Adolescents' Communication Styles for Learning About Birth Control from Mass Media

Abstract

This article is an exploratory study to identify discrete factors which predict the way in which adolescents are likely to communicate about birth control after receiving information from a mass medium is described. First, we discuss styles of interacting with others regarding information from mass media which have been described in previous research. Five styles are identified: media-oriented, peer-oriented, home-oriented, professionally-oriented, and multi-source oriented. Next, we discuss categories of factors which theoretically should distinguish among the five communication styles. These factors are drawn from theories and previous research in communication and social learning. Using data collected from a random sample of 100 adolescents, we then test the predictive ability of categories of factors. Discriminant analysis is used to determine which factors within categories are most predictive of style and which best discriminate between styles. Eight factors are identified which predict 75% of all communication styles. The factors are sex, race, giving advice about sex, seeking information about birth control, dating rules regarding where one can go, dating rules regarding behavior on dates, feelings of pride, and feelings of popularity. Finally, we discuss the significance for practitioners of study findings and of predicting adolescents' communication styles.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

De Pietro RA Allen Rl

Communication styles and learning about birth control

Adolescence (in press)

Corder-Bolz CR

Mediation the role of signify ant others

Journal of Communication 30(3):106-118, 1980

Robertson TS

Parental mediation of television effects

Journal of Communication 29(1):12-25, 1979

Saloman G. Interaction of Media, Cognition and Learning San Francisco Jossey-Bass, 1979.

Clarke P. , De Pietro RA Delivering information on human sexuality and birth control to teenagers. the test of a social comparison approach A report to the C S. Mott Foundation, Department of Communication. The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1980

Greenberg BS , Ericson PM , Vlahos M. Children's television behaviors as perceived by mother and child. Michigan State University, 1971 (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No ED 058 750)

Gross L. , Morgan M. Television and enculturation In J Dominick and JK Fletcher (Eds), Broadcasting Research Methods. A Reader. Boston Allyn and Bacon, In press

Bandura A. : Social Learning Theory. Morristown, NJ. General Learning Press, 1971

Greeno JG : Language understanding and learning A paper presented at the Symposium on Individual Differences, Cognition, and Learning American Association tor the Advancement of Science, Denver, Colorado, 1977

10.

Clarke P. , Kline FG Media effects reconsidered. Communication Research 1 224-240, 1974.

11.

Farace RV , Monge PR , Russell HM : Communicating and Organizing. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1977

12.

Mirande M. : Reference group theory and adolescent sexual behavior Journal of Marriage and the Family 30:572-577, 1968

13.

Schulz B. , Bohrnstedt GW , Borgatta EF , Evans RR

Explaining permarital sexual intercourse among college students: a causal model

Social Forces 56 148-165, 1977

14.

Chilman: CS : Adolescent Sexuality in a Changing American Society. DHFW Publication, No (NIH) 79-1226

15.

Rosenberg M. : Conceiving the Self. New York

Basic Books, Inc

1979

16.

Douvan E. , Adelson J. The Adolescent Experience. New York Wiley, 1966

17.

Nye I. , Berardo FM : The Family Its Structure and Interaction. New York Macmillan Publishing Co., 1973

18.

Aronson E. : The Social Animal. San Francisco WH Freeman and Co, 1972

19.

Klecka R. : Discriminant Analysis Beverley Hills Sage Publications, 1980

20.

Pedhazur EJ Multiple Regression in Behavioral Research. New York. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1982.