Abstract
The expression of sexuality in best-selling novels and major motion pictures was examined. There are two reasons that such stimuli merit systematic analysis. First and foremost is the finding that best-selling novels and major motion pictures exist as a primary source of sexual information. Of equal importance, however, is the need to examine such stimuli for myths and fallacies. The novels and films analyzed in the present study were selected from the last years of three consecutive decades: 1959, 1969, and 1979. Inclusion in this study was based on ranking in either a best-seller list (i.e., books) or a rental-receipts list (i.e., movies). The use of such criteria serves the dual purpose of allowing for the examination of stimuli that are accessible to large masses of people and at the same time allowing for the examination of sexually relevant stimuli. The results are discussed in terms of historical changes (over the three decades) and manifest themes (i.e., general characteristics or consistent themes). An additional section was included to address the broader implications of the present findings and to suggest alternatives.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aronson, (1972).The social animal. W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco.
Bandura, A. (1969).Principles of Behavior Modification. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York.
Bandura, A. (1973).Aggression: A Social Learning Theory Analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.
Bandura, A. (1977).Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.
Bandura, A., and Walters, R. H. (1959).Adolescent Aggression. Ronald Press, New York.
Badura, A., and Walters, R. H. (1963).Social learning and personality development. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York.
Berger, A. S., Simon, A., and Gagnon, J. H. (1973). Youth and pornography in social context.Arch. Sex. Behav. 2: 279–308.
Byrne, D. (1977). Social psychology and the study of sexual behavior.Pers. Soc. Bull. 3: 3–30.
Carlson, J. E. (1976). The sexual role. In Nye, F. I. (ed.),Role Structure and Analysis of Behavior Sage Press, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Davidson, A., and Venditti. (1979) Two clients' views.Sex. Disab. 2: 23–27.
Diamond, M. (1977). Sexuality and the handicapped. In Marinelli, R. P., and Dellorto, A. E. (eds.),Psychological and Social Impact of Physical Disability Springer, New York.
Eysenck, H. J., and Nias, D. K. B. (1978).Sex, Violence, and the Media. St. Martin's Press, New York.
Fasteau, M. F. (1974)The Male Machine. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Fearing, F. (1947). Influence of the movies on attitudes and behavior.Ann. Amer. Acad. Polit. Soc. Sci. 254: 70–79.
French, M. (1979).The Women's Room. Summit Press, New York.
Frank, E., Anderson, C., and Rubenstein, D. (1978). Frequencies of sexual dysfunction in “normal” couples.New Engl. J. Med. 111–115.
Gagnon, J., and Simon, W. (1973).Sexual Conduct. Aldine, Chicago.
Gebhard, P. (1977) The acquisition of basic sex information.J. Sex Res. 13: 148–169.
Goldstein, M. J., and Kant, H. (1973).Pornography and Sexual Deviance. University of California Press, Berkeley.
Gross, A. E. (1978). The male role and heterosexual behaviors.J. Soc. Issues 34: 87–107.
Gullahorn, J. E. (1977). Sex roles and sexuality. In Donelson, E., and Gullaborn, J. (eds.),Women: A Psychological Perspective John Wiley, New York.
Gurland, B. J., and Gurland, R. V. (1981). Methods of research into sex and aging. In Greene, R., and Wiener, J. (eds.),Methodology in Sex Research U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Hailey, A. (1969).Airport. Doubleday, New York.
Haring, M., and Meyerson, L. (1979). Attitudes of college students toward sexual behavior of disabled persons.Arch. Phys. Med. Rehab. 60: 257–260.
Irving, J. (1979).The World According to Garp. Simon & Schuster, New York.
Jong, E. (1973).Fear of Flying. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York.
Kaplan, H. S. (1974).The New Sex Therapy. Brunner/Mazel, New York.
Kaplan, H. S. (1979).Disorders of Sexual Desire. Brunner/Mazel, New York.
