Adolescent Culture

8/2/2019 Adolescent Culture

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Journal o f You th and Adolescence, VoL 24, No . 5, 1995

A d o l e s c e n t R o o m C u l t u r e : S t u d y i n g M e d i a i n t h eC o n t e x t o f E v e r y d a y L i f eJ e a n n e R . S t ee l e I a n d J a n e D . B r o w n 2

F or the pa st several years, the authors h ave been investigat ing adolescent r oo mcul ture in order to learn more about the relat ionship between teens and themedia . The bedroom , they have foun d, is an im portant have n fo r m os t t een-agers, a private, pe rso na l spac e often dec ora ted to reflect teen s' emerging sen seo f themselves a nd where they f i t in the larger culture. Teens l i sten to mu sic,read magazines, w atch televis ion, do hom ew ork , an d con sider the events o fthe day in their rooms. They appropriate an d transform m ed ia m essages an dimages to he lp them m ak e sense o f the ir l ives . By looking c losely a t ho w teensdra w fr o m the me dia as they construct their identi ties an d per son al worlds,the authors have come to see adolescent media use as a d ia lec t i ca l processp l aye d ou t t h rough everyday prac ti ces . The i r Ad o l escen t s ' M ed i a Prac t iceModel highl ights the connect ions between adolescents ' ident i t ies and mediaselection, interaction, a n d application.

INTRODUCTIONIn Rachael's room the bed is covered with clothes, cassette tapes and

magazines, a red phone, and the cassette player. The walls are plasteredwith posters of the Beatles, the B52s, and a leering rock musician with hishand stuck down in his pants. The posters cover over an Impressionist artA n e a r l i e r d r a f t w a s p r e s e n t e d a t t h e S o c i e t y f o r R e s e a r c h o n A d o l e s c e n c e c o n f e r e n c e i n SanD i ego , Ca l i f o r n i a , Feb r ua r y 1994 .1 D o c t o r a l c a n d i d a t e , S c h o o l o f Jo u r n a l i s m a n d M a s s C o m m u n i c a t i o n , U n i v e r s it y o f N o r t hC a r o l i n a - - C h a p e l H i ll ~ N o r t h C a r o l i n a 2 75 99 -3 36 5. R e c e i v e d M . S . i n t e l e v i si o n - r a d io f r o mt h e N e w h o u s e S c h o o l o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a t S y r a c u s e U n i v e r s i t y . R e s e a r c h f o c u s i s o n t h er e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e m e d i a a n d p u b l i c h e a l t h .2 p r o f e s s o r , S c h o o l o f J o u r n a l a n d M a s s C o m m u n i c a t i o n , U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t hC a r o l i n a - - C h a p e l H i l l, C h a p e l H i ll , N o r t h C a r o l i n a 27 59 9-3 36 5. R e c e i v e d P h . D . i n m a s sc o m m u n i c a t i o n f r o m U n i v e r s i ty o f W i s c o n s i n -M a d i s o n . R e s e a r c h f o c u s is o n a d o l e s c e n th e a l t h a n d m a s s m e d i a .

5510047-2891/95/1000-0551507.50/0 9 1995 Plenum PublishingCorporation


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552 Steele a n d B r o w n

pr in t o f a l i t t l e g i r l wi th f lowers . One wal l i s fu l l o f adver t i sements to rnf r o m m a g a z i n e s f e a t u r i n g m u s c u l a r m e n a n d t h i n w o m e n m o d e l i n g t h e l a t -e s t fa sh i ons. A bu l l e ti n boa rd i s c ram m ed w i t h snapsho t s o f f r i ends and apoem i l l u s t r a t ed w i t h a r ed sku l l and c ros sbones .

Th i s i s t he be d r oo m o f a 14 -yea r -o l d g ir l w ho has p r o j ec t ed i n t o t hes p a c e o f h e r b e d r o o m h e r f e ar s , d e s ir e s, a n d f a n ta s ie s a b o u t h e r s e l f in r e -l a t i on t o o t he r s and t he l a rge r cu l t u re . I t t e l l s a l o t abou t w ho she i s andw h a t s h e c a r e s a b o u t .

S i x t e e n - y e a r s - o l d a n d a s o p h o m o r e i n h i g h s c h o o l , J a c k a l s o s a f e -g u a r d s a n e c l e c t ic m i x o f c h i l d h o o d a r t if a c t s a n d t e e n a g e f a n t a s i e s a n da s p i r a t i o n s i n h i s b e d r o o m . O n o n e w a l l a w o o d e n s h a d o w b o x d i s p l a y sa fl e e t o f m u l t i h u e d m o d e l c ar s , p a i n s ta k i n g ly c r a f t e d d u r i n g g r a d es c h o o l . A s h e l f i s p i l e d h i g h w i t h t h e a u d i o t a p e d " m i x e s " t h a t n o w o c c u p yh is t im e . P e r c h e d o n t o p is a t e d d y b e a r d r e s s e d i n a w h i t e s a il o r s u it ,a n d b e h i n d t h e p o r t a b l e T V a r e a h a n d d r a w n " d r u g s k ill " p o s t e r o f ar i s i n g c o b r a , G I J o e c u t o u t s , a n d a p e n - a n d - p e n c i l r e n d e r i n g o f Lady andthe Tramp, t h e f l o t s a m o f e a r l ie r y e a r s . O n t h e w a l l n e x t t o h is b e d a r em o r e c u r r e n t c o n c e r n s : a F e r r a r i T e s t a r o s s a p o s t e r , a " m y c h il d is a nh o n o r s t u d e n t a t . . . " b u m p e r s t ic k e r, a n d p ic t u re s o f g ir ls c l ip p e d o u to f m a g a z in e s . " I f t h e y lo o k g o o d , " J a c k e x p la in s , " I j u s t p u t t h e m u p o nt he w a l l . "

R a c h a e l ' s a n d J a c k 's b e d r o o m s u n d e r s c o r e a n i m p o r t a n t c o m m o n a l i tyb e t w e e n t h e s e t w o t e e n a g e r s - - o n e w h i t e , f e m a l e , a n d f r o m a c i t y i n t h eS o u t h e a s t , t h e o t h e r b l a c k , m a l e , a n d f r o m a s m a l l S o u t h e r n t o w n . T h a tc o m m o n a l i ty is th e m a s s m e d i a f r o m w h i c h t h e y b o t h d r a w a s t h e y f a s h io nthe i r emerging ident i t i es .

O v e r t h e p a s t s e v e r a l y e a r s w e h a v e b e e n i n ve s ti g at in g t h e b e d r o o m so f a d o l e s c e n t s l i k e R a c h a e l a n d J a c k i n o r d e r t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h er e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t e e n a g e r s a n d t h e m e d i a . W h y a r e t h e m e d i a s u c h a ne s s e n ti a l p a r t o f s o m a n y a d o l e s c e n ts ' e v e r y d a y r o u t in e s ? W h a t d o t h e yt a k e f r o m t h e m e d i a , a n d w h y ? A r e s o m e t e e n s m o r e s u s c e pt ib l e t o m e d i ai n f lu e n c e t h a n o t h e r s ? W h a t m e d i a t e s th e i m p a c t o f m e d i a c h o i c e s a n de f f e c ts ? T h e s e a n d r e l a t e d q u e s t io n s h a v e g u i d e d o u r r o o m c u l t u r e p r o je c t .T h e y a r e s t im u l a te d b y t h e o n g o i n g d e b a t e a m o n g s o c ia l c ri ti cs a n d m e d i as c h o la r s a b o u t t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h y o u n g p e o p l e c a n a n d d o r e s is t th e d o m i -n a n t a n d o f t e n p o t e n ti a ll y h a r m f u l m e s s a g e s p r e s e n t e d b y th e m a s s m e d i a .

M u c h o f t h e p u b l i c' s c o n c e r n a b o u t t h e e f f e c t s o f th e m a s s m e d i a o nch i l d ren and ado l e scen t s cen t e r s on unhea l t hy behav i o r s , such a s ea r l y andu n p r o t e c t e d s e x a n d d r u g u s e. T h e m e d i a a r e s e e n a s e s p e c ia l ly p o w e r f u lfo r a t l ea s t t h ree r easons : (1 ) ch i l d ren and t eens spend m ore t i m e w i t h t hem a s s m e d i a t h a n t h e y d o in s c h o o l o r w i t h th e i r p a r e n ts , ( 2 ) t h e m e d i aa re fu l l o f po r t r aya l s t ha t g l am or i ze r i sky adu l t behav i o r such a s unp ro -


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A d o l e s cen t R o o m C u l t u re 553

t e c t e d s e x w i t h mul t i p le pa r t ne r s a nd d r ink i ng ; a nd ( 3 ) pa r e n t s a n d o t he rsoc ia l i za t ion agent s have sh i rked the i r r e spons ib i l i t i e s to d i rec t youth to-w a r d l e ss ri sky be ha v i o r ( Go r e , 1987).

S o m e r e s e a r c h e r s w h o t h e o r i z e a b o u t a n d s t u d y t h e e f f e c t s o f t h em a s s m e d i a h a v e m o v e d a w a y f r o m a p o w e r f u l e f fe c t s m o d e l a n d i n s t e adpo i n t t o a n a c t i ve a ud i e nc e t ha t e nga ge s i n s e l e c t i ve be ha v i o r a t e a c h s t e pi n t h e p r o c e s s o f b e i n g a f f e c te d b y t h e m a s s m e d i a ( L e v y a n d W i n d a h l,1985) . The y s ugge s t t ha t a do l e s c e n t s w i l l ma ke c ho i c e s a bou t wh i c h me d i aa nd g e nr e s t o a t t e nd t o , w ill pa y a t te n t i on t o s om e k i nds o f c on t e n t a ndno t o t he r s , w i l l i de n t i f y a nd mode l s ome me d i a c ha r a c t e r s , a nd ma y c r e a t ene w me a n i ngs a nd us e s f o r wha t t he y do s e l e c t . The s e s c ho l a r s a r gue t ha tt he p r oc e s s o f me d i a e f f e c ts m us t be s e e n a s in t e ra c t ive , r a t he r t ha n un i -d i rec t iona l .

H o w e v e r , o t h e r s c h o l a r s a r g u e t h a t t h e m e d i a d o n o t p r o v i d e t h e f u l la r ray of l i f e poss ib i l i t i e s and a re not comple te ly open t ex t s , subjec t to ani n fi n it e num be r o f me a n i ngs ( B i oc ca , 1988). R a t he r , t he m e d i a p r e s e n t ac e r ta i n s e t o f m e s s a g e s o r i d e a s a b o u t h o w t h e w o r l d w o r k s, a n d a l th o u g hs om e d i f f e r e nc e s i n i n t e r p r e t a t ion a nd s e ns e ma k i ng a r e pos s i b le , t he dom i -nant meanings wi l l preva i l . At the l eas t , i t i s unl ike ly , g iven the hegemonicna t u r e o f m os t me d i a c on t e n t , t ha t a ud i e nc e s w ill be s t i mu l a t e d t o r e si s tor c rea te p ol i ti ca lly v i t a l oppo s i t ion to the exi st ing wo r ld v iew (Gi tl in , 1991).

I n t he c on t e x t o f t h i s t he o r e t i c a l d i s c us s i on , we p r opos e a mode l t ha te mpha s i z e s a d i a l e c t i c a l p r oc e s s i n wh i c h t he me d i a a r e i mpor t a n t c u l t u r a la ge n t s whos e i n f l ue nc e on a ud i e nc e s i s bo t h amplified an d restrained b ya c t i v e i n d i v i d u a l s w h o i n t e r a c t w i t h t h e m e d i a f r o m " w h e r e t h e y l i v e "(Schwichtenberg , 1989, p . 293) , deve lopmenta l ly , soc ia l ly , and cul tura l ly .T h e m o d e l d o e s n o t d i m i ni sh t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f m e d i a c o n t e n t , b u t i t r e c -ogn i z e s t ha t i nd i v i dua l s s ha pe a nd t r a ns f o r m me d i a e nc oun t e r s i n a c on-t i n u o u s c y c le o f m e a n i n g m a k i ng . T h e d i f f e re n c e b e t w e e n a m p l if i ed o rres t r a in ed e f fec t s l ie s in indiv idua l ( the focu s he re ) and g rou p prac t ices- -the eve ry day act iv i ti e s, ges tures , an d rou t ines th a t d e f ine soc ia l r e l a tions .

