) and sexual experience. We further tested whether these associations depended on adolescents' age and gender. Results from a representative two-wave panel study among 1,636 Dutch adolescents (aged 13-17, 51.5 % female) showed that exposure to sexy online self-presentations of others predicted changes in adolescents' experience with oral sex and intercourse 6 months later, but did not influence their sexual attitudes. Adolescents' instrumental attitudes towards sex, in turn, did predict their exposure to others' sexy online self-presentations. Sexual objectification increased such exposure for younger adolescents, but decreased exposure for older adolescents. In addition, adolescents' experience with genital touching as well as oral sex (only for adolescents aged 13-15) predicted their exposure to sexy self-presentations of others. These findings tentatively suggest that the influence on adolescents' sexual attitudes previously found for sexual media content may not hold for sexy self-presentations on social network sites. However, exposure to sexy self-presentations on social network sites is motivated by adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior, especially among young adolescents.

Gender roles on social networking sites: investigating reciprocal relationships between Dutch adolescents’ hypermasculinity and hyperfemininity and sexy online self-presentations

“…At the same time, previous research on the impact of SNSs on outcomes, such as sexual experience (van Oosten et al, 2015a) and appearance investment and body satisfaction (e.g., de Vries, Peter, de Graaf, & Nikken, 2016;de Vries, Peter, Nikken, & de Graaf, 2014), did not find any differences between adolescent boys and girls. To gain more insight into possible gender differences in the relationships between adolescents' gender role orientation and SNS use in general and sexy self-presentations in particular, we asked whether gender moderated the previously hypothesized reciprocal relationships (RQ1).…”

“…Moreover, one of the main functions of SNSs is to get in contact and interact with peers (Barker, 2009;Gross, 2004;Lenhart & Madden, 2007). One previous study found that stereotypical sexual attitudes predict adolescents' exposure to sexy self-presentations of others on SNSs (van Oosten et al, 2015a). Overall, then, the findings of previous studies suggest that hypergender orientation may form a predisposing factor of both adolescents' own engagement in sexy self-presentation and their exposure to others' sexy self-presentations.…”

“…Some scholars have started to investigate predictors of adolescents' own sexy selfpresentation (e.g., subjective peer norms, Baumgartner, Sumter, Peter, & Valkenburg, 2015; gender, sexual experience and sexual interest, Doornwaard, Moreno, van den Eijnden, Vanwesenbeeck, & Ter Bogt, 2014), as well as of adolescents' exposure to sexy selfpresentations of others (e.g., sexual objectification of women; instrumental attitudes toward sex, and sexual experience, van Oosten, Peter, & Boot, 2015a). However, one particularly relevant predisposing factor has still been overlooked in the literature, namely adolescents' endorsement of stereotypical gender roles.…”

The Relationship Between Sexual Content on Mass Media and Social Media: A Longitudinal Study

“…Recently, research has shown that adolescents also use social media to distribute sexually suggestive images of themselves. [2][3][4] For example, a content analysis revealed that one in five adolescents showed sexually revealing images on his or her online profile. 5 Another study demonstrated that up to half of the teenage profiles contain a sexy image of the adolescent user.…”

Social Media in the Sexual Lives of African American and Latino Youth: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Neighborhood

“…There are a number of platforms that facilitate these interactions, including online dating sites (e.g., MyLOL.com; bebo.com), geosocial networking sites (e.g., Skout, Blendr, Grindr), sites where youth can engage in sex-based role playing, and apps for sharing sexually-explicit images online (e.g., Snapchat, sexting, emailing nude photos) (Gabarron, Serrano, Wynn, & Lau, 2014;Holloway, Dunlap, Del Pino, Hermanstyne, Pulsipher, & Landovitz, 2014;Jordán-Conde, Mennecke, & Townsend, 2014;van Oosten, Peter, & Boot, 2015). While many of these sites are relatively new and thus less is known about adolescent users, there is some preliminary evidence to suggest they are important points for future study.…”