Gender Differences in the Perception of the Levels and Potential Effects of Violence in Popular Music

Abstract

The effect of popular music on the behavior and emotions of youth is of significant concern to policy makers in government and the general public. Lyrics have become more explicit in their references to drugs, sex, and violence over the years. Notably, rap music is characterized by sexually explicit language in its lyrics as well as messages of violence, racism, drugs, homophobia, and hatred toward women. These depictions of violence and deviance are likely to have negative influence on the behavior and moral values of the youth who listen to such music with far reaching impact of risky behavior in future. Therefore, this study was interested in uncovering the type of the popular music that Kenyan youth listen to; the type of violent and deviant information contained in such popular music and the subsequent effect of these violent and deviant messages on their attitude and behavior. The study targeted male and female undergraduate students from the University of Nairobi. A sample of 200 undergraduate students (100 male and 100 female) was drawn using multistage sampling procedures and systematic random sampling. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire with both structured and open-ended questions.Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics where frequency, percentages and measures of central tendency were used. Inferential statistics (chi-test) were used to test the effect of popular music on attitude and behavior of youth in Kenya.The study confirmed gender difference in the attitude towards popular music among the youth with female students having negative attitude while their male counterparts had a more favorable attitude towards popular music. It was also established that increasing exposure to popular music had detrimental effects including; increased vulnerability to drug and substance abuse, violence, crime, illicit sexual behavior, disease burden and loss of moral values. The study concludes that popular music was likely to have profound immediate and long term negative effects to the attitude and behavior of youth in Kenya. Their lyrical content was found to be offensive to both male and female but with bias against women and therefore likely to promote aggressive and violent behaviors towards women.