T h e m o d e l i s g r o u n d e d i n e m p i r i c a l w o r k o n a d o l e s c e n t s ' " r o o m c u l -t u r e , " a t e r m us e d t o r e f e r t o bo t h t he ma t e r i a l a r t i f a c t s c on t a i ne d i n t e e ns 'be d r ooms a nd t he a c t i v i t i e s t e e na ge r s e nga ge i n whe n t he y a r e i n t he i rr oom s . I n t he i n t e r e s t o f s e e ing j us t ho w a c t ive a do l e s c e n t s a r e i n s o r t i ngt h r o u g h a n d m a k i n g u s e o f th e c u lt u ra l " t o o l k it " p r o v i d e d b y t h e m a s sm e d i a ( Swi d le r , 1986), w e ha ve be e n l ook i ng c l ose l y a t how t e e n s us e t hema s s me d i a a nd r e l a t e d ma t e r i a l s f r om popu l a r c u l t u r e i n t he i r da i l y l i ve s .D a i l y j ou r na l s , i n - de p t h i n t e rv i e ws c on du c t e d i n t e e ns ' be d r o om s , a nd at e c h n i q u e c a ll ed " r o o m t o u r in g " h a v e a ll o w e d u s to s e e a n d h e a r t h e v a ri e tyo f wa ys a do l e s c e n t s us e t he m e d i a i n c re a t ing a s e ns e o f the m s e l ve s.


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5 5 4 S t e el e a n d B r o w n

T h e b e d r o o m i s a n i m p o r t a n t p l a c e f o r m o s t a d o l e s c e n t s , a p e r s o n a lspace in w hich they can exp er im en t wi th "poss ib le se lves" (Lar son , t h i si ssue ; M arkus and Nur ius , 1986). Eve n ado lescen t s w ho sha re a ro om typ i-ca l ly have des ign a ted som e space as the i r own . In th e l a t e 1970s , C s ik -s z e n tm i h a l y i a n d L a r s o n (1 98 4) f o u n d t h a t t e e n s s p e n t a b o u t 1 3 % o f t h e i ra w a k e t i m e i n t h e i r b e d r o o m s ( s e c o n d o n ly t o t h e 2 0 % o f ti m e s p e n t a ts c h o o l) . A t l e a s t s o m e o f t h a t t i m e i s s p e n t o n i d e n t it y w o r k ( M c R o b b i eand G arbe r , 1975 ; M of fa t t , 1989 ; W i llis , 1990). A dr i e nn e Sa l inge r ' s pho to -g raphs o f t eens in the i r bedro om s (1995) ca p tu re th e id iosyncra ti c , c r ea t ivew a y s a d o le s c e n t s d r a w f r o m t h e m e d i a a s t h e y w o r k t o e x p r e s s a n d d e f i n ethem se lves .

R o o m c u l t u r e d a t a , a n a l y z e d i n t h e a g g r e g a t e , g e n e r a t e d t h e t h e o -r e t ic a l c o n n e c t io n s t h a t g r o u n d t h e A d o l e s c e n t s ' M e d i a P r a c t ic e m o d e l p r e -s e n t e d . T h e m o d e l p o s i t s a p r o c e s s o f m e d i a S e l e c t i o n , I n t e r a c t i o n , a n dAppl i ca t ion tha t i s cons tan t ly shap ing and be ing shaped by Iden t i ty . Asm e d i a r e s e a r c h e r s , o u r p r i m a r y f o c u s is t h e m e d i a c o m p o n e n t s r a t h e r t h a nt h e i d e n t i ty c o m p o n e n t o f t h e m o d e l . H o w e v e r , th is f o r e g r o u n d i n g o f m e d i as h o u l d n o t b e i n t e r p r e t e d a s d im i n i sh i n g t h e r e la t iv e i m p o r t a n c e o f id e n t it y .I d e n t i t y a n c h o r s t h e m o d e l , e x pl ai n in g m o r e v a r i a t io n i n p r a c t i c e t h a n a n yo t h e r c o m p o n e n t .

F I ELDWORK

O u r r o o m c u l t u r e p ro j e c t b e g a n i n s p ri n g 1 98 7 w h e n w e w o r k e d w i t h19 whi t e , m idd le -c l a s s g i r l s , 11 -15 yea r s o ld f rom Nor th C aro l ina andM i c h i g a n3 t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e i r u s e o f t h e m a s s m e d i a i n c o n s t r u c t i n g as e n s e o f t h e m s e l v e s a s s e x u a l h u m a n b e i n g s . I n o r d e r t o l e a r n w h a t t h e s egirls saw as "sexual," t h e y w e r e a s k e d t o r e c o r d i n p e r s o n a l j o u r n a l s w h a t -e v e r t h e y s a w o r h e a r d i n t h e m e d i a a b o u t " s e x a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s . " T h e n ,a f t e r a m o n t h o f j o u r n a l k e e p i n g , e a c h g i rl w a s i n t e rv i e w e d in h e r b e d r o o m .She f i r st co m ple te d a short , s e l f- adm in i s t e red que s t ionna i re a bou t typ icalp a t t e r n s o f m e d i a u s e a n d s e x u a l e x p e r i e n c e , a n d t h e n t h e jo u r n a l w a s u s e da s a c a t a ly s t f o r a n o p e n - e n d e d i n te r v ie w a b o u t u s e o f th e m e d i a . P i c t u re so f e a c h g ir l's r o o m a ls o w e r e t a k e n t o f a c il it a te c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e nr e s e a r c h e r s w o r k i n g i n tw o d i f f e r e n t s ta te s . T h e s e p h o t o s a n d t h e b e d r o o mc u l tu r e t h e y c a p t u r e d o p e n e d u p a n u n e x p e c t e d ly r ic h v e in o f i n f o rm a t i o na b o u t a d o l e s c e n t id e n t it ie s a n d m e d i a u s e .In su m m er 1991 , an o th e r s ix t eenag er s , aged 13-15 , i nc lud ing ano the rwhi te g i r l , one b lack g i r l , two whi te boys , and two black boys , were in ter -3 W e u s e d a s n o w b a l l s a m p l i n g te c h n i q u e , w i th e a c h o f t h r e e r e s e a r c h e r s r e c r u i t in g o n e t e e n a g ea c q u a i n t a n c e w h o , i n t u r n , r e c r u i t e d s e v e r a l o f h e r f r ie n d s .


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v i e w e d , a ll b u t o n e i n t h e ir r o o m s . 4 F o u r o f t h e s e t e e n s w e r e i n te r v i e w e daga i n i n sp r i ng 1992 , a l ong w i t h t w o m ore w h i t e g i r l s w ho w ere acqua i n -t a n c e s o f o n e o f th e a u t h o rs . D u r i n g t h is p h a s e o f r e se a r c h , a v e r s io n o f" a u t o d r iv i n g , " a te c h n i q u e b o r r o w e d f r o m c o n s u m e r r e s e a r c h ( H e i s l e y a n dLevy , 1991 ; Rook , 1991) , w as u sed . Each t een , ho l d i ng a t ape r eco rde r ,t o o k t h e i n te r v ie w e r o n a t o u r o f his o r h e r r o o m , d e s c r ib i n g e v e r y th i n gt ha t he l d spec i a l m ean i ng o r s i gn i f i cance fo r t hem .

In Ju l y 1992 , 20 r i s i ng h i gh schoo l s en i o r s f rom ac ross t he coun t ry(11 m a l es and 9 f em a l es , i nc l ud i ng t h ree b l acks , t w o N a t i ve A m er i cans ,a n d t w o s t u d e n t s o f H i s p a n i c o ri g in ) w h o w e r e a t t e n d i n g a t h r e e - w e e kc o u r s e o n t h e u n i v e r s i t y c a m p u s w e r e a s k e d t o i n t e r v i e w e a c h o t h e r a b o u tt h e i r b e d r o o m s a t h o m e . P r o v i d e d w i th a l o o s e l y s t r u c tu r e d i n te r v ie w g u i d e ,t h e y f o c u s e d o n h o w t h e i r i n t e r v i e w p a r t n e r s u s e d m a s s m e d i a i n t h e i rr o o m s , a s s e s s e d h o w i m p o r t a n t t h e r o o m w a s , a n d d e s c r i b e d h o w d e c o r a -t i ons and a r t i f ac t s r e f l ec t ed pe r sona l i den t i t y .

In sp r i ng 1993 , room t ou r s w ere conduc t ed w i t h f i ve co l l ege s t uden t s( tw o w h i t e m a le s , o n e b l a c k a n d t w o w h i te f e m a l e s ) i n th e i r d o r m r o o m s .T h e f o c u s th is t im e w a s o n t h e m e d i a a n d a lc o h o l. D u r i n g t h e m o n t h p r e -c e d i n g t h e s c h e d u l e d i n te r vi ew s , e a c h s t u d e n t h a d c o m p l e t e d a 1 0 - d ay j o u r -na l r eco rd i ng d r i nk i ng behav i o r , a t t i t udes t ow ard a l coho l , and obse rva t i onsabou t a l coho l m essages i n t he un i ve r s i t y env i ronm en t .

D E V E L O P I N G A M E D I A P R A C T I C E M O D E LIn ou r i n it ia l ana l yses o f t hese da t a , w e s t ayed c l o se to m a i ns t r eam

com m uni ca t i ons and soc i a l i za t i on t heo r i e s , l ook i ng fo r em pi r i ca l con f i rm a-t i on t ha t t eens a re se l ec t i ve i n t he i r m ed i a cho i ces , c r ea t i ve i n t he i r i n t e r -p r e t a t i o n s o f m e d i a c o n t e n t , a n d a c ti v e u s e r s o f m e d i a m a t e r ia l a s th e ym o v e t h r o u g h a d o le s c en c e . W e f o u n d a m p l e e v i d e n c e to s u p p o r t t h o s e a s-se r t i ons , bu t ou r ana l yses l acked an i n t eg ra t i ng t heo ry .

A f t e r s e v e r a l w a v e s o f a d o l e s c e n t r o o m c u l t u re s t u d i e s a n d s e c o n d a r ya n d t e r t i a r y a n a l y s e s o f t h e d a t a , w e b e g a n t o s e e c o n n e c t i o n s b e t w e e nw h a t t h e d a t a r e v e a l e d a n d t h e s t r e a m o f w o r k co m i n g f r o m t h e B i r m i n g -h a m C e n t e r f o r C o n t e m p o r a r y C u l t u r a l S t u d i e s ( L a v e , e t a l . , 1992; John son ,1987) , p rac t i ce theor i s t s l ike Bourdieu (1977, 1990) and Wi l l i s (1977) , andt he neocu l t u ra l -h i s to r i ca l s choo l o f p sycho l ogy (H o l l and and V a l s i ne r , 1988;V a l s i ne r , 1991, 1993). Th e com bi na t i on o f ou r qua l i ta t ive m e t hod s , pe r s i s t-en t focus on room cu l t u re ove r t i m e , and i n t e rd i sc i p l i na ry o r i en t a t i on l edt o f o r m u l a t io n o f t h e A d o l e s c e n t s ' M e d i a P r a c t ic e M o d e l ( F ig . 1 ). T h e4These teens were recruited at the local swimming pool.


