YMR Teens Share Their Research with Disney, NBC Universal, Netflix, and More
Through our Youth Media Representation (YMR) Program, we’re training the next generation of leaders at the intersection of psychological research and entertainment, and empowering youth voices to help create the change they want to see in the industry. Each year, YMR students go through two phases of the program: during the fall semester, they learn how to think critically about the media they consume and conduct their own research; during the spring, they learn how to apply research and lived experience by giving direct feedback to entertainment industry professionals (by giving them notes on their scripts, speaking on panels, etc.).
On November 12, the 2024-2025 YMR cohort wrapped up their semester-long research projects by presenting their findings over Zoom to an audience of content creators, storytellers, and industry executives from leading entertainment companies like ABC, Apple, Disney, NBC Universal, Netflix, PBS, Pixar, YouTube, and more.
Group 1 Research Question: Is exposure to stereotypical tropes of people of color on screen related to decreased connection to their respective communities?
The first presentation group (comprised of YMR Program members Vomero Omodior, Jeremy Njonge, Denver Humphrey, and Thaw Han.) investigated the representation of teens of color in media. They asked a sample of teens across the country to share the words that came to mind when reflecting on characters of color on TV, and to highlight their favorite examples of well-written characters of color. Although respondents pointed to a few characters that stood out (like Miles Morales from Spider-Man and Devi from Mindy Kaling’s hit show Never Have I Ever on Netflix), most felt that characters of color on screen were portrayed negatively. Ultimately, teens expressed feeling a disconnect with the two-dimensional characters of color they saw on screen, describing many characters as “inaccurate,” “biased,” “misunderstood,” “dated,” “uneducated,” and even “ghetto.”
“Maybe this is a call to action to creators and storytellers,” YMR program member Denver explained. “We need a change in how we write and how we tell these stories in order for them to be more multi-dimensional and accurate.”
Group 2 Research Question: How do underrepresented teens ages 13-19 feel about romantic comedies that have historically excluded or tokenized them?
The second presentation group (comprised of YMR Program members Asher Joseph, Diego Erazo, Hillary Chi, and Taran Srikonda) investigated the impact of character tropes — like the “funny, fat friend,” “sassy black friend,” “dumb blonde,” and “gay best friend” — in romantic comedies. The research group asked respondents which tropes they recognized, which tropes aligned with their own identities, and how these tropes affected their perception of people with these particular characteristics.
Respondents expressed that the tropes they saw were limiting and marginalizing — and many made them feel insecure about their own qualities. Ultimately, the students said, their peers do not want to see characters put in boxes and defined by labels. Instead, they want to see more multifaceted characters depicted as “intelligent and capable human beings.”
Group 3 Research Question: Is there a relationship between exposure to climate change content in media and youth’s attitude towards climate change?
The third presentation group (comprised of YMR Program members Sydney Ramos, Cecily Boyle, and Lila Kia-Keating) addressed the representation of climate change in media. The group asked respondents if they had seen depictions of climate change on screen, showed clips depicting environmental waste and climate change, and asked respondents for their reactions.
Ultimately, respondents felt emotionally moved by the clips, but they expressed a desire for more “middle ground” representation of climate change. In other words, they do want to see the reality of climate change on screen, but they want it to inspire them to take some sort of action. They expressed feeling less motivated by, and less interested in watching, “fear-mongering” media that portrays the issue as insurmountable.
Group 4 Research Question: Does the portrayal of characters with Autism Spectrum Disorder in television support young adults’ understanding and empathy for people with autism?
The fourth presentation group (comprised of YMR Program members Maya Daniels, Hailey Flores, and Jillian Obara) addressed the representation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on screen. While the majority of respondents had watched a TV series feature a character with ASD, only 33% said that they would describe the character as a “good portrayal” — most felt that they didn’t have the knowledge to comment on the quality of the character’s portrayal and 18.5% felt that the portrayal they saw was negative. One respondent pointed out the challenge of portraying any spectrum disorders: “It can be hard to capture the full range of experiences and characteristics of an individual….Sometimes, the industry can be very ‘one size fit all’ and stereotypical.”
Group 5 Research Question: Is consuming media content that shows romantic rivalry related to how teens perceive women generally?
The fifth presentation group (comprised of YMR Program members Emily Mandelberg, Ifeoma Onyebuchi, Ella Pocock, and Emilie Berkowitz) investigated how the stereotypical “love triangle” in media impacts teens' perceptions of women. Ultimately, 74.5% of respondents believed that love triangles tend to weaken the character arcs of female characters in media, making women appear “indecisive, greedy, selfish, and disloyal,” reducing their overall personalities and character development. While the use of the love triangle plot line was not inherently unpopular, as a romantic rivalry plot could be “intriguing,” respondents voiced that personal character development and plot should come first, and that a character should not lose their depth at the expense of pursuing a love interest.
Looking Ahead
YMR program manager Bubba Harris closed out the evening thanking the students and attendees for participating in this event aimed at bridging the gap between research, media, and youth. Everyone who filled out the feedback survey said that they now have a desire to integrate adolescents into their creative process moving forward, with one producer commenting on how much they appreciated the students choosing topics they were passionate about.
“I was really impressed with some of the teens' public speaking skills.
It was much more professional than I expected!”
– Sarah Cole, Writer (Spiderverse, Stoner Cats)
Going into 2025, we have big plans for YMR: we’re hoping to build out an alumni program, create more networking opportunities for students, and even design our first ever in-person YMR retreat. But we can’t do it alone. Would you consider supporting the YMR program with a donation today?
