The role of character age and content type in US adolescents’ involvement with television characters engaging in drinking and sex-related behaviors

This study uses an online experiment among 15–17-year-old participants (n = 566) to test whether adolescents’ involvement with television characters (i.e. wishful identification, parasocial interaction, perceived age similarity, attraction) varied based on character age (teen or adult), and whether involvement moderated the relationship between exposure to onscreen risk behaviors (drinking and combining drinking and sex) and intention to engage in alcohol and sex-related behaviors. Character age was associated with increased perceived age similarity, but not wishful identification, parasocial interaction, or physical attraction. However, risk content moderated the relationship in that exposure to younger characters drinking or combining drinking and sex resulted in lower ratings on wishful identification, parasocial interaction, and physical attractiveness. Increased character involvement did not affect the exposure-intention relationships. Implications for understanding character attributes that resonate with adolescent audiences are discussed.