Komarovsky, M. (1976).Dilemmas of Masculinity: A Study of College Youth. Norton, New York.
Krantz, J. (1979).Scruples. Crown, New York.
Lawerence, D. H. (1959).Lady Chatterley's Lover. Signet, New York.
Liebert, R. M., Neale, J. M., and Davidson, E. S. (1973).The Early Window: Effects of Television on Children and Youth. Pergamon Press, New York.
Ludlum, R. (1978).The Holcroft Covenant. Marek, New York.
MacInnes, H. (1968).The Salzburg Connection. Harcourt, Brace, and World, New York.
Malamuth, N. M., and Spinner, B. (1980). A longitudinal content analysis of sexual violence in the best-selling erotica magazines.J. Sex Res. 16: 226–237.
Masters, W. H., and Johnson, V. E. (1970).Human Sexual Inadequacy. Little, Brown, Boston.
McLuhan, M. (1965).Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Moley, R. (1945).The Hays Office. Bobbs-Merrill Co., New York.
Nabokov, V. (1955).Lolita. Berkeley Medallion Books, New York.
Pasternak, B. (1958).Doctor Zhivago. Pantheon Books, New York.
Perry, L. B. (1982). Childhood sexual training: A content analysis of three decades of best selling child care manuals. Under editorial review.
Pleck, J. H. (1976). The male sex role: Definitions, problems, and sources of change.J. Soc. Issues 32: 155–164.
Pleck, J. H., and Sawyer, J. (eds.). (1974).Men and Masculinity Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.
Puzo, M. (1969).The Godfather. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.
Roberts, C. J., and Gagnon, J. (1978).Family Life and Sexual Learning. Population Education, Inc., New York.
Rosbrow, S. R. (1974) Sexual stereotyping in magazine fiction: A discussion of the romantic myth in America.Diss. Abstr. Int. 35: 2445.
Roth, P. (1969).Portnoy's Complaint. Random House, New York.
Safilios-Rothschild, C. (1977).Love, Sex and Sex Roles. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N. J.
Sampson, J. J. (1970). Report prepared for the commission on obscenity and pornography. InTechnical Reports to the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. (Vol. 3, pp. 191–195).
Scott, J. E., and Franklin, J. L. (1973). Sex references in the mass media.J. Sex Res. 9: 196–209.
Sears, R. R., Rau, L., and Alpert, R. (1965).Identification and Childrearing. Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif.
Sheldon, S. (1977).Bloodline. Warner Books, New York.
Sheldon, S. (1973).The Other Side of Midnight. Dell, New York.
Smith, D. D. (1976). Explicit sex: Liberation or exploitation: The social content of pornography.J. Comm. 26: 16–24.
Sonenschein, D., Ross, M. J. M., Bauman, R., Swarz, L., and Maclachlan, M. (1970). A study of mass media erotica.Technical Reports to the Committee on Obscenity and Pornography U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. (Vol. 9, pp. 99–164).
Spanier, G. B. (1976). Formal and informal sex education as determinants of premarital sexual behavior.Arch. Sex. Behav. 5: 39–67.
Susann, J. (1959).The Love Machine. Bantam Books, New York.
Uris, L. (1959).Exodus. Doubleday, New York.
Valenti, J. (1980).The Movie Rating System. Motion Picture Association of America, New York.
Wilson, J. L. (1977). A study of the communication of human sexuality: An historical grounding with an analysis of the literature from 1970–1975.Diss. Abstr. Int. 37: 4708–4709.
Zelnick, M., and Kantner, J. F. (1974). The resolution of teenage first pregnancies.Family Planning Perspect. 6: 74–80.
Zilbergeld, B. (1978).Male Sexuality. Little, Brown, Boston.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported in part by Biomedical Research Funds and a President's Fellowship, both from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abramson, P.R., Mechanic, M.B. Sex and the media: Three decades of best-selling books and major motion pictures. Arch Sex Behav 12, 185–206 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542071
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542071