Three Significant Cases Related to Three of the Provisions of the First Amendment.
Sexual socialization
Sexual socialization is the process through which young people learn and internalize sexual knowledge, attitudes, skills, norms, and expectations for sexual relationships. People learn to be sexual within specific cultures and contexts, and socialization is a lifelong process that begins in childhood, increases considerably in adolescence, and continues throughout adulthood (Gagnon, 1990; Longmore, 1998). Key socializing agents in the development of sexual behavior include families, schools, peers, and mass media (Chapin, 2000; Luster & Small, 1994; Resnick et al., 1997), and adolescents report learning about sexuality from these sources (Kaiser
Family Foundation, 1998; Sutton, Brown,Wilson, & Klein, 2002). Research suggests that socialization agents differentially impact adolescents’ sexual behavior: Parents and schools are traditional and largely health promoting socialization agents, while peers and mass media often provide information that accelerates teens’ sexual activity (L’Engle, Brown, & Kenneavy,
2006).
Families have an early and ongoing role in the socialization of children, and adolescents who have positive connections to their families and schools have less advanced sexual behavior. Adolescents who report high levels of connectedness to parents/family (Luster & Small, 1994; Resnick et al., 1997), parental monitoring of activities (Luster & Small, 1994; Romer et al., 1999), and frequent parent–teen communication about sex (DiIorio,
Kelley, & Hockenberry-Eaton, 1999; Hutchinson, Jemmott, Jemmott,
Braverman, & Fong, 2003) have later first coitus than peers. Adolescents who have a positive orientation toward school, as evidenced by feeling connected to school, receiving good grades, and expecting to continue through high school and/or college, also report later first coitus than teens with poor school connections and performance (Luster & Small, 1994;
Resnick et al., 1997).
Sexual socialization is the process through which young people learn and internalize sexual knowledge, attitudes, skills, norms, and expectations for sexual relationships. People learn to be sexual within specific cultures and contexts, and socialization is a lifelong process that begins in childhood, increases considerably in adolescence, and continues throughout adulthood (Gagnon, 1990; Longmore, 1998). Key socializing agents in the development of sexual behavior include families, schools, peers, and mass media (Chapin, 2000; Luster & Small, 1994; Resnick et al., 1997), and adolescents report learning about sexuality from these sources (Kaiser
Family Foundation, 1998; Sutton, Brown,Wilson, & Klein, 2002). Research suggests that socialization agents differentially impact adolescents’ sexual behavior: Parents and schools are traditional and largely health promoting socialization agents, while peers and mass media often provide information that accelerates teens’ sexual activity (L’Engle, Brown, & Kenneavy,
2006).
Families have an early and ongoing role in the socialization of children, and adolescents who have positive connections to their families and schools have less advanced sexual behavior. Adolescents who report high levels of connectedness to parents/family (Luster & Small, 1994; Resnick et al., 1997), parental monitoring of activities (Luster & Small, 1994; Romer et al., 1999), and frequent parent–teen communication about sex (DiIorio,
Kelley, & Hockenberry-Eaton, 1999; Hutchinson, Jemmott, Jemmott,
Braverman, & Fong, 2003) have later first coitus than peers. Adolescents who have a positive orientation toward school, as evidenced by feeling connected to school, receiving good grades, and expecting to continue through high school and/or college, also report later first coitus than teens with poor school connections and performance (Luster & Small, 1994;
Resnick et al., 1997).