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5 5 6 S t e e l ea n d B r o w n~q~D EXPERIENce,

I D E N T I T Y

I A P P L I C A T I O N S E L E C T I O N

F ig . 1mo d e l c o n t r ib u te s th re e imp o r ta n t d ime n s io n s to th e t r a d i t io n a l c o n c e p tu -a l i z a t io n o f ma ss me d ia u se s a n d e f fe c t s .1. Th e m o d e l t a k e s a p ra c t i c e p e r sp e c tiv e (Be n t l e y , 1 98 7 ; Bo u rd ie u ,1977, 1990 ; Lav e e t a l . , 1992) and focuses on the every day ac t iv i t ie s andr o u t in e s o f m e d i a c o n s u m p t i o n . In s t e a d o f w o r r y in g a b o u t w h e r e t h e p o w e rl i e s - - w i t h a p o w e r f u l m e d i a o r a n a c t i v e a u d i e n c e - - p r a c t i c e t h e o r y s e e sme d ia a s a n in te g ra l p a r t o f th e c o n t in u o u s p ro c e ss o f c u l tu ra l p ro d u c t io na n d re p ro d u c t io n th a t c h a ra c te r iz e s e v e ry d a y lif e. Ty p ic a l a d o le sc e n t s in -t e ra c t w i th m e d ia a ll d a y lo n g . Th e y wa k e u p to th e ra d io , th e y ta lk w i thth e i r f r i e n d s a b o u t l a st n ig h t' s e p i so d e o f 9 0 2 1 0 , a n d t h e y fl ip t h r o u g h t h ela tes t i ssue o f S p o r t s I l l u s t r a t e d o r S e v e n t e e n wh i le ly in g a ro u n d a f t e r sc h o o l .I t i s th ro ug h the se ev eryday ac tiv it ie s tha t the m edia ' s in f lue nce is rea l -


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i z e d - - n o t i n a v a c u u m , b u t th r o u g h t h e m o m e n t - t o - m o m e n t i n te r f a ce b e -t w e e n m e d i a a n d t e e n a g e r s w h o c o m e a l re a d y a r m e d w i th a s e n s e o f h o wthe wo r ld is . C o nne l l (1983) u nd er sco res the d i a lec t ica l na tu r e o f th is p ro -d u c t i o n / r e p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s b y p o i n t in g o u t t h a t " [ I] t is n o t a r e l a t io n o fs im i l ar it y b e t w e e n t h e s t r u c t u r e t o d a y a n d t h e s t r u c t u r e y e s t e r d a y t h a t ist h e p o i n t, b u t a r e l a t io n o f p ra c t ic e b e t w e e n t h e m , t h e w a y o n e w a s p r o -d u c e d o u t o f t h e o t h e r " ( p . 1 49 ).

2 . The m ode l f ac to r s in " l ived th rough exper i ence" (Vygo t sky , 1978 ;W er t sch , 1991), a t heore t i ca l pe r spec t ive tha t ac coun t s fo r dev e lop m enta ls t age , t he soc iocu l tu ra l i n f luences o f r ace , c la ss , and gen der , a s we l l a s m a nyo th e r soc ia l iz ing f ac to r s, i nc lud ing re l ig ious backg roun d and be l ie f s , ne igh-bo rho od in f luences , f am i ly l if e , enc ou n te r s wi th th e l ega l sys t em , f r i end-sh ips and pee r cu l tu re , success o r f a i lu re in schoo l . No t to be confusedwi th exper i ence in the s im ply h i s to r i ca l s ense ( e . g . , a t t ended S t . M ark ' sG r a d e S c h o o l , r e p e a t e d s i x t h g r a d e , l e t t e r e d i n b a s k e t b a l l ) , V y g o t s k y ' s" l ived th rough exper i ence , " o r " l ived exper i ence" a s i t i s l abe led in them o d e l ,5 is a c om plex soc iogene t i c cons t ruc t t ha t s ees th e p rocess o f deve l -o p m e n t a s a c o n s t a n t b r i d g i n g - - a c c o m p l i s h e d t h r o u g h a c ti vi ty a n d c o m -m u n i c a t i o n - b e t w e e n t h e k n o w n a n d t h e n e w i n s p ec if ic c o n te x ts ( V a ls in e r,1991) . The t e rm i s used to pos i t ion ado lescen t m ed ia p~ac t i ce in wha t R o-go ff (1990) te rm s th e "socia l sea" in wh ich w e a l l l ive .

W h e t h e r l i s t e n i n g t o m u s i c a l o n e i n t h e p r i v a c y o f t h e i r r o o m s o rs l a m - d a n c i n g a t w a r e h o u s e p a r t ie s , a d o l e s c e n ts c a r r y w i t h t h e m t h e i r p a r -t i cu la r l if e h i s to r ie s a s we l l as the k now ledge o f the i r pe e r c u l tu res (C or -sa ro , 1992). 6 I t i s wi th th i s em bo died know ledge tha t t hey bu i ld on an dt r a n s f o r m t h e s h a r e d s o c i o c u lt u r al k n o w l e d g e av a il ab l e t h r o u g h t h e m e d i a .

3 . T h e m o d e l i n c o r p o r a t e s id e n t i ty fo r m a t i o n , t h e c e n t r a l ta s k o f a d o -l e scen t dev e lopm ent , a s a key com p one n t . (See Lar son , t h i s is sue , fo r am o r e c o m p r e h e n s i v e d i sc u s si o n o f i d e n ti ty . ) T e e n s ' s e n s e o f w h o t h e y a r es h a p e s t h e i r e n c o u n t e r s w i t h m e d i a , a n d t h o s e e n c o u n t e r s in t u r n s h a p et h e i r s e n s e o f t h e m s e l v e s in t h e o n g o i n g p r o c e ss o f c u l tu r a l p r o d u c t i o n a n dr e p r o d u c t i o n .

I n f o r m e d b y J o h n s o n ' s (1 98 7) c o n c e p t u a l iz a t io n o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n ,c i rc u l a ti o n , a n d c o n s u m p t i o n o f c u l t u ra l p r o d u c ts , t h e m o d e l is r e p r e s e n t e das a c i r cu it t o i l l u s tr a t e the in t e r r e l a t edn ess o f ado lescen t s ' i den t i t i e s (bo th5The shor t ened ve r s ion i s u sed fo r ea se o f com prehens ion by r eade r s un fam i l i a r wi th t hewo rk o f Vygo tsky a nd a l so because o f it s l i nk to f em in i s t s tandpo in t t heo r i s ts who em p has i zethe im po r t ance o f r ecogn iz ing d if f e r ences i n t he m a te r i a l cond i t i ons o f wo m e n ' s l ives. SeeHar t sock , 1983 ; R ige r , 1992 ; Sm i th , 1987 ; Haraway , 1988 , fo r m ore on s t andpo in t t heo ry .6Al though h i s wo rk had been p r im ar i ly wi th young ch i ld ren , Cor sa ro ' s i ns igh ts (1992) abou tthe ro l e o f pe e r cu l tu re s in t he cu l tu ra l p roduc t ion / r ep rod uc t ion p rocess can be app l i edread i ly t o ado le scence .


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t h e " m e a s I am " a n d t h e " m e I a m i n t h e p r o c e s s o f c o n s t r u c t i n g " ) a n dth r ee key aspec t s o f ad o lescen t aud ien ce ac tiv ity : Se lec t ion , In t e rac t ion , an dA p p l i c a ti o n . W e a r g u e t h a t t h e r e l a ti o n s h ip b e t w e e n t h e s e f o u r c ir c u it c o m -pon en t s is bes t un der s too d as a dynam ic , d i a l ec ti ca l p rocess tha t occur sw i t h i n t h e b o u n d a r i e s o f " l i v e d e x p e r i e n c e . " L i v e d E x p e r i e n c e g o v e r n s - -ho lds the po ten t i a l fo r am pl i fy ing o r r e s t r a in in g- -w ha t is poss ib l e w he nspec if ic ado lescen t s and pa r t i cu la r m ed ia co m e in con tac t . B u t i t is t h rou ghe v e r y d a y a c tiv it ie s a n d r o u t i n e s - - i n o t h e r w o r d s , p r a c t i c e - - t h a t t h e d i f fe r -ence i s p l ayed ou t .

H al l (1990) has w r i t ten of the d ia lec t ica l na ture of th is process: " In s tea dof th ink ing o f iden t i ty a s an a l r eady accom pl i shed fac t, wh ich the new cu l tu ra lp rac t ices then r ep resen t , we shou ld th in k . . , o f iden t i ty a s 'p roduc t ion , ' wh ichis never comple te , a lways in process" (p . 222) . From th is perspect ive , herea re som e work ing de f in i t ions o f the m ode l ' s m ed ia com ponen t s .

M odel ComponentsSeNc6on

S e l e c t i o n i s t h e a c t o f c h o o s i n g a m o n g m e d i a - r e l a t e d a l t e r n a t i v e s(e.g. , reserving Top Gun a t t he v ideo s to re , t un ing in the Power Pig, a fa-v o r i te t e e n r a d i o s t a t io n i n o n e a r e a w h e r e w e w o r k e d , o r p u r c h a s i n g Ebonya t t h e new ss tand) . Se lec t ion is i n f luenced by motivations s u c h a s th o s e d e -sc r ibed in the " se l ec t ive exposure" and "uses and g ra t i f i ca t ions" l i t e r a tu re( D o n o h e w a n d T i p t o n , 1 9 7 3 ; L e v y a n d W i n d a h l, 1 9 8 5 ; R u b i n , 1 99 4). T h ef i t be tween m ot iva t ion and se l ec t ion in tu rn a f f ec t s attention, h o w a t t u n e do r f o c u s e d t h e t e e n a g e r i s i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e m e d i a s e l e c t e d .

InteractionIn t e ra c t ion is t he cogn i tive , a f fec t ive , and behav io ra l en ga ge m en t wi thm e d i a t h a t p r o d u c e s c u l t u r al m e a n i n g s. F r e q u e n t ly , t h e s e m e a n i n g s e v o lv e

f r o m t e e n s ' evaluation a n d interpretation o f m e d i a c o n t e n t . C o n c e p t u a l i ze di n t e r m s o f p ra c t ic e , i n te r a c t io n i s w h a t is a c tu a l ly h a p p e n i n g a t t h e m o m e n tt eens in t e r f ace wi th m ed ia . C ogn i t ive in t e rac t ion inc ludes f r am ing ( an ac -t iv i ty tha t can a l so be a sub ca tegory o f app l ica t ion ) , p rocess ing , an d psy-c h o l o g i c a l i n v o l v em e n t . A f f e c t iv e in t e r a c t i o n i n c l u d e s s im p l e a r o u s a l o r" shu t t ing o f f t he se l f " (Lar son , t h i s i s sue ) . B ehav io ra l i n t e rac t ion inc ludesdanc ing , channe l su r f ing- - sam pl ing t e l ev i s ion p rogram s a t l i gh tn ing speedw i t h t h e r e m o t e c o n t r o l - - o r f l i p p i n g t h r o u g h t h e p a g e s o f a m a g a z i n e i nsearch of cer ta in ads , a r t ic les , or "how-to" t ips .


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T h e s e l a s t f e w e x a m p l e s a r e i n d i c a t i v e o f t h e s l i p p e r y s l o p e w ec l imb e d in se a rc h o f d e f in it io n s . Ty p ic a lly c a te g o r iz e d a s c o m p o n e n t s o fse le c t io n , wh ic h in d e e d th e y a re wh e n se e n a s d i sc re te mo t iv a t io n o r a t -t e n t io n v a r ia b les , d a n c in g , c h a n n e l su r f in g , a n d f l ip p in g th ro u g h a m a g a z in ea r e i n c l u d e d h e r e b e c a u s e t h e y a l s o p l a y a n i n t e g r a l r o l e i n t h e m o m e n t -t o - m o m e n t p r o c e s s o f m a k i n g m e a n i n g . I n e x p e r i m e n t a l s i t u a t i o n s i t m a yb e p o ss ib le to p u l l o u t o r c o n t ro l fo r d i f fe rin g ty p e s o f in tera c t io n , b u t inrea l t im e , the s ty le o f in te rac t ion (e .g ., ch ann e l su rf ing) and the in te ra c t ioni t se l f ( se e in g a n d u n d e rs ta n d in g a r a p id su c c e ss io n o f so u n d s , wo rd s , a n dima g e s ) a re so c lo se ly re la te d th a t th e y mu s t b e s tu d ie d a s o n e .

