{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Erica Avesian","provider_url":"http:\/\/ericathewritingqueen.wordpress.com","author_name":"eavesian","author_url":"http:\/\/ericathewritingqueen.wordpress.com\/author\/eavesian\/","title":"Sex and the City Research Paper Literature Review","type":"link","html":"
<\/p>\n Previous research has examined the effects of media use on sexual attitudes and behaviors. Research shows that media influences are significantly associated with adolescents\u2019 sexual intentions and behaviors (L\u2019Engle, Brown, & Kenneavy, 2006). In their study, L\u2019Engle et al. (2006) found\u00a0 \u201cthat adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in their media diets, and who perceive greater support from the media for teen sexual behavior, report more sexual activity and greater intentions to engage in sexual intercourse in the near future\u201d (L\u2019Engle et al., 2006). This is problematic because researchers have found \u201cthe majority of sexual content in the media depicts risk-free, recreational sexual behavior between nonmarried people\u201d (L\u2019Engle et al., 2006). It will be interesting to see how these portrayals affect viewers in relation to my study[GA1]<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n A vast majority of media research involves the cultivation theory [GA2]<\/a>\u00a0which assumes television as a whole impacts the viewer regardless of the specific content; however, this is not always the case. Ward et al. (2006) argue \u201cthat specific critical portrayals may exert a stronger force on impression formation and image building than might the sheer frequency of television viewed\u201d (p. 62). I hope to further explore this notion in my study which is why I will focus on specific portrayals [GA3]<\/a>\u00a0in Sex and the City<\/i>. Studies have examined the sexual content of Sex and the City<\/i> compared to television in general and found that \u201cSex and the City<\/i> featured more sexual content scenes per hour than television in general\u201d (Jensen & Jensen, 2007, p. 279). Because of this, I am interested in analyzing representations of sexual behavior in Sex and the City<\/i> and how these representations impact viewers.[GA4]<\/a><\/p>\n Ward & Friedman (2006) found that \u201cmore frequent viewing of Sexy [GA5]<\/a>\u00a0Prime-Time programming [like Sex and the City<\/i>] was associated with stronger support of Recreational Sex\u201d (p. 146). In a content analysis of Sex and the City<\/i>, Cramer (2007) discovered that there are \u201cfrequent references to sex as a \u2018\u2018fun\u2019\u2019 activity; i.e., implying no commitment or deeper intimacy with another\u201d (p.415). She also found discussion of the frequency of sex for the characters on Sex and the City<\/i>. Similarly, Markle (2008) found that \u201calmost all of the relationships started out as recreational sexual encounters, with sex generally occurring on the first date or meeting\u201d (p.51). As mentioned above, this [GA6]<\/a>\u00a0could have potentially negative effects on viewers who might look to the show for validation and approval in regards to their own sexual attitudes and behaviors.<\/p>\n Aside from simply viewing the sexual depictions on Sex and the City<\/i>, viewers who identify with specific characters may feel greater media effects. Ward and Friedman (2006) found that \u201cmore frequent viewing and stronger identification with popular TV characters were associated with greater levels of sexual experience\u201d (p.133). I expect to find similar results in my own study; however, I plan to study the effects of just Sex and the City <\/i>on a college-age female population whereas this study looked at the effects [GA7]<\/a>\u00a0of various television shows on a high-school age male and female population. Ward et al. (2006) explored which characters on television people identify with and found a majority of responses including Carrie on Sex and the City<\/i>. They found \u201cthat identifying with popular characters and perceiving media figures as role models is indeed associated with students\u2019 sexual attitudes and behavior\u201d (Ward et al., 2006, p.63). Likewise, Ward and Rivadenyra (1999) found that \u201cadolescent viewers who experienced greater connection with the sexual situations typically portrayed on network television were also more likely to endorse recreational attitudes toward sex, to expect higher levels of sexual activity among their peers, and to be more sexually experienced.