NCJ Number
106614
Journal
Youth and Society Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 363-383
Date Published
1987
Length
21 pages
Annotation
A sample of 58 academically talented adolescents was tested and found to interpret rock lyrics in a great variety of ways and to reject any values present in rock lyrics that might run counter to prevailing community values.
Abstract
This study assesses the reacion of adolescents aged 11 to 15 in July 1985 to the influence of rock music. During two informal sessions, they listened to three 'top 40' hit songs, evaluated them on questionnaires, and discussed them. The sample reported listening to music for over 4 hours daily and watching television an average of 7 hours a week. Half the sample indicated that music influenced their lives, but the value messages of music were not passively and unselectively absorbed. Although adults who had been previously tested with the three songs found in them counter-to-community values, more than one-third of the adolescents found in two songs socially desirable values that the adult group had overlooked. These students perceived only minimal anticommunity standards in the songs. 3 rates and 21 references.