The results suggest that adolescents may be using television as an added source of information about what dating relationships should be like. Along with their own experiences in dating, adolescents may be learning from television programs that dating is a gendered process with prescribed roles for males and females and that it should occur early and often, all potential factors for sexual risk. The media presents a skewed view of romantic relationships. Previous research shows that adolescence is a period when peer relationships take precedence over family relationships and romantic relationships begin. Findings indicate the existence of a relationship between watching “romantic” television programming and having more traditional gender role attitudes in dating situations. This study examined the association between television use and gender role attitudes in dating situations and dating experience among young high school students. Approximately 220 students from 14 ninth grade classes from 3 high schools in the Midwestern part of the United States were recruited with 215 agreeing to participate in the study. Tables, references