An examination of sexual content in music videos
Date
2005
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the content of music videos. More specifically, it focused on the portrayal of sexual behaviors and how they might relate to the socialization of adolescent viewers. The study was grounded in the theoretical perspective provided by the social learning theory to help make assessments about the relationship of the content to the viewer. This content analysis of 120 music videos examined descriptive information about the nature of music videos and how the content is generally composed today. Results revealed that sexual content and other common content categories (violence, wealth, artificial substances, friendship) frequently appear in modern music videos. ☐ Highlighting the importance and utility of replication research in communication science and more specifically content analyses was another goal of this study. Relative and partial replications revealed that sexual portrayals have increased since the 1980s and 1990s. Results also reveal, however, that sexual content has not gotten more overt or explicit but has instead remained innuendo-laden and based on sexual suggestion. Due to the heavily suggestive content, which occurred in the almost complete absence of sexual realities, risks, and consequences, sexual content in music videos is perhaps best classified as a glamorous and fabricated form of sex. ☐ This study was also concerned with the portrayal of characters in modern music videos. It analyzed the ways characters were portrayed, with specific attention to gender roles, ethnic demarcations, levels of undress, and aspects of the characters’ physical appearance. Results from these character-based assessments revealed that according to the social learning theory (SLT), certain types of viewers might be more at risk of learning potentially damaging or harmful social sexual roles. More specifically, young people, African-Americans, and females were identified as demographic groups that might be at the greatest risk of learning potentially damaging sexual social realities based on aspects of the models’ (actors/performers) appearance in music videos.