UM Media Portrayal of Adolescence Discussion

The purpose of this discussion is to explore the media’s portrayal of adolescents in our society.  You may use TV programs, movies, magazines, websites, billboards, books, or a combination of these to answer the following questions (a social media channel might work but it has to be more of a story based than product based, not focused on one thing (like makeup or dancing).  If you try to find a TV program or magazine that is at least 20 years old you will be able to compare today’s portrayal to that of the past.  This is not a requirement but it does add an interesting dimension. You may also want to focus on or compare and contrast other variables of adolescence like culture, social class, urban vs. rural, racial groups, the beginning vs. the end of adolescence, etc. 

Select two of the above sources and watch or read a sampling of the sources (10 minutes for a TV show or movie is usually enough, and a quick read through a magazine article or even flipping through advertisements directed toward adolescents).  Then answer the following questions. Compare and contrast your sources as you answer the questions.

List the names of the programs or magazines and the years each originally ran or was published. (TV suggestions: look for family comedies or ones that have primarily teens in them, including cartoons: Descendents, Gossip Girl, the Proud Family, Everyone Loves Chris, My Wife, and Kids, The Middle, Just Off the Boat, On My Block, Modern Family, Gidget, Derry Girls, Welcome back Cotter, Lizzie McGuire, Teen Wolf, Glee, Happy Days, Euphoria, Never Have I Ever, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Cosby Show.  Movies:  Holes, Moonlight (the middle sequence refers to the adolescent experience), Zombies, Monster High, Spider Man: No Way Home, Dance movies, sports movies, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Stand and Deliver, To Sir with Love, Twilight movies (just ignore the vampire stuff). Magazines:  Seventeen (this is more for 13-year-olds), Cosmopolitan, and Latina (both women’s magazines but some adolescent content).  

What basic topics or issues are brought up in the source?  Are the problems of adolescence accurately portrayed? Do you see any of the adolescent thinking (Formal operations, egocentrism, imaginary audience, or deductive thinking) or the psychosocial issues in your book (identity, family, peers, or romantic relationship issues).

1. Describe how adolescents were characterized in each source.  How do adolescents dress and act, think, interact with others, and make moral decisions? 

Were the characterizations positive or negative?  Could it affect the teens watching it in some way?

1. Did the characterizations represent stereotypes we have for adolescents?  Do you think most adolescents would find themselves in the portrayal? Do you see other stereotypes? Racial or class for instance.

Would these adolescents be positive role models for younger children?

1. Summarize any differences that you found in your sources.

Make sure to cite your source with an in-text citation and References at the bottom. Remember text citations indicate when you are using material from the source this separates what you think from the sources you used.  

1. When you come back in look for one person who talks about a similar portrayal and someone who has a different portrayal. Comment on the differences or similarities in your post. 

Here is the APA reference format for this kind of media: 

1. Writer, Producer, and/or Director’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title: writer, producer, or director) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer’s First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known, Television series name. Streaming Video Site. URL

Example:

1. Attenborough, D. (Writer). (2001). Ocean World (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Fothergill (Executive producer), Blue Planet: A natural history of the oceans. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

If it is a movie just leave out the episode’s info, and use [Movie] in the bracket.  If you aren’t getting it online leave out the url.