Willy Pedersen, Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo
Sven Ove Samuelsen, Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo
Sex, chat and the mobile telephone: A normal population study of adolescents
Correspondence to:
Willy Pedersen, PhD
Professor of Sociology
Department of Sociology, Box 1096, Blindern, 0319 Oslo
Phone: ++ 047 22854096
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Abstract
An investigation was carried out of the associations between sexual behaviour and use of new interactive technology for communication, such as web chat and mobile telephones, among adolescents. A representative sample of Norwegian adolescents (age 13-18, N 10 926) filled in a questionnaire during school hours. The findings revealed that more than 90 per cent of the adolescents had their own mobile telephone and more than 80 per cent had access to the Internet. Small associations were found between sexual behavior and the use of e-mail and chat, whereas the associations to the use of the mobile telephone were surprisingly strong. Among those without mobile phone activity, less than one in ten reported having had their intercourse debut. Among the most active users, the corresponding figure was more than two in three. By means of logistic regression, the associations were controlled for variables previously reported to predict intercourse debut, such as sociodemographic and family factors, variables related to peers and networks, and individual characteristics (e.g. pubertal timing, self concept, loneliness, depression). Controlled for these variables, the statistical effect of the use of mobile telephone remained highly significant. Several mechanisms are suggested to explain the associations: (i) Adolescents use the mobile telephone to establish and maintain social networks. (ii) The threshold for contact by means of calls and text messages (sms) is low. (iii) The result is intense communication and increased flexibility and mobility, e.g. to parties and dates. (iv) The interactive character of the communication may also enhance intimacy, flirtation and erotic communication. Note, however that we did not have longitudinal data, and could not establish a temporal sequence of the events. Further, there may be confounding variables in addition to those we have controlled for. Thus, caution should be exercised in drawing conclusions.
Keywords: Sexuality, adolescents, mobile telephones, the Internet, chat,
Abstract: 294 words
Complete text: 7158 words
Sex, chat and the mobile telephone: A normal population study of adolescents
In the course of the last decade, Norwegian adolescents have changed their sexual behavior. The median intercourse debut age has fallen, in particular among females, and the sexual scripts have come to include broader variation in behaviors (Pedersen and Samuelsen 2003). Several explanations have been suggested: Firstly, the parents of those who are currently adolescents were typically born in the mid- and late 1950s. They took part in the sexual revolution in the late 1960s and had a youth period after the introduction of the birth control pill (Noack 2001). Their norms have probably now been transferred to their adolescents. Furthermore, there has been increased public focus on sexuality through magazines, film and television which may have played a role (Plummer 1995). Finally, these changes in sexual behavior have - perhaps somewhat speculatively - been linked to the introduction of the Internet and new information and communication technologies (ICT) among adolescents (Pedersen and Samuelsen 2003). The use of such technologies clearly makes up one of the most dramatic changes of our everyday lives.
Internet sexuality has burst upon the scene during the last decade, and in a recent comprehensive review, Griffin-Shelley concludes that there is now “a flood of research literature concerning sex and the net” (Griffin-Shelley 2003). However, the bulk of this literature centers around sexual addiction and compulsivity (Cooper 2000), cybersex (Schneider 2000), and sexual subcultures (Palandri and Green 2000). The first thing to note is that there is a surprising lack of empirical studies investigating the importance of the Internet in the development of the intimate and sexual lives of ordinary adolescents. Secondly, the mobile telephone is now probably more important than the Internet in adolescent daily life. To our knowledge, no studies conducted thus far have investigated the importance of the mobile phone with regard to the development of relationships, intimacy and sexuality among adolescents.
ICT in the lives of adolescents
The introduction of ICT has taken place rapidly in the Nordic countries, and appears to have had a considerable impact at all levels of society. Adolescents appear to be innovators for all these services (Katz and Aakhus 2002). In the course of the last five years, mobile phone coverage in Norway has increased from 38 to 83 per 100 inhabitants (SSB 2004). A text message is a short message sent to a mobile phone, via the short messaging service (SMS). This service was originally developed as a side product to other communication services, and was not expected to achieve the same popularity as mobile calls. However, the use of SMS rapidly surpassed all expectations, and it has emerged as a tool for dealing with everyday life (Kasesniemi and Rautiainen 2002). In 2002, 2.5 billion SMS messages were sent by the 44 million inhabitants in Norway (SSB 2004), and adolescents and young adults are the most active users of these services (Ling 2001). The use of the Internet has also increased during the same period, and now more than 70 per cent of youth and adolescents use the Internet each week (SSB 2004). Mobile phones have been integrated into the lives of adolescents. They are used for various types of interaction, but serve also as an important cultural symbol (Skog 2002). Note also that the services offered are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the new generation of mobile telephones includes cameras and transmission of text, sound, images and movement.
