Washington, July 18 (IANS) A US study has suggested watching sex scenes in movies could turn children more sexually active from a younger age.

The research, published in Psychological Science, which followed a total of 1,228 children over a period of six years, found teenagers watching sex scenes have an increased curiosity for sex, Daily Mail reported.

They feel curiosity for sex whether it is Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet making love on the Titanic or Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart cuddling in bed on their vampire honeymoon in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, it said.

According to researcher Ross O'Hara from the University of Missouri, watching sex on screen could lead to teenagers having more sex with more partners and without using condoms.

The scenes can fundamentally influence a teenager's personality and make them more prone to taking risks, he said.

O'Hara said: Adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in movies start having sex at younger ages, have more sexual partners and are less likely to use condoms with casual sexual partners.

The researcher said much research has shown that adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviours were influenced by media.

Psychologists studied children aged 12 to 14 and reviewed their sexual behaviour six years on.