This research experimentally examined the effectiveness of the use of virtual racial embodiment in a digital gaming application for reducing bias against a non-dominant group. The findings of this study advance theory and have practical implications for the design of immersive diversity initiatives. We tested avatar creation and the gaming app as a new modality for stimulating perspective-taking. In addition, we explored how sex and race intersect in virtual embodiment and stereotyping. Results showed that creating and embodying a Black avatar produced more favorable beliefs about African American men, but not African American women, and greater support for "pro-minority" policies in comparison to creating and playing a White avatar. Avatar liking was a significant moderator, but self-presence had no effect.

The present study examines the “adultification” of girls and “youthification” of women in popular magazines, in which girls are “dressed up” to look like women, and women are “dressed down” to look like girls. The analysis includes a total of 540 advertising and editorial images from women’s, men’s, and teen girls’ U.S. magazines. Results show that adultification is more prevalent than youthification, that youthification is equally prevalent in men’s and women’s magazines, that girls who are adultified are more likely to be provocatively dressed and exhibit sexy facial expressions, and that advertising and editorial images are equally likely to feature adultification and youthification.

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We examined adolescent sexting using objectification theory as a framework. We hypothesized that sexting is a manifestation of trait self-objectification and the internalization of gender-specific media ideals about attractiveness. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 201 Midwestern adolescents, 14–17 years old. We tested a three-stage path model, which differed for female and male adolescents. For female adolescents, self-objectification was positively associated with favorable attitudes about sexting, which further predicted two types of intentions to engage in sexting: sexting when there is trust in the sexting partner (security-based intentions) and sexting that is spurred by situational cues. Although there was a serial mediation effect of self-objectification on sexting behaviors through sexting attitudes and total sexting intentions, only the indirect effect of sexting attitudes on behaviors through security-based intentions was individually significant. For male adolescents, internalization of media ideals was positively associated with sexting attitudes, which further predicted the two types of sexting intentions. Similar to female adolescents, there was a serial mediation effect of internalization of media ideals on sexting behaviors through sexting attitudes and total sexting intentions; however, only security-based sexting intentions predicted sexting behaviors. Our results have implications regarding how to conceptualize adolescent sexting and how researchers, parents, and educators may help teenage youth to establish healthy sexting attitudes and behaviors. Additional online materials for this article are available to PWQ subscribers on PWQ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684318809383

Sexting, typically defined as the sending, receiving, or forwarding of sexually explicit or suggestive messages or images through cell phones and other mobile devices, is a popular activity among adolescents and is becoming a part of the dating process. Societal concerns about adolescent sexting range from moral panic to legality issues. Similarly, much existing research on sexting centers on legal issues or bullying, while less research considers the health implications of sexting. The most recent research has begun to examine the associations between media socialization and sexting. It is important to understand the various predictors of sexting; this could inform intervention programs centered on this phenomenon. Thus, this study examined the psychosocial predictors of adolescent sexting, focusing specifically on developmental, gendered, and technological explanations. After a pre-test of 220 collegeage individuals was completed in order to determine the positive and negative consequences of sexting, a cross-sectional survey of 201 Midwestern adolescents aged 14-17 was conducted. Results showed that higher levels of online disinhibition positively predicted sexting intentions, subjective norms, and behaviors, yet it did not predict sexting attitudes, and these relationships were not moderated by personal fable beliefs or imaginary audience beliefs. Higher levels of online disinhibition also positively predicted the receiving and requesting of sext messages, but not the sending of sext messages. The second set of analyses showed gender differences in sexting: boys had more favorable attitudes about sexting, girls perceived higher levels of subjective norms of sexting, yet there was no difference between sexting intentions or behaviors between boys and girls. Additionally, boys requested sext messages more than girls, but boys and girls were equally likely to send and receive sexting messages. Results also showed that girls received more negative consequences for sexting, while boys received more positive consequences regarding sexting, and boys felt more strongly that girls should receive the negative consequences of sexting compared to girls. Finally, the acceptance of women as sex objects predicted positive sexting attitudes and intentions to sext, but this relationship was not moderated by gender. The third set of analyses showed that higher levels of trait self-objectification positively predicted favorable attitudes about sexting, sexting intentions, and sexting subjective norms for girls, and that selfobjectification mediated the relationship between internalization of sexualization and sexting attitudes. Selfobjectification did not predict any of the sexting variables for boys, but sociocultural beliefs about attractiveness portrayed in the media positively predicted sexting attitudes, intentions, and subjective norms for boys. The results of this study can usefully inform educational and targeted intervention programs regarding sexting risks.