Safety, coordination and expression
Thus, the mobile phone is increasingly embedded in everyday activities, has gained a number of attributes and is used in a number of different ways. A previous study reported that the patterns of use varied by age. Of greatest importance to the oldest users were issues of safety and security. Among middle aged, professionals and in families with small children, the focus was on the coordination potential of the systems. However, the most distinct profile was found among the teenagers: In addition to instrumental use for logistical coordination, their use was highly expressive in nature (Ling and Yttri 2002). The mobile phone is used to communicate emotional preferences, as opposed to task-oriented information. One informant formulated this as follows: “with friends it is chatting; parents…call for something” (p 158). The interactions may include erotic interest, various types of jokes, and even a type of haiku, where the message has to have a length of exactly 160 characters (the maximum number allowed in the message format). Many of the jokes deal with sexual matters, and may be interpreted as a way for the peer group to develop knowledge about “adult” matters (Ling and Yttri 2002). A previous small-scale Norwegian study argued that the mobile telephone allows teenagers (i) a communication channel free from the supervision of their parents, (ii) the opportunity for individualization and (iii) the ability to engage in social networking with their peers (Ling 2001).
Few large-scale studies have been conducted in this area. However small and qualitative studies have suggested that the manner in which adolescents interact with each other with regard to establishing contact, flirtation and erotic interaction has been changed (Sommer 2003).
A Finnish study revealed that a broad spectrum of emotions was expressed through mobile phones, and in particular by text messages: Gossip, hate, longing, and love were formulated in situations where other communication channels were regarded as inappropriate. Thus, the text message was regarded as “a back door to communication”. This study also revealed differences in the ways children used messages compared to teenagers, attributing this to the fact that children do not organize their daily life as independently as adolescents (Kasesniemi and Rautiainen 2002). Teenagers send text messages to obtain help with homework, to locate friends, arrange dates, invite others to parties, and get hold of alcohol or drugs. In the Kasesniemi study, the researchers also observed how the same person could develop what they termed a brave “SMS-self” and a more reserved “real-life self”. As an example they described a 15-year old girl who kept sending text messages to the researchers, urging them to interview her. The messages were pushy and reflected self-confidence. However, at the time of the interview, they encountered a scared girl who viewed them with suspicion and did not want to answer their questions (Kasesniemi and Rautiainen 2002).
Aim of the study
The aim of the study was to investigate possible associations between the use of ICT and development of sexual behavior, defined as timing of intercourse debut, among teenagers in Norway. Among these new technologies, the mobile telephone seems to comprise the most important alteration of the lives of adolescents. However, Internet-based chat-groups, msn-communication, and e-mail also represent important new channels, and possible links to such technologies will also be investigated.
Sexual behaviors are shaped by a host of influences (for a review, see (Pedersen, Samuelsen et al. 2003)). These include sociodemographic factors, parental education and parental social class (Sundet, Magnus et al. 1992) as well as parental monitoring and care and general family environment (Lammers, Ireland et al. 2000). Non-normative peer group influences seem to be important, in particular the association with older peers, where sex may be normative behavior (Bingham and Crockett 1996). Further, pubertal timing was revealed early on to be a possible precursor to intercourse debut (see e.g. (Udry and Cliquett 1982). The association between early intercourse debut and perceived lack of social support, loneliness and depression is also well established (Noelen-Hoeksema and Girgus 1994).
