America's teenagers--myths and realities : media images, schooling, and the social costs of careless indifference / Sharon L. Nichols, Thomas L. Good.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nichols, Sharon Lynn.

Contributor:

Good, Thomas L., 1943-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Teenagers--United States--Social conditions--21st century.

Teenagers.

Mass media and teenagers.

Teenagers--Services for--United States.

Teenagers--Services for.

Social conditions.

United States.

Physical Description:

xv, 317 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Mahwah, N.J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004.

Summary:

The media's presentation suggests that American teenage culture today is the most violent, sexual, and amoral youth culture in history. In this book, Nichols and Good deconstruct the negative images held by large numbers of adults. Recognizing that many teenagers are left by adults to socialize themselves and the consequences of this "careless indifference," the authors' goal is to influence a more positive view leading to stronger social policies and better services, resources, and programs to meet the needs of America's youth. Unique features of ""America's Teenagers--Myths and Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference include: *powerful analytic lenses used to revisit typical depictions of youth; *a wealth of information brought to bear on understanding teenagers' behavior; and *consideration of a broad range of adolescent behaviors across critical socializing settings. The book begins with a discussion of the continuing myth of adolescence--how and why youth are devalued, and an overview of current beliefs about youth drawn from two 1990s Public Agenda Polls. This is followed by chapters on youth and the media, and the pressures that youth face in various dimensions of their lives. Topics include youth violence; the sex lives of teenagers; tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and teens; healthy living and decision making; working teens; and youth and education. The concluding chapter pulls together themes generated throughout the book and provides examples of policies that would underscore the value of viewing youth as a social investment. General guidelines are provided for teachers, parents, policymakers, and citizens to facilitateresponding to youth in meaningful, proactive ways that improve the quality of life for teenagers and the broader society.

Contents:

1 The Continuing Myth of Adolescence 1

Why We Should Value Youth 2

How Are Youth Devalued? 3

Why Are Youth Devalued? 5

Current Beliefs About Youth 10

2 Youth and Media 30

Media Over Time 32

Youth's Use of Media 37

Media Effects: A Focus on Violence 40

Stories Told About Youth 46

3 Youth Violence 55

Youth Violence in the Media 57

Youth Offenders and Their Crimes 66

Quantifying Youth Violence 66

When Youth Are Victims 69

Context Is Critical 72

School Violence 77

4 The Sex Lives of Teenagers 91

Media, Sex, and the Adolescent 93

Teenage Sex: The Facts 96

Rate Data 100

Sex Education 106

5 Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs, and Teens 121

Societal Expectations: Conflicting Standards for Behavior 123

Teens and Tobacco 127

Antitobacco Campaigns Emerge 135

Teens and Alcohol 142

Drug Use 149

6 Healthy Living and Decision Making 161

Confusing Conceptions of Health and Fitness 162

Adolescent Health 164

Relationships With Food 165

Sleepy Teens 173

Making Schooling Make a Difference in Youth Fitness and Overall Health 176

7 Working Teens 192

Student Workers 193

Work and School 199

What Adults Might Not Know About Student Workers 201

Socialization of Work 207

8 Youth and Education 219

The Failure of American Education 220

Underestimating Youth's Educational Performance 232

Diverse Attitudes About the Purpose of School 237

Some Real Problems in Education: Social Capital and Fiscal Resources 238

Preparing for and Getting Into College 246

9 Enhancing the Future of Youth 260

Changing Expectations About Youth 264

A Small Wins Approach 269.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0805848517

0805848509

OCLC:

55056012