America's Teenagers--Myths and Realities : Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference

by Nichols, Sharon L.; Good, Thomas L.

• ISBN13: 9780805848519
• ISBN10: 0805848517
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

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 Indifferenceinclude: *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 facilitate responding to youth in meaningful, proactive ways that improve the quality of life for teenagers and the broader society.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
1 The Continuing Myth of Adolescence	1	(29)
Why We Should Value Youth	2	(1)
Chapter Overview	3	(1)
How Are Youth Devalued?	3	(2)
Why Are Youth Devalued?	5	(5)
Current Beliefs About Youth	10	(12)
Conclusion	22	(8)
2 Youth and Media	30	(25)
Media Over Time	32	(5)
Youth's Use of Media	37	(3)
Media Effects: A Focus on Violence	40	(6)
Stories Told About Youth	46	(1)
Conclusion	47	(8)
3 Youth Violence	55	(36)
Youth Violence in the Media	57	(9)
Youth Offenders and Their Crimes	66	(1)
Quantifying Youth Violence	66	(3)
When Youth Are Victims	69	(3)
Context Is Critical	72	(5)
School Violence	77	(3)
Conclusion	80	(11)
4 The Sex Lives of Teenagers	91	(30)
Media, Sex, and the Adolescent	93	(3)
Teenage Sex: The Facts	96	(4)
Rate Data	100	(6)
Sex Education	106	(5)
Conclusion	111	(10)
5 Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs, and Teens	121	(40)
Societal Expectations: Conflicting Standards for Behavior	123	(4)
Teens and Tobacco	127	(8)
Antitobacco Campaigns Emerge	135	(7)
Teens and Alcohol	142	(7)
Drug Use	149	(3)
Conclusion	152	(9)
6 Healthy Living and Decision Making	161	(31)
Confusing Conceptions of Health and Fitness	162	(2)
Adolescent Health	164	(1)
Relationships With Food	165	(8)
Sleepy Teens	173	(3)
Making Schooling Make a Difference in Youth Fitness and Overall Health	176	(5)
Conclusion	181	(3)
Appendix A	184	(8)
7 Working Teens	192	(27)
Student Workers	193	(6)
Work and School	199	(2)
What Adults Might Not Know About Student Workers	201	(6)
Socialization of Work	207	(4)
Conclusion	211	(8)
8 Youth and Education	219	(41)
The Failure of American Education	220	(12)
Underestimating Youth's Educational Performance	232	(5)
Diverse Attitudes About the Purpose of School	237	(1)
Some Real Problems in Education: Social Capital and Fiscal Resources	238	(8)
Preparing for and Getting Into College	246	(4)
Conclusion	250	(10)
9 Enhancing the Future of Youth	260	(33)
Changing Expectations About Youth	264	(5)
A Small Wins Approach	269	(15)
Conclusion	284	(9)
Author Index	293	(12)
Subject Index	305