A p p l i c a t i o nAp p l ic a t io n i s th e c o n c re te wa y s in wh ic h a d o le sc e n t s u se me d ia - -

h o w th e y m a k e i t a c t iv e - - in th e i r e v e ry d a y liv es . Two ty p e s o f a p p l ic a t io n ,appropr ia t ion a n d incorporat ion , are spec i f ied , a long wi th severa l subca te -g o r ie s in e a c h . Ap p ro p r ia t io n is a n a c tiv e u se o f m e d ia th a t is f r e q u e n t lyv is ib le in roo m decora t ion s , m edia -re la ted ac tiv it ie s, o r teen s ' ow n accoun tso f w h y sp e ci fi c m e d i a c o n t e n t is i m p o r t a n t t o t h e m . O u r d a t a c o n t a i n n u -m e r o u s e x a m p l e s o f a d o l e s c e n t s u s i n g m e d i a f o r m o o d e n h a n c e m e n t , c u l -tu ra l and soc ia l in tegra t ion , se l f -express ion , ro le mode l ing , and fan tasy . AsL in d lo f f a n d G ro d in (1 99 0) n o te , "a l l ma n n e r o f in n o v a tio n s in so c ia l a c t io nc o m e a b o u t th ro u g h m e d ia -d e r iv e d imp ro v i sa t io n . . . " (p . 14 ).

In c o rp o ra t io n , in c o n t ra s t , i s a n a sso c ia t iv e u se o f me d ia th a t o f t e nbui lds on ex is t ing a t t i tudes , fee l ings , and pr io r lea rn ing . The head ing in -c o rp o ra te s m e d ia e f fe c t s t r a d i tio n a l ly c a te g o r iz e d a s f r a min g (G a m so n a n dM odig l ian i , 1989; G raber , 1989; Iyengar , 1991) , cu lt iva tion e f fec ts (G er bn eret a l . , 1 99 4) , a n d e m o t io n a l c o n d i t io n in g (Th o rso n , 1 9 8 9 ). A l l o f th e se e f -f e c t s a r e p l a c e d u n d e r t h e u m b r e l l a o f incorporat ion b e c a u se th e y l i t e ra l lyb e c o m e p a r t o f th e self , o f t e n in r e la tiv e ly a u to m a t ic , n o t c o n sc io u sly in -t e n d e d , wa ys .

Arrows in the diagram indicate the f low of ac t iv i t ies or practices to un-derscore the connec t ions be tw een c i rcu i t com pone nts ra the r than causa l re la -t io n sh ip s . T h e su b c a te g o r ie s o f p ra c t i c e ( i.e ., m o t iv a t io n a n d a t t e n t io n ;in te rpre ta t ion and eva lua t ion ; appropr ia t ion and incorpora t ion) iden t i f iedalong the pe rim eter ar e no t exhaustive . T he y simply signal practices tha t s to odo u t in o u r d a ta . O th e r r e se a rc h e rs m a y fo c u s o n o th e r a sp e ct s o f th e p ro c ess ,depending on their research in terests , theoret ica l orienta t ions, and goals.In th e fo l lo win g se c t io n s we fu r th e r i l lu s t ra te th e me d ia c o mp o n e n t so f t h e m o d e l w i t h e x a m p l e s d r a w n f r o m o u r r o o m c u l t u r e d a t a .


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S E L E C T I O NT e e n s d o m a k e c h o ic e s a b o u t w h i ch m e d i a a n d m e d i a c o n t e n t t o a t-

t e n d to . Th i s se le c t io n i s so me t ime s q u i t e c o n sc io u s a n d mo t iv a te d b y an e e d t o l e a r n s o m e t h i n g o r t o m a i n t a i n a m o o d - - a l l u s e s d i s c u s s e d i ng r e a te r d e p t h b y A r n e t t e t a l . a n d La rso n ( th is i s su e ). In o u r f i rs t s tu d y o f19 whi te g i r l s and the i r use o f sexua l media con ten t , we d iscovered sk i l ledm e d i a u s e r s w h o a t t e n d e d t o m e d i a t h a t s p o ke t o t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t a l s t ag ea n d se x u a l e x p e r ie n c e . Th e g ir ls d i f fe re d d ra m a t ic al ly in th e i r u se o f se x u a lm e d i a c o n t e n t ( B r ow n e t a l . , 1993) . We ca l led one g roup of g i r l s "Dis in -t e re s te d " b e c a u se th e y simp ly we re le ss in te re s te d a n d t e n d e d to ig n o rese x u a l c o n te n t in th e me d ia ( se e Wa rd , th i s i s su e ) . Ev e n wi th p ro d d in g ,th e se g i r l s p re fe r re d n o t t a lk in g o r th in k in g a b o u t se x a n d re la t io n sh ip s .Th e ro o m s o f th e s e g irls we re f i ll e d w i th s tu f fe d a n ima ls a n d d o ll s a n dd r aw i n g s b y t h e m a n d f ri en d s ; t h e m e d i a w e r e n o t y e t i n g r e a t e v i d e n c e .

In c o n t ra s t , t h e g i r l s we l a b e le d " In t r ig u e d " o f t e n h a d su r ro u n d e dth e mse lv e s w i th se x u a l m e d ia c o n te n t ; th e i r ro o m s we r e fu ll o f ima g e s o fp o p u l a r m e d i a s t ar s a n d t h e y fr e q u e n t l y h a d a c ce s s t o a r a n g e o f m e d i a ,inc lud ing magaz ines , music , and te lev is ion . A th i rd g roup of g i r l s a lso hada c ce s s t o a n u m b e r o f m e d i a c h a n n e l s in t h e i r r o o m s , b u t t h e y w e r e m o s tl ik e ly to h a v e c h o se n ima g e s f ro m le ss ma in s t re a m me d ia . Th e y a l so we reth e m o s t p h y s ic al ly m a tu re a n d se x u al ly e x p e r ie n c e d o f th e g ir ls . D ra win go n th e w o rk o f C a ro l G i l lig an a n d h e r c o l l e ag u e s wh o a re t e a c h in g g i rl spsychological resistance skil ls (Brown and GiUigan, 1992), we called theseg irls "Re s i s t e r s" b e c a u se th e y m o s t c o n s i st e n tly o f fe r e d c r i tiq u e s o f se x u a lm e d i a c o n t e n t .

"Lived Through Experience" Factored InIn su b se q u e n t s tu d ie s , we a g a in fo u n d th a t m e d ia se le c tio n s w e re in-

f lu e n c e d b y g e n d e r , a n d a lso f re q u e n t ly b y ra ce . Fo r m a n y b o ys , a n in te re s tin sp o r t s g u id e d c h o ic e s. No t o n ly d id m a n y o f th e b o y s re p o r t a p re fe r e n c efo r sp o r t s p ro g ra m m in g a n d m a g a zin es , th e y a lso ma d e h e a v y u se o f sp o r tsf ig u re s a n d m e mo ra b i l ia in d e c o ra t in g th e i r ro o ms . O n e su m m e r sc h o o l s tu-den t w ro te o f h e r Hispan ic in te rv iew par tne r , 7 a r i s ing h igh schoo l sen ior:When I chatted with Joe earlier this evening, I got the feeling that he was takingme through a tour of a Sports Illustrated office or a studio at the ESPN network.

7These were two of the 20 high school students who participated in paired room cultureinterviews in July 1992. The students interviewed one another and wrote accounts describingwhat they had learned.


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A d o l e s c e n t R o o m C u l tu r e 561J o e l ik e s s p o r ts . A l o t. A l l o f t h e v a r io u s m e d i a i n h i s b e d r o o m t h a t a r e i m p o r t a n ts e e m t o b e a p a r t o f h i s a d m i r a t i o n f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l s p o r t s .

A r r a y e d o n t h e w a l ls o f J o e ' s b e d r o o m w e r e a c o l la g e o f m a g a z i n ea n d p o s t e r c u t o u t s o f h i s f a v o r it e p l a y e rs a n d t e a m s , a p o r t r a i t o f b a s e b a llg r e a t D o n M a t t i n g l y t h a t " r e m i n d s h i m o f h i s g o a l s i n l i f e , " a n d a B u r g e rK i n g p o s t e r f e a t u r in g o n e o f th e H a r l e m G l o b e t r o t t e rs . J o e s a i d h e d i dn o t h a v e a T V i n hi s r o o m , b u t t h a t h e d i d n o t r e a l ly n e e d o n e b e c a u s et h e o n l y th i n g h e w a t c h e d w a s s p or ts a n d h e c o u l d d o t h a t w i t h hi s f a t h e ri n t h e liv in g r o o m . J o e a ls o k e p t a p a i r o f h e a d p h o n e s h i d d e n b e h i n d h i sb e d s o h e c o u l d li s te n t o b a s e b al l g a m e s w h e n h e w a s s u p p o s e d t o b e s l e ep -i n g , " s o m e t h i n g h i s m o t h e r d o e s n ' t a p p r o v e o f . "I t w o u l d b e u n f a ir , t h o u g h , to s t e r e o t y p e a n i n t e r e s t i n s p o r ts ' m e d i aa s a " b oy s o n ly " p h e n o m e n o n . T a n y a , a n A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n h i g h s c h o ols t u d e n t f r o m N e w Y o r k , sa id s h e w a t c h e d s p o rt s o n T V " m o s t d a y s " a n dd i s p la y e d j u s t t h r e e p o s t e r s in h e r r o o m : S p u d W e b b , D o m i n i q u e W i lk in s ,and Kar l Malone , a l l Nat ional Basketbal l Associa t ion s tars . S t i l l , she re-por t ed l ik ing nonspor t s f a re a s we l l . The Fresh Prince o f Bel Air w a s h e rf a v o r i te s i tc o m , a n d s h e w a t c h e d g a m e s h o w s li k e Family Feu d m o r e r eg u -l a r ly t h a n s h e w a t c h e d s p o r ts . R a c i a l i d e n t i fi c a t io n w a s a l so e v i d e n t i nT a n y a ' s m e d i a c h o i c es . I n a d d i t io n t o Basketball Digest, t h e s ta c k o f m a g a -z i n e s o n h e r b e d s t a n d i n c l u d e d Jet, a b lack news m agaz ine , and Ebony, ab l a c k f a s h i o n m a g a z i n e . I n t e r e s t i n h e r e t h n i c h e r i t a g e w a s a l s o r e f l e c t e di n h e r t -s h i rt c o l le c t io n t h a t i n c l u d e d a f e w N B A t e a m s b u t m o s t l y " B l a c kPr ide - type sh i r t s . " Som e rac ia l i den t i f i ca t ion cou ld be seen in he r m us icp r e f e r e n c e s , t o o , w h i c h i n c l u d e d r h y t h m a n d b l u e s , r e g g a e , r a p , s o u l a n dgospel .

Music MotivatorsAl though m any o f the ado lescen t s had t e l ev i s ion se t s i n the i r room s ,

m os t cons ide red m us ic sys t em s and t e l ephones , no t TV, e s sen t i a l t o we l l -be ing . S ix teen-yea r -o ld Em i ly ' s com m en t was typ ica l fo r g ir ls : " I can ' t be inhe re [he r bedro om ] wi thou t m us ic . I a lways have m us ic on . " B oys, t oo , s a idthey l iked to l i s ten to music . Wil ly , 17 , ca l led h is s tereo h is "most pr izedpossess ion" and l ike Em i ly , adm i t t ed to hav ing the r ad io on a lm os t a l l t het im e he was in h is ro om (abou t 11/2 hour s da ily ). J ack sa id he l i s tened tom us ic "eve ry chan ce I ge t ," i nc lud ing dur ing M r . Snow ' s t en th g ra de b io logyc las s . He sa id he was "m ak in ' abou t a 95" in tha t c l a s s desp i t e the f ac t hewould tune in h i s po r t ab le r ad io ( s l ipped in to h i s pocke t wi th the wi re h id -d e n u n d e r n e a t h h is s w e a t sh i rt ) w h e n e v e r t h in g s s t a r te d t o g e t b o r in g .


