Cultural Influence on Teen Behavior & Morality

Perceptions

• The American public often condemns the teenage years as rife with poor behavior choices and slack morals, according to the 2005 University of California, Santa Barbara article, ̶0;Moral Development in Adolescence.̶1; Adults complain that teens aren̵7;t learning moral values, making it difficult for them to make appropriate behavior choices. This has a larger cultural impact, according to this viewpoint, because many people believe that adult morals begin to be shaped and influenced during adolescence. Because teens spend lots of time with peers, adults worry that this increases the chance that they can be influenced to make poor choices or develop weak moral systems.

Media

• Teens are avid media consumers, absorbing pop culture that includes movies, music, TV shows and online content. In the 2009 American Journal of Nursing article "Sex and Violence in the Media Influence Teen Behavior," Carol Potera states that TV shows, websites, and video games with sexual or violent content could present troubling challenges for teenagers. Violent behavior in teens was linked to viewing violent content in the media. Playing violent video games could influence aggressive behavior in teens, according to the article. A media culture that emphasizes sex, violence or substance use could exemplify moral values that parents wish to avoid.

Positive News

• Bemoaning teenage morals and behavior is a common cultural phenomenon, but the news isn̵7;t all bad. A 2012 The Economist article, ̶0;Our Great Moral Decline,̶1; states that juvenile crime was down compared to statistics from the 1990s. Teenage pregnancy rates were lower than rates over the prior 40 years. Meanwhile, the teen high school graduation rate was 72 percent -- the highest percentage in two decades. Parents can create a positive home culture by encouraging desired behaviors and moral choices at home with praise and privileges.

Parental Involvement

• The Frameworks Institute encourages parents to take the lead in teaching their teens about appropriate behavior and strong moral codes. Parents can influence their teens by having conversations about their own moral values, setting a positive example by embodying their beliefs through their own behavior choices. Some schools have enfolded moral education into their curricula, according to the University of Illinois at Chicago, so parents could also choose to enroll teens at schools where morals are taught directly. Advocates for Youth states that parents can honor their own specific cultural backgrounds by imparting cultural morality norms to teens. They can also exemplify morals related to responsibility, honor and loyalty by allowing these concepts to influence relationships in the family.