Note that most studies conceptualize early intercourse debut within a framework of weak resources and psychosocial problems. However, a handful of investigations have given evidence to other factors - such as strong friendship networks, high integration and positive self-concept (Lammers, Ireland et al. 2000) (Pedersen, Samuelsen et al. 2003). Thus, when investigating the association between sexual behavior and ICT, a host of potential confounding factors should be taken into consideration. In particular, it seems reasonable to surmise that variables related sociality and extroversion – such as having friends who are older than yourself, party-going and generally taking part in unorganized leisure activities – may play a role. Thus, particular attention will be paid to such variables. More specifically, we ask:
· How many adolescents in different age groups in Norway have access to new communication technology (ICT), such as a mobile telephone, Internet, e-mail?
· How actively do the adolescents use these technologies?
· Is there an association between the use of ICT and the timing of intercourse debut?
Possible associations will be controlled for sociodemographic and family factors, social support, friendship networks, pubertal timing, self-concept, leisure time activities and participation in party cultures. The study will also pay particular attention to possible differences with regard to gender.
Methods
Sample
Data stem from the Young in Norway study, which is described in more detail elsewhere (Rossow and Bø 2003). In 2002, a sample of Norwegian pupils completed a self-administered questionnaire at school. All schools in the country were included in the register from which the schools were selected. The sample was stratified according to geographical region and school size, which in Norway is closely related to degree of urbanization. The number of students sampled in each stratum was proportional to the total number of students in the stratum (proportional allocation). Within each stratum, schools were drawn with probability proportional to size. All students at each elected school were included in the study. (Note that in Norway, 98.5 per cent of the cohorts between 12 and 16 years of age attend the compulsory public junior high schools, and more than 90 per cent in the age group 16-18 are still present within the school system.) Consent was obtained from the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs (signed by the Minister), the local school authorities, and the school boards. Each student gave his/her consent in writing based both on an oral and a written description of the project formulated according to the standards prescribed by the Norwegian Data Inspectorate. In compliance with these standards, a written informed consent was obtained from parents of students below the age of 15. The students were instructed to place the completed questionnaires in an envelope and to seal it themselves. A teacher trained by the liaison officer monitored the students in the class during completion. Recently arrived immigrants or refugees were excluded from this study because of lack of reading skills (1.5 per cent). The response rate was 92.0 per cent, giving us a total sample of 10 926 adolescents.
Measures
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) access: We asked whether the family had a PC and access to the Internet. Further we asked whether the respondents themselves had such technology in their own rooms. In addition we asked: How often do you usually do this outside of the school: “Write or read e-mail?”; “Chat with other adolescents on the Internet?”, with a response range from “Never” to “Daily or almost daily”. We asked whether the respondent had a mobile telephone, and further: “How many times did talk on the mobile phone yesterday? (number of calls)”; “How many text messages did you send yesterday?”; “How many text messages did you receive yesterday?”; and “How many different persons were you in contact with via mobile phone yesterday?” For each of these questions, the response options were from “None” to “More than 20”. All mobile phone activity measures were summed to an index named “Mobile phone activity”, with values from 0-21). In a series of questions about sexual behavior, we also asked whether the respondent had had intercourse (yes/no).
Socio-demographic and family factors: The country was divided into five geographical regions. Degree of urbanization was measured on a 4-point scale. Parental socio-economic status (SES) was measured by classifying father's and mother's occupation according to the ISCO–88, the official classification standard of the International Labour Organization (ILO 1990). We also asked about parental education. The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was used to measure the emotional relationship between respondents and their parents (Parker and Asher 1987). This instrument captures two dimensions of the parent-child relationship: One group of statements is connected with care (“Have been affectionate towards me”) and another with control or overprotection (“Have allowed me to decide things myself”). An instrument of parental monitoring was used, with questions relating to perceived parental norms and parental knowledge of the adolescent's actions (Olweus 1989). (Examples: “Do they know your friends?” “Do they know where you are at weekends?”) Information about parental divorce was collected, and possible parental alcohol problems were measured using the question: “Have you seen your parents intoxicated?” (answer categories were on a 5-point scale: never, a few times, a few times a year, a few times a month, a few times a week). A brief measure of social support in young people was developed, modeled after (Sarason, Sarason et al. 1987). The measure asks for availability of the following social support persons: mother, father, boyfriend/girlfriend, sibling(s), friend(s), relative(s), neighbor(s), and others, respectively. Subjects were also requested to indicate specifically if none of these options applied.