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5 6 2 S t e e le a n d B r o w n

Motivation: Sometimes Conscious, Sometimes NotS o m e t e e n s w e r e q u i te c l e a r th a t t h e y t u r n e d t o s p e cif ic m e d i a c o n t e n t

t o s a ti sf y i n st ru m e n t a l n e e d s ( R u b i n , 1 99 4). W h e n p r o b e d a b o u t w h y h el iked v io len t f i lms l ike Terminator H a n d Boyz n the Hood, J a c k s a i d h e" m i g h t w a n t t o t r y s o m e m o v e s o n s o m e b o d y n e x t ti m e y o u g e t i n a f ig h t.Y ou l ea rn s t u f f t ha t m i gh t he l p yo u som e ti m e . " J enny , 16, l ike w om ensevera l yea rs her se n ior ( I llouz , 1992; Ra dw ay, 1984), sa id she re ad rom an cenove l s " a l l t he t i m e" because " I j u s t l i ke t o know , t o r ead abou t o t he r peo -p l e ' s li ves and t i m es . A nd fo rge t m i ne . " A h igh schoo l j un i o r w as qu i t e m a t -t e r o f fa c t a b o u t w h y h e h a d b o u g h t a Sports Illustrated sw i m su i t c a l enda rt o hang u p i n h is room : "T o know t he da t e and be cau se o f t he g ir ls ."A t o t h e r t i m e s , m e d i a s e l e c t io n w a s h a b i t u a l - - e . g . , " I tu r n o n m yt a p e p l a y e r f ir s t t h in g i n t h e m o r n i n g t o g e t m y b l o o d f l o w i n g c o r r e c t l y "o r " I a lw a y s w a t c h T V a f t e r d o i n g m y h o m e w o r k . " O u r d a t a s u g g e s tt h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n i n s tr u m e n t a l a n d h a b i t u a l m o t i v a t o r s f e e d sd i r e c t ly i n t o t h e q u a l i ty o r i n t e n s i ty o f t e e n s ' i n t e r a c t i o n s w i t h m e d i a .B u t t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p i s n o t a quid pro quo. E v e n h a b i t u a l m e d i a u s e c a nh a v e a n i m p a c t o v e r t i m e , a n d a s t r o n g l y m o t i v a t e d c h o i c e c a n f a l l f i a t .T h i s w a s t h e c a s e f o r S u z a n n e , 1 7 , w h o s a i d s h e h a d a l w a y s r e l i e d o nh e r o l d e r b r o t h e r ' s m o v i e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s u n ti l sh e w e n t t o s e e Medi-cine Man. " I t w a s o n e o f th e w o r s t m o v i e s I 'v e e v e r s e e n , " s h e e x c l a i m e d ,p u z z l in g o v e r w h y h e r b r o t h e r h a d l o v e d i t . " M a y b e i t w a s a m a l em o v i e , " s h e c o n c l u d e d o f f h a n d e d l y . It w o u l d b e i n te r e s ti n g t o k n o w i ft h e c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n h e r e x p e c t a t i o n s a n d a c t u a l r e s p o n s e t o t h e f i lmc a u s e d S u z a n n e t o p a y c l o s e r a t t e n t i o n - - p o t e n t i a l l y a m p l if y in g t h e f il m 'si m p a c t o n h e r .

I N T E R A C T I O NIden t i fy i ng w i t h cha rac t e r s i n TV show s , m ov i e s , o r song l y ric s; com -

par ing , i n t e rpre t ing , and c r i ti qu ing the phys ica l ap pe ara nc e , ac t ions , an dm ot ives of m ed ia f igures ; read ing the m selves in to songs (Willis , 1990) orm o v i ng i n and o u t o f t he l i fe o f a f avo r i t e rom anc e no ve l he ro i ne (M of f i t t,1993) a re exam pl es o f w h a t w e ca tego r i ze a s m ed i a " i n t e rac t i on . " La r son( t h i s i s sue ) t a l k s abou t t eens r e f l ec t i ng on l i f e i n t he pe r sona l space t heys o m e t i m e s c r e a t e t h r o u g h e n g a g e m e n t w i t h m u s i c . T h a t e n g a g e m e n t , w em a i n t a i n , is a subca t ego ry o f in t e rac ti on . D raw i ng on H a l l 's (1986) a r ti cu -l a t i on m ode l , M of f i t t ( 1993) m akes a conv i nc i ng ca se t ha t t he "m ed i a ex -p e r i e n c e , f o r s o m e r e c e i v e r s , s e r v e s a s a n i m m e d i a t e r e a l i t y . . , b l u r r i n gt he l i ne s be t w een t he f an t a sy o f t he t ex t and t he ' r e a l i t y ' o f l i ved expe r i -


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e n c e s " ( p. 2 32 ). S u z a n n e p r o v i d e d a n a p t e x a m p l e o f th i s ty p e o f in t e r a c t i o nw h e n s h e d e s c r i b e d t h e k i n d s o f b o o k s s h e l ik e d t o r e a d :

I l ike t o r ead s tu f f t ha t r ea l ly h ap p en s . . , t ha t m ak es you f ee l l i ke i t 's st ill go ingon . L ike i f I s t op r ead ing , i t w i l l k e e p . . , t he s to ry wi l l keep go ing . L ike Questiono f Survival. I could rea l ly ident i fy wi th tha t .I n t e r p r e t a t i o n o r s e n s e m a k i n g ( D e r v i n , 1 9 8 0 ) a r e o t h e r a s p e c t s o f

m e d i a i n t e r a c t i o n t h a t a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t f o r a d o l e s c e n t s a c t i v e l ye n g a g e d i n " id e n t i t y w o r k " ( S n o w a n d A n d e r s o n , 1 98 7). T e e n s f r e q u e n t l yt o l d u s t h e y li k e d c h a r a c t e r s o r i m a g e s t h a t f it w i th w h o t h e y w e r e o rw a n t e d t o b e . F o r e x a m p l e , D a n n y , 1 5, o n e o f t h e b o y s w e i n t e r v i e w e dt w i c e , s a i d h e l i k e d t h e T V s h o w Growing Pa ins b e c a u s e t h e r e w a s a b o y( B e n ) h i s a g e i n i t , a n d " h e ' s a l w a y s i n t o s o m e t h i n ' . H e b e d o i n ' c r a z ys tu f f, " t h u s s u g g e s t in g b o t h i d e n t if i c a ti o n a n d m o t i v a ti o n . E v e n w i t h f a v o r-i te c h a r a c t e r s, h o w e v e r , a d o l e s c e n t s f re q u e n t l y g r a p p l e w i th s o m e t i m e s c o n -f l i c t i n g a n d c o n t r a d i c t o r y m e s s a g e s . T h e y c o m p a r e w h a t t h e y a r e s e e i n ga n d h e a r i n g i n th e m e d i a w i th w h a t t h e y al re a d y k n o w o r t h o u g h t t h e yk n e w , t h e n a p p l y t h e i r n e w u n d e r s t a n d i n g s t o t h e i r l i v e s .

A s B a n d u r a ' s ( 19 9 4) s o c i al l e a r n in g m o d e l w o u l d p r e d i c t , fa v o r it e a c -t o r s a n d c h a r a c t e r s o f t e n a r e p o i n t s o f e n t r y f o r f u r t h e r a n a l y s i s o f a s s o c i -a t e d b e l i e f s , n o r m s , a n d v a l u e s . S u c h a n a l y t i c a l a n d s o m e t i m e s c r i t i c a li n t e r a c t i o n w i t h m e d i a a n d m e d i a c h a r a c te r s o c c u r s w i th i n li m i ts , h o w e v e r ,i m p o s e d b o t h b y th e i d e a s a n d f r a m e s o f r e fe r e n c e b r o u g h t b y t h e t e e na n d t h e r e l a ti v e ly c o n v e n t i o n a l w o r l d v ie w o f f e r e d b y th e m e d i a t e e n s a t-t e n d t o ( G i t l i n , 1 9 9 1 ; W o l f , 1 9 9 1 ) .

I n t e r p r e t i n g a n d E v a l u a t i n g M e d i a C o n t e n tO u r i n i t i a l s t u d y o f e a r l y a d o l e s c e n t g i r l s p r o v i d e d i l l u s t r a t i v e d a t a

o n t h e " s y m b o l i c w o r k " (W i llis , 1 99 0) g i rl s e n g a g e d i n ( B r o w n , et a l . , 1993).T h e g ir ls w o r k e d h a r d a t u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d m a i n t a in i n g t h e ir o w n s t an d -a r d s i n t h e f a c e o f a p p a r e n t l y c o n t r a d i c t o r y e x p e c t a ti o n s . S o m e c a m e t om e d i a u s e w i t h c l e a r " f r a m e s " ( G r a b e r , 1 98 9) o r " w o r l d v ie w s " ( K o s i c k i a n dM c L e o d , 1 9 90 ) t h a t h e l p e d g u i d e th e i r i n t e r p r e t a t io n s o f c o n t e n t , m a k i n gt h e m m o r e s o p h i s t i c a t e d a n d c o n s i s t e n t c r i t i c s t h a n o t h e r s .F o r e x a m p l e , m a n y o f t h e g i r l s s a i d t h e y f r e q u e n t l y u s e d m a g a z i n e sf o r g u i d a n c e a b o u t m a k e u p a n d c lo t he s . B u t s o m e a l so h a d b e g u n t o r e al iz et h a t t h e l o o k s p r o j e c t e d i n t h e m a g a z i n e s r a r e l y a r e a c h i e v e d . M a g g i e , 1 2 ,w h o , w h e n a s k e d i f a p p e a r a n c e i s i m p o r t a n t t o g i r l s h e r a g e , r e p l i e d , " M a -j o r l y ! " a l s o k n e w s h e c o u l d n o t l o o k l i k e t h e p e o p l e i n c o m m e r c i a l s : " I


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th in k mo s t a d v e r t i s in g i s (p u t s o n v o ic e ) , " I f y o u u se th i s ma sc a ra th e nyou ' l l look l ike th is , oh boy!"Audrey , 14 , s imi la r ly c r i t iqued beau ty a id commerc ia ls :

! t h ink tha t t hey use t hese beau t i fu l peop le t o s e ll t he i r p roduc t s because t hey wan tf a t o ld l ad i e s s i t t i ng a t hom e wi th cu r l e r s i n t he i r ha i r wa tch ing the soaps t o t h inktha t i f t hey buy L orea l ' s ( s ic ) 10 day fo rm u la t hey ' l l end up look ing tha t beau t i fu l .I t h ink tha t t ha t ' s r ea l ly s tup id because fo r one , I know pe r fec t ly we l l t ha t I d on ' tl ook l i ke Syb il Shepa rd an d Lo rea r s [ s i c ] 10 day fo rm u la ' s no t go ing to chan gethat .Bu t su c h c r i tiq u e s d id n ' t n e c e ssar i ly m e a n th a t th e u n d e r ly in g p re m ise

o f su c h a d v e r t i s in g wa s d i smisse d . A c o u p le o f d a y s l a t e r th e sa me g i r lr e p o r t e d i n h e r j o u r n a l t h a t s h e h a d s p e n t t h e a f t e r n o o n a t t h e m a l l b u y in g"basica lly cosm et ics!"Th is s a m e k in d o f id e n ti f ic a t io n , e v a lu a tio n a n d c r it iqu in g wa s e v id e n ti n t h e r o o m i n te r v ie w s a n d a l c o h o l j o u r n a l s k e p t b y c o l l e g e s tu d e n t s .Na th a n , 1 9, e v id e n c in g a c le a r se n se o f se lf , w ro te th a t h e fo u n d h ims e l ff e e li n g " re a l ly t a r g e t e d " b y a H e i n e k e n b e e r c o m m e r c ia l :

The scene was som e peop le i n t he i r ea r ly t h i r t i e s r e l ax ing on the i r po rch . Eventhough I 'm m u ch younger , I f e l t I r e l a t ed we l l i n t he sense t ha t I wou ld en joyre laxing, convers ing, and dr inking on a n ice , open porch. I found th is ad in teres t ingbeca use i t d idn ' t inv olve g i rl s in b ikin is , b ig par t ies , or any o f the o the r typica l" fantasy" aspects of beer adver t i s ing .

B e c a u s e t h e c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s k e p t j o u r n a l s d u r i n g b a s k e t b a l l t o u r -n a m e n t s e as o n , t h e y h a d a m p l e o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e e b e e r a d s . Ja s o n , 2 0,o b j e c t e d , c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e p o t e n t i a l i n f l u e n c e o f a d v e r t i s i n g o n b e -hav ior :

I r ea li zed tha t du r ing the AC C tournam en t , ev e ry com m erc i a l t im eo u t had a t l ea s ton e bee r co m m erc i a l on i t. I m ean , i t was r id icu lous. I m us t h ave seen 50 be e rcom m erc i a l s du r ing o ne n igh t o f gam es . So I suspec t t ha t a l coho l i n t ake wi l l r i s esubs tan ti al ly t h is m on th ac ros s co l l ege cam puses an d wi th o the r l ove r s o f t he N C A Atourney .

