The psychological drama “Adolescence” recently won big at the Emmys, with critics applauding its portrayal of the effects of internet culture and violent content on a 13-year-old protagonist named Jamie.
The character’s story is one that hits close to home for many teens – and their parents – as they navigate the harsh online landscape, and as social media comes under increasing scrutiny throughout the world. Joy Gabrielli, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology in the College of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Florida, explores this topic in her research, offering insights about how families can build healthier relationships with media and technology.
“I think negative media content of any kind has the potential to be damaging to identity formation, worldview and behavioral development of youth,” Gabrielli said.
Mature content, often related to substance use or sexualized and violent material, accounts for most negative media effects on youth development, Gabrielli said. Viewing this content may compel young people to replicate certain behaviors, and the exposure can lead to negative psychological consequences like anxiety and low self-esteem.
These ideas are explored throughout “Adolescence,” as the series follows Jamie after he is accused of murdering one of his classmates, Katie. The series suggests that there are several factors that lead Jamie to violence, including bullying from his peers and rejection from Katie. These factors push Jamie deeper into internet culture, including the “manosphere” – online spaces built around misogynistic content that often encourages violence as a way to be more masculine.
“There have been a few recent experimental studies on violent behavior, specifically, showing that youth who are exposed to certain behavior in media will replicate those behaviors in play or in action,” Gabrielli said.
Currently, the leading explanation for this effect is Social Learning Theory. When young people see certain behaviors online, especially if those behaviors are being rewarded in some way, they may imitate them. In a similar vein, other theories suggest that the behavior replication may be aspirational, Gabrielli said. In the case of Jamie, his behavior suggests that he is mimicking the behavior of people online in hopes of gaining social acceptance or power over others.
The series also explores whether Jamie is fully aware of the extent of the consequences of his actions. Repeated exposure to disturbing content can cause desensitization to violence, which is reflected in Jamie’s story.
“If aggression is depicted in media and those behaviors receive no negative consequences, which happens somewhat regularly, youth may also develop unrealistic expectancies for consequences of aggressive behavior in their real lives,” Gabrielli said.
The show also explores how young people interact online and how this can lead to cyberbullying. For example, Katie, the murder victim, takes to the internet to bully Jamie after he asks her out and she rejects him, and she has inappropriate photos of her spread to her classmates online. This storyline reflects a widespread problem among youth.
“Even young people who don’t have social media accounts are receiving texts that contain unsolicited disturbing or mature video content,” Gabrielli said.
The creator of “Adolescence,” Jack Thorne, has used the show to start a conversation around stricter guidelines for youth and social media. He suggested a ban on social media for children under 16 in the United Kingdom, following the recent social media ban in Australia.
Gabrielli suggests that, while policy makers should be focused on limiting youth exposure to mature media content, so should other key figures such as school administrators and parents.
To this end, she has developed a model for media parenting called TECH parenting. The acronym stands for T, Talk to your children about their experiences online and the use of digital devices; E, Educate your children about risks in digital and online spaces; C, Co-use technology and co-view media with your children; and H, use House rules for where, when and how your children can engage with media and technology.
“If we, as caregivers, are more involved in the digital lives of youth, we can do a better job of shepherding them toward healthy choices and behaviors,” Gabrielli said.