\u201d I expect those who identify with one of the four main female characters on Sex and the City <\/i>(Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, Miranda) to feel more in control of their sex lives and to engage in more sex because this is how the characters are represented on the show[GA8]<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n It may be that those who identify with the female characters on Sex and the City<\/i> think it is okay to engage in frequent casual premarital sex after seeing the characters own sexual attitudes and behaviors. Conversely, those who identify with the characters on Sex and the City<\/i> may do so because the portrayals of sex on the show demonstrated through conversations and behaviors fit with their existing views on sex [GA9]<\/a>\u00a0(Rubin, 2002). As is indicated by the content analyses and my own viewing of the show, the sexual attitudes displayed in Sex and the City<\/i> include the following: casual sex is fun, premarital sex is okay, confidence in the bedroom is attractive, a high sex drive is expected, and a [GA10]<\/a>\u00a0woman should sleep with a man on her terms. The sexual behaviors depicted on the show include [GA11]<\/a>\u00a0the following: engaging in casual premarital sex, engaging in sexual acts with men who the women do not know very well, initiating sex, and talking about sex with friends.<\/p>\n Although some researchers discuss the negative effects of mass media on sexual attitudes and behaviors, others think that mass media may have a positive influence on young women\u2019s sexual health and development. Ward, Day, & Epstein (2006) found that \u201cdespite evidence that a majority of portrayals are one-dimensional sexual stereotypes, some characters are not and instead provide realistic characterizations with which viewers can connect\u201d (p. 58). I propose that the female characters on Sex and the City <\/i>fall into this category because the show does not portray the characters in terms of sexual stereotypes such as male dominance, female submission, and female sexual objectification. As Sanchez, Kiefer, and Ybarra (2006) note, \u201cthe media depict gender-based sexual roles that promulgate female sexual submissiveness\u201d (p. 513). Instead, Sex and the City <\/i>represents the female characters as initiating, engaging in, and talking about sex more often than the male characters do [GA12]<\/a>\u00a0as is indicated by the absence of sexually dominant male characters. In contrast to typical media representations, the male characters on Sex and the City<\/i> seem to be the ones that are objectified. This could pose its own threats, but they are not of interest to my study. Nevertheless, I am interested in exploring how the male characters in Sex and the City<\/i> are sexually objectified.<\/p>\n Fortunately, research has been done to investigate the portrayals of men on Sex and the City.<\/i> Cramer\u2019s (2007) study indicates that \u201cin Sex and the City<\/i>, male characters are stereotyped, fairly undeveloped, and often labeled. The one male character who could be considered the leading male character on the show (Carrie\u2019s long-term love interest) is never referred to by name but by the nickname she gives him: \u2018\u2018Mr. Big.\u201d Other men are referred to as, \u2018\u2018Mr. Cocky,\u2019\u2019 \u2018\u2018The \u2018we\u2019 guy,\u2019\u2019 \u2018\u2018Catholic Guy,\u2019\u2019 \u2018\u2018The Marrying Guy,\u2019\u2019 \u2018\u2018Manhattan Guy,\u2019\u2019 and \u2018\u2018Mr. Pussy\u2019\u2019\u201d (p. 420). Here, we see how men are objectified by being represented in terms of stereotypical descriptors. \u201cIn addition, men are often discussed in terms of their anatomy and how they perform sexually. In this sense, they are objects\u201d (Cramer, 2007, p. 420-421). \u00a0This portrayal of men as sex objects is atypical for the media.<\/p>\n Usually it is the women who are sexually objectified. However, the four main female characters on Sex and the City<\/i> do not fit the stereotypical mold of women as sex objects. Markle (2008) found that \u201cthe leading women attempt to transgress gendered sexual roles in their quest to experience \u2018\u2018sex like a man\u2019\u2019, which they characterize as without feeling, for pleasure only, and with no commitment\u201d (p.46). Again, this could be problematic for viewers who imitate the attitudes and behaviors of the characters. Markle\u2019s (2008) research explores how one of the characters, Samantha, engages in sex with a variety of partners and performs a variety of sex acts such as threesomes, both of which are stereotypically male behaviors. In a study analyzing unusual sexual acts, Jonason and Marks (2009) found that \u201ca woman who had a threesome with a member of each gender was derogated more than the man who engaged in identical activity\u201d (p. 363). This indicates that the same standards do not apply to men and women engaging in the same sex acts. I hope to further explore this in my study [GA13]<\/a>\u00a0by examining the ways in which taboo sexual acts are exposed in Sex and the City<\/i>. Here is one such example of a Sex and the City<\/i> character behaving in opposition to stereotypical sexual standards. \u201cIn classic gender role reversal, Samantha clearly treats her partners as sex objects and openly disdains the prospect of emotional commitment\u201d (Markle, 2008, p. 52). Lorie\u2019s (2011) study mirrors these findings: \u201cAfter viewing the entire series we have witnessed how Samantha and her sexually aggressive lifestyle more or less victimizes men by treating them mostly as sexual objects.