Hot Topic (3/4): Explicit lyrics Linked to Sexually Active Teens?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

Should parents monitor their children's music choices? 

Do you think music can really have an effect on how sexually active teens are?

Explicit lyrics linked to sex among teens: scientists

PARIS (AFP) – Can listening to sexually aggressive lyrics prompt teenagers to have sex at an earlier age?

That's the issue raised by a new study, and it could unleash a fierce debate over whether a teen's music player is potentially risky and -- if so -- what should or can be done about it.

In an unusual piece of research, investigators at the University of Pittsburgh graded the sexual aggressiveness of lyrics, using songs by popular artists on the US Billboard chart.

The lyrics were graded from the least to the most sexually degrading.

They then asked 711 students aged 15 to 16 at three local high schools about their music preferences and their sexual behaviour.

Overall, 31 percent of the teens had had intercourse.

But the rate was only 20.6 percent among those who had been least exposed to sexually degrading lyrics but 44.6 percent among those highly exposed to the most degrading lyrics.

The study's lead author, Brian Primack, said music by itself was not the direct spark for sex but helped mould perception and was thus "likely to be a factor" in sexual development.

"These lyrics frequently portray aggressive males subduing submissive females, which may lead adolescents to incorporate this 'script' for sexual experience into their world view," he told AFP.

The study took social factors, educational attainment and ethnicity into account.

"Non-degrading" lyrics described sex in a non-specific way and as a mutually consensual act, while "degrading" lyrics described sexual acts as a purely physical, graphic and dominant act.

"Lyrics describing degrading sex tend to portray sex as expected, direct and uncomplicated," said the paper, which appeared last week in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"Such descriptions may offer scripts that adolescents feel compelled to play out, whether they are cast in the role of either the female or the male partner."

Steven Martino, author of a study published in 2000 that also made the same association between music and sexual behaviour, said the findings were a wakeup call.

"The need [is] for parents to be aware so that they can place limits and criticise and understand what their children are listening to," said Martino, a behavioural scientist in Pittsburgh with the Rand Corporation.

More than 750,000 American teenagers become pregnant each year, giving the United States one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in the rich world, according to figures quoted in the study. Nearly a quarter of all female teenagers in the United States have a sexually-transmitted disease.

Nearly a quarter of a century ago, lyrics by Prince on his album "Purple Rain" prompted wives of senior politicians in Washington, led by Tipper Gore, to set up the Parents Music Resource Center.

They pushed for the music industry to develop guidelines and a rating system for lyrics, similar to the ratings for movies. The system was criticised by many as unworkable and counter-productive, making it more daring for teens to buy songs they deemed taboo.

"Government needs to help parents to regulate the industry," said Helen Ward, president of the Kids First Parents Association of Canada.

Today's technology means it is "physically impossible" for parents to monitor what their children listened to or watched on their MP3, she said.

But Raymond MacDonald, a specialist in music psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University, described it as "a perennial debate that cropped up with artists like Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the Sex Pistols and Elvis Presley before that."

"Do we really need a solution to the problem?", he asked.

MacDonald said that even if every generation rehashes the discussion differently, there's an important difference today: age lines have blurred and now everyone is listening to everything.

"Maybe we should do a study to see if the music has as a bad influence on grandparents," he said wryly.

[forsythia_18]

This is ridiculous.  My mom tried to monitor my music and all it caused were arguments.  It didn't accomplish anything.  Now I still listen to the same music. 

[Memaw08]

You know I do believe that some music is crazy no a days and the things that they say in the songs I just cant believe. BUT to link it to this is over the top. I used to say something to my son because he was such a hard rock music listener. I hated what they were saying int he music and he told me that he didnt listen to the WORDS he listened to the MUSIC. I know ...Im not that stupid but to some songs I believed him. they are going to listen to the music one way or another.

I just think that to say this is another excuse to throw the blame somewhere else other then where it should be.

