So today will be a short entry, but hopefully it will still pack some food for thought. Social Learning theory basically states that people (specifically our youth) learn consequences to actions from what they observe in the media. The theory goes on to explain that based on how anti-social behavior (crime, violence, drinking, drugs, promiscuity, etc.) is portrayed will determine if youth will imitate it or steer clear. I propose two modern examples of social learning theory that are widely recognized and debated due to their potential influence on youth. The first example would be MTV's Teen Mom. Here's a clip from the show when it first started in 2009:
When it first came out, it garnered positive reviews. These days however...
What was once supposed to be a show about showing the hardships of becoming a parent young now seem to glamorize it, making critics scorn that they may be actually encouraging teen pregnancy. I have not watched the show very much but it seems, in my opinion, that it portrays domestic abuse as an everyday occurence. As if it is something someone should just expect.
Another show used to influence teens is Scared Straight (or the updated version A&E's Beyond Scared Straight):
While it can be argued that Beyond Scared Straight is still trying to do what it set out to originally, there are plenty that argue this was never the way to go about it.
So what say you, blog readers? Do shows like these teach our youth and influence them? And if so, are they sending the messages they intend to and does it have the effect they desired? If it can be found that a show has a negative influence, should we keep it on the air? I'd love to hear your opinions!
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