\u201d<\/p>\n These content analyses have prompted me to inquire about Sex and the City\u2019s<\/i> reversal of sexual stereotypes such as the depiction of men as sex objects and how these portrayals impact female college-age students\u2019 sexual attitudes and behaviors. It will be interesting to learn if this reversed representation will affect how female college-age students think about and engage in sex. My guess is that undergraduate female college students who choose to watch Sex and the City <\/i>will assume more powerful, stereotypically \u201cmale\u201d behaviors in the bedroom[GA14]<\/a>\u00a0. I believe this will be the case because of the modeling theory; as viewers watch Sex and the City<\/i>, they will attempt to imitate the beliefs and behaviors shown by the main characters.<\/p>\n Previous research has focused on the effects of sexualized television on adolescents\u2019 attitudes and behaviors concerning sex. Researchers have found that children with high sexual media diets are more likely to think favorably about and to engage in casual premarital sex. Many researchers have focused on the specific type of sexual depictions on television as a whole. Other researchers have studied certain programs and the portrayals of sex represented through characters\u2019 behaviors. There is an abundance of literature on the sexual content of Sex and the City<\/i> including the notion that men are portrayed as sex objects instead of women; however, research lacks the effects of these sexual representations on a college-age female population. My study will fill this gap by analyzing the sexual attitudes and behaviors of those who watch Sex and the City<\/i> in comparison to those who do not watch Sex and the City<\/i>. Certain researchers think sexual portrayals on television have positive effects on viewers; other researchers think these portrayals have negative effects on viewers. I don\u2019t plan to directly address this contradiction in my study, but I do plan to determine the outcomes of watching Sex and the City<\/i> and speculate what this may mean in terms of sexual education and teenage pregnancy[GA15]<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n My areas of interest are as follows: sex portrayals on Sex and the City<\/i>, sexual objectification of men on Sex and the City<\/i>[GA16]<\/a>\u00a0, viewers\u2019 identification with the four main female characters, participants\u2019 attitudes and beliefs about casual premarital sex, and participants\u2019 sexual behaviors. In light of existing research concerning media effects on sexual attitudes and behaviors, specifically those studies involving the sexual content of Sex and the City<\/i>, the following research questions are of interest to me: \u201cAre Sex and the City<\/i> viewers more likely to think positively about casual premarital sex?\u201d \u201cDoes the high focus of sex in Sex and the City<\/i> impact viewers’ sexual attitudes and behaviors?\u201d I propose that college-age female students who selectively watch Sex and the City<\/i> will be more likely to hold positive views on casual premarital sex, will view men as sex objects, and as a consequence, will be more likely to initiate sex[GA17]<\/a>\u00a0, while college-age female students who do not selectively watch Sex and the City<\/i> will be more likely to do the opposite. This effect will be stronger for those who form parasocial interactions with the characters (Ex. \u201cI\u2019m a Carrie[GA18]<\/a>\u00a0.\u201d).<\/p>\n References<\/p>\n Cramer, J. M. (2007). Discourses of sexual morality in sex and the city and queer as folk. Journal of Popular Culture, 40<\/i>(3), 409-432.<\/p>\n Jensen, R. E. & Jensen, J. D. (2007). Entertainment media and sexual health: A content analysis of sexual talk, behavior, and risks in a popular television series. Sex Roles, 56<\/i>(5), 275-284.<\/p>\n Jonason, P. K. & Marks, M. J. (2009). Common vs. uncommon sexual acts: Evidence for the sexual double standard. Sex Roles, 60<\/i>(5), 357-365.<\/p>\n L\u2019Engle, K. L., Brown, J. D., & Kenneavy, K. (2006). The mass media are an important context for adolescents’ sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38<\/i>(3), 186-192.