Bradley , 19, took an even m or e cyn ica l v iew, wri t ing , "So w ha t i f Id ra n k a 4 0 o z . [b e e r] a t 1 :3 0 th is a f t e rn o o n a f t e r my e x a m. A l l th e c o m -me rc ia l s d u r in g th e NCA_ A to u rn a m e n t a re t e ll in g me to d o so a l l d a y .A n d y o u k n o w th e p sy c h o log ic al fo rc e s a T V c a n h a v e o v e r a p e r so n . "Ju s t a s we fo u n d wi th se le c t io n , r a c ia l u n d e rs ta n d in g wa s a n o th e rf r a m e t h r o u g h w h i c h s o m e t e e n s i n t e r p r e t e d a n d u n d e r s t o o d m e d i a c o n -te n t . " I wa s mo re b o th e re d b y th e u n e q u a l a d v e r t i s in g a n d a v a i l a b i l i ty o fa l c o h o l t o A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s , " a w h i t e c o l l e g e s o p h o m o r e w r o t e i n h i sjo u rn a l , d i sp e l l in g th e t e mp ta t io n to c a te g o r iz e e th n ic f r a me s a s a sa me -


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A d o l e s c e n t R o o m Culture 565

r a c e p h e n o m e n o n . " I t s e e m s t h a t t h e c h e a p e s t, m o s t p o t e n t a l c o h o l is ta r -g e t e d t o w a r d t h e m , "

C l as s a n d g e n d e r a ls o a f f e c t e d h o w m e d i a c o n t e n t w e r e i n t e r p r e t e d .A s o p h o m o r e w h o b e l o n g e d t o a s o r o r i t y , s a i d , " F o r m y d a d t o d r i n k ag la ss o f s c o t c h e v e r y n i g h t i s v e r y d i f f e r e n t f r o m s o m e b o d y w h o 'l l c o m eh o m e a n d d r i n k a six -p a ck o f b e e r . . . . S c o t c h is a s e r io u s d r in k . I m e a n ,i t' s n o t l ik e a ru n a ro u n d an d g e t ro wd y d r in k . "

A P P L I C A T I O N

O u r an a ly ses su g g es t th a t ad o lescen t s ' b ed ro o m s a re im p o r tan t sp acesw h e r e t h e y c a n a p p l y " m e d i a m a t t e r " ( R o s e n g r e n a n d W i n d a h l , 1 9 8 9 ) i nth e i r e v e ry d a y liv es . F req u en t ly , th e ad o lesce n t is an ac t iv e ag e n t wh o c o n -sc iou s ly d raws o n th e m ed ia to ac h iev e spec i fi c p u rp o ses . W e ca ll th i s ty p eo f in t en t io n a l , g o a l -o r i en ted ap p l i ca t io n appropr ia t ion .

AppropriationS o me ty p ica l ex amp les o f ap p ro p r ia t io n in c lu d e u s in g med ia to d othe fo l lowing :

- - E n h a n c e a m o o d o r c op e w i th fe elin g s: " W h e n I n e e d t o g e tp u mp ed u p , l ik e b e fo re a p a r ty , I l i s t en to w i ld , lo u d mu s ic . "(wh i t e f emale , 1 6 )- - S o r t t h r o u g h c u l t u r a l v a l u e s a n d n o r m s : "S o met imes I t ry to f ig -u r e o u t w h a t I w o u l d h a v e d o n e . . . " (wh i t e f emale , 1 3 )- - M a k e a s t a t e m e n t a b o u t i d e n t i t y : "I l ike i t jus t cuz i t ' s wei rd andn o t m an y p eo p le h av e s tu f f l ik e th a t . I l i ke to b e d i f f e ren t . I t 'sju s t me . " (wh i t e f emale , 1 6 )- - E m u l a t e a d m i r e d b e h a v i o r : A s k e d w h y s h e h a d d y e d h e r h a i r ,A s t a r e p l i e d , " B e c a u s e t h a t ' s w h a t y o u g o t t o d o t o d a y , M a m a . "(b lack female , 13)- - F a n t a c i z e a b o u t p o s s i b l e s e lv e s o r s i tu a t io n s : " I w o u l d l o v e t om e e t D a v i d L e e R o t h o n e d a y . H e w o u l d b e a s n o b b u t I t h i n ki t wo u ld b e n ea t . " (wh i t e f emale , 1 4 )

M o o d E n h a n c e m e n tBo th A rn e t t an d Larso n ( th is is su e ) h av e p ro v id ed co n v in c in g ev i-

d e n c e o f te e n s ' a p p r o p ri a ti o n o f m e d i a t o e n h a n c e a m o o d o r c o p e w i tht h e c o n f u s in g e m o t i o n s t h a t t e e n a g e r s m u s t d e a l w it h. O u r d a t a , t o o , h e l d


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nu m e r ou s e xa m pl e s o f t h is t ype o f app l ic a ti on . S uz a nne , 17, t o l d us w he ns he ha d " r e a l p r ob l e m s " s he li ke d t o t u r n on h e r s t e r e o a nd " j us t wa l l owi n it. W he n I f e e l t ha t wa y I j u s t wa n t t he m [ he r pa r e n ts ] t o l e a ve m ea l one . " J e n ny s a id s he l ike d " t o f i nd s ongs tha t a r e l ike t he s a m e a s wh a t -e ve r k i nd o f mood I 'm i n . " Emi l y e c hoe d a s i mi l a r pa t t e r n :

W h e n I ' m s a d I t e n d t o l i st e n to s a d m u s i c , w h i c h d o e s n ' t e x a c t ly h e l p i n c h e e r i n gm e u p . I l is t e n to i t m u c h l o u d e r w h e n I ' m h a p p y 9

Cultural and Social IntegrationM o v i e s a n d T V s h o w s w e r e o f t e n t h e t a k e o f f p o i n t f o r r e f le c ti n g o nr e l at ions h i ps a nd how t o s o r t th r oug h t he c ha l le nge s o f e ve r yda y li fe . Che l -

sea , 15, sa id the te levis ion show Growing Pains, w a s o n e o f h e r f a v o r i t e sb e c a u s e

9 . . i t h a s a t e e n a g e r i n it , a n d t h e r e a r e t y p i ca l p r o b l e m s t h a t y o u w o u l d h a v ee v e r y d a y. I t k i n d a h e l p s y o u l o o k a t i t a n d s a y, ' O h y e a h , t h a t ' s a d i f f e r e n t w a yt o s o l v e t h a t p r o b l e m . '

Ma ggi e , 12 , s a i d s he l i ke d t o r e a d t he "De a r J a c k a nd J i l l " l e t t e r s c o l umnin T een magaz ine :9 . . b e c a u s e l ik e s o m e o f ' e m a r e m y p r o b l e m s a n d t h e y h a v e t h e a n s w e r s t h e r e.O r l ik e w h a t k i n d s o f c l o th e s a r e g o n n a b e i n f a s h io n t h is s u m m e r o r s t u f f l ik e t h a t .

Severa l g i r l s sa id they sought t e l evi s ion shows , movies , and magaz inea r ti c le s t ha t r e a s s u r e d t he m boys do ha ve f e e li ngs a nd g irls c a n r e f us e bo ys 'unwa n t e d s e xua l a dva nc e s . Two g i r l s s a i d t he mov i e Stand by Me w a s o n eof t he i r f a vor i t e s be c a us e "it br i ngs ou t guys ' f e e l i ngs a bou t how t he y f e e la b ou t c e rt a in t h i ngs . . . . Nor m a l ly , t he y don ' t s how guys ' f e e li ngs ."

Co l l a ge s ma de f r om wor ds , ph r a s e s , a nd i ma ge s g l e a ne d f r om a va -r i e ty o f m e d i a w e r e f oun d i n bo t h boy s ' a nd g irls' r oo ms . O f t e n , t he y s e r ve das v i sua l l inks to the l a rge r cu l ture . Suzanne , 17 , who desc r ibed he r se l f a sa " r e a l j unk pe r s on , " s a i d s he ha d "p i c ke d ou t t h i ngs t ha t ha ve me a n i ngt o m e - - t h i n g s t h a t I w a n t e d t o l o o k a t a n d r e m e m b e r " t o c r e a t e h e r b u l -l e t in boa rd col l age . S ix teen-yea r -o ld Mat thew, a c la s s ica l mus ic love r , hadt a c ke d t i c ke t s t ubs a nd p l a yb i l l s t o h i s bu l l e t i n boa r d t o r e mi nd h i m o fc o n c e r t s h e h a d a t t e n d e d .Am y ' s r oo m r e f l e c t e d the i de n t it y o f a g ir l i n de ve l op m e n t a l t r a ns i ti onw i t h m o v i e p o s t e r s o f Top Gun, Gone with the Wind, a n d a p i c tu r e o f m o v i es t a r Tom Cr u i s e t o r n f r om a ma ga z i ne , d i s p l a ye d a l ongs i de a pos t e r o fc a r t oo n c h a r a c t e r G a r f i e ld t he c a t a nd pos t e r s o f k i tt e ns, pe a c oc k s , a nd


17/26


horses . A l m os t e ve ry room we v i s it ed , i nc lud i ng t he boys ' , i nc l uded a c l us t e ro f s t u f f e d a n im a l s o r s o m e o t h e r l in k t o t h e s e c u r i ty o f c h i ld h o o d . M a t t h e wh a d t u c k e d a w a y in a f i le c a b i n e t c o p i e s o f c h il d re n 's m a g a z i n e s h e " n e v e rh a d t h e h e a r t t o t h r o w a w a y . "I n a n u m b e r o f t h e g ir ls ' r o o m s t h e t r a n s f e r o f e m o t i o n a l t i es t o m a l e sw a s e v i d e n c e d b y t h e j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f a n i m a l i m a g e s , f l o w e r s , o r p a s t o r a lscenes w i t h p i c t u re s o f i do l ized m ed i a ma l es . Bo t h N o l a , 15 , and Pau l i na ,1 3 , w h o h a d h a d b o y f r i e n d s a n d h a d " n e c k e d , " h a d c o v e r e d e n t i r e c l o s e td o o r s w i t h p i c t u r e s o f m a l e m o d e l s a n d m e d i a s t a rs t o r n f r o m f a s h i o n a n dfan magaz i nes . T he roo m s o f yo ung er ma l es r e f l ec t ed a si mi la r t rans i t ionf rom ch i l dho od i n t o t he wor l d o f sexua l r e la t ionsh i ps . J ac k ' s ro om w as f il ledw i t h i m a g e s o f b o t h b l a c k a n d w h i te w o m e n , m o s t i n p r o v o c a t iv e p o s e s .B u t t h e i m a g e s o f y o u n g w o m e n w e r e i n t e r s p e r s e d w i th h is o w n d r a w i n g so f G I J o e d o n e w h e n h e w a s 1 0 a n d " G I J o e c r az y ," a n d d r a w in g s o f th em o v i e s Lady and the Tramp ( " I j u s t s een t ha t i n a magaz i ne and I d rewi t " ) , and Sta r Wars.

M e d i a a l s o w e r e f r e q u e n t l y u s e d a s s t a n d a r d s f o r c o m p a r i s o n w i t ht h e l a r g e r c o n s u m e r s o c ie ty . T e e n s l o o k e d t o th e m e d i a f o r g u i d a n c e o nhow t o d re s s , s t y l e t he i r ha i r , o r s e l ec t pe r fume and makeup . A l ongs i deb r a n d - n a m e l a b e l s f r o m c l o t h i n g h e h a d p u r c h a s e d , J a c k h a d p o s t e d a p i c -t u r e o f A r s e n i o H a l l b e c a u s e " h e d r e s se s ." S o m e t i m e s , m e d i a im a g e s w e r ea p p r o p r i a t e d t o m a k e c o u n t e r s t a t e m e n t s , t o r e s is t m a i n s t r e a m v a l u e s .S u z a n n e h a d p o s t e d a m a g a z in e p h o t o o f a y o u n g w o m a n w h o h a d c e -m en t ed he r ha i r i n t o a 7 - inch h igh "m oh aw k" w i t h t he he l p o f ge l, ha i r-sp ray , g l ue , sp ray s ta rch , eggs, and co rns t a rch . P ro ud o f the p i c t u re ' s sho ckv a l u e , sh e n e v e r t h e le s s a s k e d , " W h y w o u l d a n y o n e w a n t t o l o o k li ke t h a t ? "Al yssa , a co l l ege sophomore , de l i gh t ed i n a Ca l v i n K l e i n ad f ea t u r i ngM a r k y M a r k i n h i s u n d e r w e a r .