[chesiretuff]

Quoting Cafe GroupAdmin:

Should parents monitor their children's music choices? 

Do you think music can really have an effect on how sexually active teens are?

Parents should monitor their children's music just like they should monitor what they watch on tv.  But it ends there, it's pointless to try to keep your teen from listening to the music they like.  It will only drive them to listen to it more.

If a teen is sexually active, music is not the single cause.  Music can make it easier to say some phrases, but listening to sexually explicit lyrics are not going to brainwash teens into having sex.  I used to listen to some pretty raunchy stuff when I was as young as 11.  Baby Got Back by Sir Mixalot, I knew all the words to that song, but I had no idea what I was saying, "My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns hun!"  Yeah... so I thought this rapper had a pet anaconda that also liked big butts... *sigh*.

[momagain4321]

This all comes down to how a child is raised. I talk openly with my children and know that I am doing all I can to ensure they are doing the right thing. The music they listen to, tv they watch and movies all are saying different things are ok. Talk to you children and start young and they will understand right from wrong. My parents didnt talk to me about any of the real important things in life and just let me go my own way and I made some wrong choices. I wish I had a more open talking relationship with them.

Telling kids not to listen to certain music will only make them want to that much more and that is how things get out of control. Explain to kids what is wrong with the words and why it isnt the right choice and make sure they understand it is just a song.

[Robin]

My kids are young still but I don't plan to censor their music.  I think some of the music videos of girls half dressed may make some young girls want to dress sexy to get attention from the boys... 

I would start conversations about having respect for themselves and about about not sleeping around...

[Robin]

 

Quoting forsythia_18:

This is ridiculous.  My mom tried to monitor my music and all it caused were arguments.  It didn't accomplish anything.  Now I still listen to the same music. 

My grandma used to throw my mother's Elvis Presley records down the stairs.  She thought "rock and roll" was evil. 

My mom still listens to Elvis:)

[dr_m]

Quoting Robin:

 

Quoting forsythia_18:

This is ridiculous.  My mom tried to monitor my music and all it caused were arguments.  It didn't accomplish anything.  Now I still listen to the same music. 

My grandma used to throw my mother's Elvis Presley records down the stairs.  She thought "rock and roll" was evil. 

My mom still listens to Elvis:)

lol....  about throwing the records down the stairs !  

                                                                      

 

i think the music does or can affect teen behavior, but it's a natural tendency anyway...   it's hard to stop them or any of us listening to what we want..  I agree about having morals and helping raise kids to be independent thinkers and not influenced too easily.. 

my mom used to always say  " maintain your dignity " 

 

[JanMarie225]

I remember going to see Purple Rain when it came out in theaters and the only really raunchy song on it was "Nikki" where he "gyrated" on the stage. It still is one on my fav all-time CDs.

I think kids are more likely to "act out" on the sexual lyrics when they are on the dance floor. I am more inclined to sensor music that has a lot of repeated cuss words in it, but if it's too raunchy, I will keep my DD from listening to it.

[mom_wrhsc]

I have to agree there is some pretty stupid lyrics in songs created today, and you can try to censor what your kids listen to but they will ultimately listen to what they like at some point. At least if you do try to censor, they can't tell you later that you didn'y try to teach them something good that you believed in. I personally threw my son's cd's out the car window and told him if that was his choice to listen to that kind of crap then he needed to do it when and where I can't hear it. I never heard any of his crappy music anymore and he still shared a lot music choices with me.

[luckcharm]

I'm not a believer of music being the cause of why kids get pregnant or go on killing sprees and whatever else they have blamed music for in the past.

I monitor my kids music, yes,  but that is because they are 6 and 12.  So there are some songs that are obviously above their level.  But I loosely monitor it as I don't want to stifle them while they are at the age when they are trying to find their style.

Kids get pregnant because they aren't given the knowledge and tools needed to make educated decisions when it comes to sex.  Not because of the music they listen to.