From Tobacco Road to Tinsel Town: Assessing the Context of Smoking in Movies in Terms of Social Modeling Implications
Abstract
This study examines the social modeling implications of smoking portrayals in movies as they relate to influencing whether adolescents begin smoking or not. Drawing on the work of Bandura and others, the study identifies key factors that influence a decision to begin smoking or not and, through the use of content analysis, analyzes the top ten grossing domestic movies during the five-year period from 2004 to 2008 to determine whether those factors were present. The findings suggest that smoking portrayals in the movies studied are very limited and, for the most part, are not of a type that would encourage adolescents to begin smoking. Subsequently, the findings do not support the proposal of more drastic restrictions being put into place on film makers by way of a more stringent Motion Picture Association of America rating system.
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- OSU Theses [15752]