Demographic and Cultural Determinants
摘要
This chapter explores whether sexting should be considered a normative behaviour among adolescent boys by examining its initiation and progression. It distinguishes between passive sexting (receiving unsolicited explicit contentExplicit content) and active sexting (intentionally sharing sexualised material), finding that active sexting increases with age and correlates with pubertal developmentPubertal development and rising testosterone levels. The data shows a consistent upward trend in active sexting, whilst regular pornography use declines with age, suggesting sexting may serve as a substitute, especially within romantic relationships. Religiosity is a moderating factor, with higher adherence linked to lower sexting engagement due to doctrinal prohibitions. Sexual identity has limited influence, though bisexual and gender-diverse boys report higher sexting rates in relationships. Similarly boarding school students show higher sexting rates, likely due to reduced parental oversight. These findings suggest sexting is increasingly integrated into adolescent sexual development, shaped by biological, social, and cultural influences.