It's kind of fun to have a poster of a dum b boy , 'cause guys get really offendedwhen they c om e in here. T hey're like (lowers voice to imitate), "Aw, man, he's justgood looking. H e's an idiot. I don 't know why you have that."M ed i a app l i ca t i ons l i ke t hese r e i n fo rce i den t i f i ca t i on w i t h t he you t hc u l t u r e o f w h i c h t e e n a g e r s a r e m e m b e r s w h i le a t t h e s a m e t im e r e p r o d u c i n gt h e a d u l t c u l t u r e t h a t m a k e s m o n e y f r o m t h e i r t a st e s a n d s p e n d i n g p o w e r ,es t imated a t $89 b i l l ion in 1994 and growing (Zinn , 1994) .

Expression o f SelfO f t e n , t h e b e d r o o m w a s u s e d t o s h o w c a s e p o s s e s s i o n s t h a t r e f l e c t e ds e lf - c o n c e p t. M e d i a a n d o t h e r a r ti fa c ts r e m i n d t e e n s o f w h o t h e y a r e, w h i le


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5 6 8 S t e e le a n d B r o w n

a t t he s a m e t i me t e l e g ra ph i ng t o pa r e n t s a nd f r i e nds t he s e l ves t he y a r ec ons t r uc t i ng ( Wa l l e ndor f a nd Ar nou l d , 1988) . Emi l y d i s p l a ye d a book o fp h o t o g r a p h s , The Family o f Wom an ( Ma s on , 1983) , on he r bookc a s e "sot h a t e v e r y o n e c an s e e w h a t a c u l t u re d p e r s o n I a m a n d w h a t a n e a t m o mI ha ve wh o g i ve s m e bo oks l ike tha t . " J e nny , 16, ha d c ov e r e d a n e n t i r ed o o r w i t h c u t o u t s o f p e r f u m e b o t t le s b e c a u s e " I t h in k y o u c a n e x p r e s s y o u r -s e l f t h r o u g h , l ik e fr a g r a n c e s a n d m u s i c ." N a t h a n , a c o ll e g e s o p h o m o r ew h e n w e i n te r v ie w e d h i m , w a s d i s a p p o i n te d t h a t n o o n e p a i d a n y a t te n t i o nt o t he book c o l l e c t i on he b r ough t w i t h h i m t o c o l l e ge h i s f r e s hma n ye a r .

Like no one ever came in here and said like "W ow, neat!" So, this year, I decidedthat I couldn 't possibly eread them or w hatever, so it really wa sn't much point inbringing them.

Emulation~ModelingA m a j o r it y o f t he t e e n s we i n te r v i e we d ha d a t le a s t on e i m a ge o f a

m ovi e s ta r , fa s h i on m ode l , mus i c ia n , o r f a m ous a t h l e t e on t he wa l l s o f t he i rrooms . Occas iona l ly , o lde r adolescent s inc luded pol i t i ca l f igures . S t i l l , im-a g e s s u c h a s t h e p o s t e r s o f M a r t in L u t h e r K i n g a n d M a l c o l m X t h a t w e r ei n th e c o ll e g e d o r m r o o m s o f b o t h a n A f r ic a n - A m e r ic a n g ir l a n d a w h i t eb o y w e r e r e la ti v el y r a r e e v e n a m o n g t h e o l d e r te e n s . M a l e s a n d f e m a l e st yp ic a ll y i nc l ude d i ma ge s o f bo t h s e xe s on t he i r walls , a n d a l t hough bo t hwhi t e s a nd b l a c ks we r e mor e l i ke l y t o i nc l ude i ma ge s o f t he i r own r a c e ,i m a g e s o f o t h e r r a c e s w e r e d i s p l a y e d i n a n u m b e r o f r o o m s . F o r e x a m p l e ,J a c k , 15 , a n Af r i c an - Am e r i ca n , h a d p os t e r s o f bo t h J o e Na m a t h , a wh i t ef oo t ba l l st ar , a nd M i c ha e l J o r da n , a b l a c k ba s ke t ba l l p l a ye r on h is be dr oo mw a l l s . S i g o u r n e y W e a v e r , t h e b a l d c o m m a n d o o f Alien III f a m e , s h a r e ds p a c e w i t h L e d Z e p p e l i n a n d b a s k e t b a l l p l a y e r s f r o m b o t h t h e U n i v e r s i t yo f T e n n e s s e e a n d D u k e U n i v e rs it y o n t h e b a c k o f G e o r g e ' s ( 17 , N a t iv e -A m e r i c a n ) d o o r .

E x p l a n a t io n s f o r w h y a n i m a g e w a s s e l e c te d f r e q u e n t l y c e n t e r e da r ound e i t he r e mul a t i on o r f a n t a s y , a nd s ome t i me s bo t h . J e nny , a 16 - ye a r -o l d w h i t e g i r l , p r e f e r r e d J o h n n y D e p f r o m t h e m o v i e Cry Bab y b e c a u s e"he ' s t ough , bu t ge n t l e . " A Na t i ve - Ame r i c a n h i gh s c hoo l g i r l ' s r oom wa sd e c o r a t e d w i t h 1 1 M a r i l y n M o n r o e p o s t e r s b e c a u s e o f M o n r o e ' s " b e a u t ya n d a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s . " N a t h a n h a d p o s t e d a M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g c u t o u tbe c a us e he ' d " l i ke t o be a l e a de r l i ke t ha t . " J oe r e l i e d on a c o l l a ge o fs por t s he r oe s a nd r e l a t e d ma ga z i ne c l i pp i ngs t o p r ov i de "a t h l e t i c i n s p i r a -t ion . " T he s t e rn l ook s on t he a t h l e te s ' f a c e s r e f l e c t e d t he t ough , de t e r m i ne da t t i t ude he l i ke d t o i mi t a t e whe n p l a y i ng ba s e ba l l o r ba s ke t ba l l , he e x -p l a i ne d .


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Ado l e s c e n t Room Culture 569

FantasyM a n y t e e n s ' b e d r o o m s o f f e r e d a s a fe h a v e n i n w h ic h fa n t a s i e s - - n o t

a lw a y s m e d i a r e l a t e d - - c o u l d b e s p u n o u t . F o r i n s t a n ce , D a n n y , a w o r k i n g -c la ss r u r a l y o u t h , h a d t a c k e d u p a v e l o u r w a l l h a n g i n g f e a tu r i n g a n o u t d o o rs c e n e o f s n o w - c a p p e d m o u n t a i n s a n d a m o o s e g r a z i n g a t t h e e d g e o f al a k e . H e s a i d h e h a d n e v e r b e e n t o t h e m o u n t a i n s ( e v e n t h o u g h t h e y a r eo n l y a n h o u r o r t w o a w a y f r o m w h e r e h e liv es) b u t w o u l d l o v e t o . H i ss i st e r, As ta , m ea nw hi l e , ha d se l ec t ed a p l a s ti c r ep l ica o f a V ic to r i an hou set o h a n g i n h e r r o o m b e c a u s e it re s e m b l e d " t h e k i n d o f h o u s e I w a n n a li vein som e day . " Expens ive m ode l ca r s , p i c tu res o f beaches , sk i r e so r t s , andr o m a n t i c i z e d ci ti es li k e P ar is , L o n d o n , a n d R o m e w e r e a ls o p o p u l a r .In ou r f i rs t s tudy we fou nd tha t t he l eas t s exua lly exp er i en ced g irlst e n d e d t o c h o o s e l e s s " d a n g e r o u s " m a l e m e d i a s t a r s w h o s p o k e m o r e t othe poss ib i li ty o f l ove th an sex . A udre y , 14 , w ro te ,

I also thought River Phoenix (Chris Chambers) was gorgeous! He was so sweetand sensitive too, with his best friend, Gordie. Gordie reminds me of what my dadused to be like when he was a little boy.

In cont ras t, a m or e sexually expe r ienced g ir l inc luded a p ic ture o f JohnF. K enn edy, J r., in h er journ al an d wrote , " I 'm in love wi th h im. H e 's so sexyand good- look ing ." Suzanne , a h igh schoo l jun io r w hen in te rv iewed , had cu tout a Masimo ad ( for eyeglasses) fea tur ing a bare-ches ted man because she

thought the guy was c u t e . . , maybe because I don't know him. That makes himmore mysterious, and you don't need to worry about whether he's a jerk.

IncorporationIncorpora t ion , t he o th e r subca tegory o f m ed ia app l ica tion , is ha rde r todiscern because i t is less visible, more internal . Diff icul t to tease out of self-

r epor t da t a and no t r ead i ly apparen t i n room decora t ions , i ncorpora t ion i st h e e m b o d i m e n t o f th e s e n se m a k i n g o r " sy m b o li c w o r k " t h a t D e r v in (1 98 0)and Will is (1990) d iscuss. Inco rpora t ion is a "w ay of taking" me anin g (H eath ,1982) f rom the m edia , of ten unconsciously , and m aking i t pa r t o f the self .

FramingO n e o f o u r b e s t e x a m p l e s o f i n c o r p o r a t i o n is t h e w a y M a r y , 1 5, u s e dm e d i a t o r e i n f o r c e t h e s t r o n g m o r a l c o n v i c t i o n s s h e h e l d . T h e m o s t r e l i g -

ious g i rl we in t e rv iew ed , M ary ha d ha d r e l a tive ly l it tl e exp er i enc e in sexua l


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570 S t ee l e a n d B r o w n

r e la ti o n sh i ps . H e r s e n s e o f r ig h t a n d w r o n g a p p a r e n t ly h a d k e p t h e r f r o ms t e p p in g i n w h e r e m o s t o f h e r c o h o r t s a l re a d y h a d b e e n . M a r y d e s c r i b e dp o r t r a y a l s o f w o m e n i n a d v e rt is in g a s " d e g r a d in g " a n d i n r e s p o n s e t o n e w srep or t s t ha t U .S . M ar i nes h ad ex chang ed po l i ti ca l s ec re t s fo r s ex w i t h Sov i e tw o m e n , w r o t e ,

H a v i n g s e x i s s o m e t h i n g y o u d o w h e n y o u m i su s e t h e s y s te m s G o d g a v e y o u . W h e ny o u m a k e l o v e y o u c o m p l e te l y g iv e y o u r s e l f t o y o u r p a r t n e r , b u t i n m a k i n g l o v ey o u m u s t b e w i t h t h e p e r s o n y o u s h o u l d l iv e w i t h f o r t h e r e s t o f y o u r life .