<\/p>\n Lorie, A. F. (2011). Forbidden fruit or conventional apple pie? A look at sex and the city\u2019s reversal of the female gender. Media, Culture & Society, 33<\/i> (1), 35-51.<\/p>\n Markle, G. (2008). Can women have sex like a man?\u201d: Sexual scripts in sex and the city. Sexuality & Culture, 12<\/i>(1), 45-57.<\/p>\n Rubin, A. M. (2002). The uses and gratifications perspective of media effects. <\/i>In J. Bryant & D. Zillmann (Ed.), Media effects: Advances in theory and research <\/i>(pp. 525-548, 2nd<\/sup> ed.). <\/i>Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.<\/p>\n Sanchez, D. T., Kiefer, A. K., & Ybarra, O. (2006). Sexual submissiveness in women: Costs for sexual autonomy and arousal. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 32<\/i>(4), 512-524.<\/p>\n Ward, L. M., Day, K. M., & Epstein, M. (2006). Uncommonly good: Exploring how mass media may be a positive influence on young women’s sexual health and development. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2006<\/i>(112), 57-70.<\/p>\n Ward, L. M. & Friedman, K. (2006). Using TV as a guide: Associations between television viewing and adolescents\u2019 sexual attitudes and behavior. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 16<\/i> (1), 133\u2013156.<\/p>\n Ward, L. M. & Rivadenyra, R. \u00a0(1999). Contributions of entertainment television to adolescents’ sexual attitudes and expectations: The role of viewing amount versus viewer involvement. The Journal of Sex Research, 36<\/i>(3), 237-249.<\/p>\n \u00a0[GA1]<\/a>Okay, but you haven\u2019t told me what your study is yet, even broadly speaking.\u00a0 You might want something about that here.<\/p>\n So should I mention my study at the very beginning or the end of this paragraph or what? Give an overview in the intro<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA2]<\/a>This is not really correct.\u00a0 You can say a large amount of media research involves cultivation theory, but really, the majority doesn\u2019t, especially at this point in time.<\/p>\n Ok. And should I cite a cultivation study? Change it to some and that will be accurate<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA3]<\/a>Portrayals of what?<\/p>\n I mention this further down, but should I mention it here too? Of what? Gender, sexuality\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA4]<\/a>Good!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA5]<\/a>Why is this capitalized?\u00a0 Was it a particular genre they were creating?<\/p>\n Yes, it was like that in the study\u2026do I need to explain that?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA6]<\/a>Be specific about what \u201cthis\u201d is.\u00a0 All the facts mentioned above?\u00a0 You might think of a name to apply to these things\u2014\u201cthis emphasis on sex as recreation\u201d, for instance.<\/p>\n Ok!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA7]<\/a>Now be careful here, because what you\u2019re describing through Ward and Friedman is correlational, not causational, so you can\u2019t be sure which is the effect of the other.\u00a0 Perhaps greater levels of sexual experience cause stronger identification with popular TV characters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA8]<\/a>But again, be sure to point out that you are testing something correlational here, not causal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA9]<\/a>Ah, nicely done.\u00a0 You\u2019ve just addressed my previous two comments.<\/p>\n Ok so do I still need to fix the above part or is this fine here?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA10]<\/a>\u201cThe female\u201d suggests that you\u2019re talking about either a specific person or the gender on the whole.<\/p>\n Ok- so I should change it to a woman?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA11]<\/a>Might you want to add a (but are not limited to) here, after \u201cinclude\u201d?\u00a0 No need to if you don\u2019t like it.<\/p>\n Ok!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA12]<\/a>But can \u201csex\u201d and \u201cmen\u201d\u00a0 be separated on this show?<\/p>\n What do you mean by this?<\/p>\n Since there is most often heterosexual portray<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA13]<\/a>According to your comments thus far, you have a LOT going on in your own study.\u00a0 Be sure that all these things you want to find out can be measured, explained, and described in 5-6 pages, which is what you will be limited to for the second half of your paper.<\/p>\n Any suggestions on how to narrow down my study?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0[GA14]<\/a>Now this is something you absolutely cannot test, for obvious reasons.<\/p>\n But we could test it through self-reports\/surveys\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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