B y fr a m i n g t h e n e w s s t o ry th is w a y , M a r y w a s a b l e t o r e i n f o r c e h e r o w nm ora l s t anda rds .G i r l s w h o b r o u g h t a f e m i n i s t f r a m e t o s u c h m e d i a c o n t e n t c r i t i q u e ds im i la r m a t e r i a l b u t f r o m a d i f f e r en t p o i n t o f v i e w a n d w e d e d u c e f r o mt he i r roo m deco ra t i ons w i th opp os i t e e f f ec t. Fo r M e l is sa , 13 , and a f ew o ft h e o t h e r g irls , o n e o f t h e m a i n p r o b l e m s w i th s e x u a l c o n t e n t i n th e m e d i aw as t ha t i t d i d no t a l l ow room fo r f em a l e sexua l des i r e o r i n i t i a t i ve . A na d v e r t i s e m e n t f o r a d i a m o n d r i n g t h a t f e a t u r e d a w o m a n c a r e s s i n g a m a nas she s i t s on h i s l ap in a rocking cha i r was the ca ta lys t for th i s journa len t ry :

F o r o n c e t h e y ' v e g o t t h e p o s i ti o n s tu r n e d a r o u n d t o s h o w h o w t h i n g s r e a ll y a re .T h e w o m a n c a n b e o n t o p , t o o . A w o m a n h a s a s m a n y n e e d s a s a m a n b e l i e v e i to r n o t a d v e r t i s e r s . I t d o e s n ' t a l w a y s t a k e a d i a m o n d e i t h e r t o " g e t i n t h e m o o d . "

C u l t i v a t i o n

D esp i t e such s t rong f em i n i s t c r it iques , m os t o f t he g ir ls w e have in -t e rv i ew ed have he l d an ab i d i ng f a i t h i n f i nd i ng t rue l ove , a cu l t u ra l m ode l(H ol la nd and Ei sen har t , 1990) they ac t on in the i r ow n lives. Gi r l s a t a l ls t a g e s o f s ex u a l d e v e l o p m e n t a n d e x p e r i e n c e l o o k e d f o r a n d f o u n d r e i n -f o r c e m e n t f o r a r o m a n t ic m y t h in th e m e d i a . L a n g , 1 4, l a id o u t t h e r o m a n t i cfan t a sy sc r i p t i n e i gh t pages i n he r j ou rna l w i t h i m ages cu t f rom t een g i r lm agaz i nes . The se r i e s began w i t h an ad sugges t i ng t ha t g i r l s have t o com -p e t e w i t h e a c h o t h e r f o r m e n , i n c l u d e d a d s d e p i c t i n g b e a u t i f u l m e n a n dw o m e n in p a s si o n a te e m b r a c e s , a nd e n d e d w i th t h e i m a g e o f a h a p p y b r i d ea n d g r o o m g e t ti n g i n to a c o n v e r ti b le u n d e r t h e h e a d l i n e , " W e ' v e o n l y j u s tb e g u n . . . . " I n k e e p in g w i t h c u lt iv a ti o n t h e o r y ( G e r b n e r e t a l . , 1994) , ther o m a n t i c m y t h o v e r t i m e b e g i n s t o s e e m r e a l . ( S e e W a r d , t h i s i s s u e , f o rm ore on sexua l s c r i p t s . )


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Emotional Condi t ioning

T r u e t o h e r w o r d s ( " I c a n 't b e in h e r e [ h e r b e d r o o m ] w i t h o u t m u s i c " ),E m i l y h a d t h e r a d i o o n d u r i n g h e r r o o m i n t e r v i e w . A t o n e p o i n t , s h e i n -t e r ru p t e d he r se l f m i dsen t enc e , exc la iming, "Th a t ' s Dav i d ' s and my song! Ican a l mos t sme l l h i s co l ogne when i t comes on . "

I d e n t i f ie d b y T h o r s o n ( 19 8 9 ) a s a c o n d i t io n e d r e s p o n s e s t o r e d i n p r o -c e d u r a l m e m o r y , t h is t y p e o f m e d i a a s s o c ia t io n m a y h e l p t o e x p l a in t h ec u m u l a ti v e e f f e c t s o f m e d i a e x p o s u r e o v e r a l if e ti m e . A l t h o u g h s p a c e p r e -c l udes a fu l l d i scuss ion o f Th orson ' s pe r spec t ive , he r i n si gh t tha t c on sum era t t it u d e s a n d b e h a v i o r m a y b e a f f e c t e d t h r o u g h a n " i n a t te n t iv e m o d e o fp rocess i ng" (p . 398) t ha t h i nges on i nvo l vemen t , i n t e re s t , o r mo t i va t i onm o v e s o u r t h i n ki n g a b o u t a d o l e s c e n t s' a p p l i c a ti o n o f m e d i a m e s s a g e s in au s e f u l d ir e c ti o n . I f, as h e r " P r o c e s s in g M o d e l o f V i e w e r R e s p o n s e t o C o m -m e r c i a ls " s u g g es ts , c o n s u m e r s o f t e n a c t u si ng m e m o r y c o n t e n t o f w h i c ht h e y a r e u n a w a r e , t h e i m p l ic a ti o n s f o r m e d i a e f f e c ts r e s e a r c h a r e i m p o r t a n t.

A s t a ' s ( 1 4, A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n ) u s e o f m u s i c t o c o n n e c t w it h h e r f a t h e rand he r pee r cu l t u re i s ano t he r case i n po i n t . "1 l i kes t o dance , " she sa i d ,e x p l ai n in g t h a t a l m o s t e v e r y d a y sh e w o u l d g o o u t o n t h e p o r c h a n dd a n c e - - " f o r e x e r c i s e a n d c u z I l i k e i t . " A s k e d i f a n y o n e e v e r d a n c e d w i t hh e r , s h e r e p li e d , " M y d a d d y d o . W e [ A s ta a n d h e r b r o t h e r s a n d s i s te r]t e a c h h i m n e w s t e p s ." I n l ig h t o f T h o r s o n ' s m o d e l , w e i n t e r p r e t A s t a ' s a f -t e r n o o n d a n c i n g r o u t i n e a s a p r a c t i c e t h a t a l l o w e d h e r t o e x p e r i e n c e t h ep h y s i c a li ty a n d s e x ua l i n n u e n d o o f t e n a s s o c i a te d w i th d a n c e - - o n e o fw o m e n ' s s o c ia l ly s a n c t i o n e d o u t l e t s f o r s e x u a l e x p r e s s io n ( M c R o b b i e ,1 9 8 4 ) - - i n t h e s e c u r it y o f h e r o w n h o m e o n a n a l m o s t d a il y b a s is .

S o m e w e e k s a f t e r t h e i n t e r v i e w , w h e n w e d r o v e A s t a a n d h e r o l d e rs i st e r to t h e u n i v er s it y f o r a c a m p u s t o u r a n d t ri p t o t h e b o o k s t o r e ( o u rway o f g i v i ng somet h i ng back i n add i t i on t o t he $10 she go t a s a t hankyou fo r do i ng t he i n t e rv i ew) , As t a scanned t he r ad i o d i a l fo r t he l oca l r aps t a t i o n t h e m i n u t e s h e g o t i n t h e c a r . A s s h e m o v e d i n h e r s e a t t o t h em u s i c a n d r a p p e d o u t t h e w o r d s i n r h y t h m w i t h t h e c o m m e r c i a l a r t i s t s o nt h e a i r , i t w a s c l e a r t h a t r a p w a s s e c o n d n a t u r e t o h e r - - a s m u c h a p a r t o fwho she was a s he r "b l ack t a l k" (Smi t he rman , 1994) .

C O N C L U S I O NThi s f i na l exampl e r e t u rns us t o t he mode l . L i ke a l l mode l s , t he Ado-l e scen t s ' M ed i a P rac t i ce M od e l is a " consc i ous l y s i mpl i fi ed desc r i p t i on i ng raph i c fo rm o f a p i ece o f r ea l it y" (M cQ ua i l an d W i ndah l , 1993, p . 2 ).


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572 S t ee l e a n d B r o w n

T h a t p i e c e o f r e a l i t y i s w h a t w e h a v e l e a r n e d f r o m o u r r o o m c u l t u r e r e -s e a r c h w i t h a d o l e s c e n ts . T o s u m m a r iz e :1. A d o l e s c e n t s a r e a ct iv e i n m u c h o f t h e i r u s e o f t h e m e d i a . T h e yc h o o s e w h i c h m e d i a t h e y w ill a t t e n d t o , a n d t h e y c h o o s e f a v o r i t e

c h a r a c t e r s a n d m o d e l s to e m u l a t e a n d l u st a f t e r ( S e l e ct io n ) . T h e yd e b a t e a n d c o n s i d e r t h e m e a n i n g a n d s i g n i f i c a n c e o f p o r t r a y a l s ,i m a g e s, a n d s y m b o ls (I n t e ra c t i o n ) . A n d t h e y a p p l y t h o s e m e a n i n g sin the i r eve ryd ay lives , somet im es actively , bu t a t o the r t ime s un -consc ious ly (Appl ica t ion) .2 . Bas i c soc iocu l tu ra l f ac to r s such a s ge nd er and r ace a s we l l a s t hemul t iva r i a t e cond i t ions o f t he i r own l ives in f luence wha t i s a t -t e n d e d t o a n d h o w m e d i a c o n t e n t i s i n t e r p r e t e d a n d a p p l i e d b yt e e n s ( L iv e d E x p e r i e n c e ) .3. A d o l e s c e n ts ' s e ns e o f w h o t h e y a r e a n d w h o t h e y m a y s o m e d a yw a n t t o b e c o m e p la y s a c e n t r a l r o l e in t h e i r u s e o f m e d i a - - a f f e c t -i n g w h a t m e d i a a r e a t t e n d e d t o , h o w i n t e n s e l y a n d t o w h a t e f -f e c t - w h i l e a t t h e s a m e t i m e f e e d i n g f o r w a r d a n d c h a n g i n g t h esense o f s e l f i n the p rocess ( Iden t i ty ) .

Tak ing a l l o f t hese f ac to r s in to cons ide ra t ion , we a rgue tha t t r ad i -t i ona l ca t egor i e s o f m ed ia ac tiv ity a r e com po nen t s o f a con t inuous , d i a l ec -t ic a l p ro c e s s o f c u l tu r a l a n d s o ci al p r o d u c t i o n a n d r e p r o d u c t i o n . T h e i m p a c to f th i s p rocess i s a t onc e con s t r a ined a nd am pl i f ied by w ha t is ava i lab le int h e m e d i a a n d b y w h a t a d o l e s c e n t s b r i n g t o t h e m e d i a .

By fo reg roun d ing iden t i ty and t ak ing a p rac t ice pe r spec t ive , t he m od e lhe lps exp la in wh y me d ia e f f ec t s, t r ad it iona l ly pe rce ived a s ch anges in a t ti -t udes , op in ions , o r behav io r , have been so e lus ive . The med ia ' s i n f luenceon ado lescen t s ' s ense o f t hemse lves i s complex and r ea l i zed th rough eve ry -day activ itie s and rou t ines , m ak ing e f f ec t s ex t r em e ly d i f fi cu lt t o m ea su re - -n o t b e c a u s e t h e m e d i a a r e w e a k a n d t h e a u d i e n c e s tr o n g , b u t r a t h e r b e c a u s ethey a re in t ri ca te ly wo ven in to the f ab r ic o f da i ly lif e. T h i s v i ew u nde r sco re sthe ne ed fo r m or e long itud ina l , qual it a tive s tud ie s tha t exp lo re the r e l a t ion -sh ip be tw een ado lescen t s ' eve ryday m ed ia p rac t i ces and iden t ity .T o o l i t t l e i s k n o w n a b o u t t h e e f f e c t s o f r e p e a t e d e x p o s u r e t o e v e rl a r g e r d o s e s o f m e d i a s ex a n d v i o le n c e , o f t e n u n a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e t y p e so f n e g a t i v e o u t c o m e s t h a t m i g h t d e t e r e m u l a t i o n . W h a t h a p p e n s , f o r e x -am ple , t o ch i ld ren w ho s t a r t r epea t ing g angs ta r ap lyr ic s f rom the t imet h e y a r e 2 o r 3 ? W h a t is t h e e f f e c t o f m i d d l e s c h o o l s t u d e n t s a s s id u o u s lywr i t ing down the ly r i c s o f songs l i ke "Baby ' s Go t Back" o r d i a l ing up 1 -800-585-SEXX and l i s t en ing to "Hi , baby , I 'm we t , w i ld and wi l l i ng to doany th ing an d eve ry th ing to p l ease yo u fo r on ly $3 .99 a m inu te . I wa n t t o


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A d o l e s c e n t R o o m C u l tu r e 573m a k e y o u s c r ea m , " f o l l o w e d b y th e d o m e s t ic a n d i n t e rn a t io n a l p a y p h o n enumbe r s t o c a l l .

W e m a y n o t b e a b l e to d e s i g n e x p e ri m e n t a l s t u d ie s c a p a b l e o f e x -p l a i n i ng t he c umul a t i ve e f f e c t s o f s uc h p r a c t i c e s , bu t we know t he y e x i s ta n d w e k n o w t h a t t h e y f e e d i n to t h e p r o c e s s o f id e n t it y c o n

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