Cybersex Addiction: Experienced Sexual Arousal When Watching Pornography and Not Real-Life Sexual Contacts Makes the Difference
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2013 in Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Vol. 2(2), pp. 100–107
KEY FINDINGS
- The two studies reported in this article found evidence in support of the gratification hypothesis of cybersex addiction, in which positive reinforcement received by cybersex leads to the development of cue-reactivity and craving in brain processes.
ABSTRACT
Background and aims Cybersex addiction is discussed controversially, while empirical evidence is widely missing. With respect to its mechanisms of development and maintenance Brand et al. (2011) assume that reinforcement due to cybersex should lead to the development of cue-reactivity and craving explaining recurrent cybersex use in the face of growing but neglected negative consequences. To support this hypothesis, two experimental studies were conducted. Methods In a cue-reactivity paradigm 100 pornographic cues were presented... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "The main result of the first study is that tendencies towards cybersex addiction correlated with and were predicted by indicators of sexual arousal and craving to pornographic cues. Study 2 demonstrates that PCU did not rate the pornographic pictures as more arousing, but indicated greater subjective sexual arousal and a greater need to masturbate during the whole experiment and greater craving reactions. The number of and satisfaction with sexual real-life contacts were not associated to tendencies towards cybersex addiction in both studies. The findings of the two studies support the gratification hypothesis of cybersex addiction (Young, 2008), in which positive reinforcement received by cybersex leads to the development of cue-reactivity and craving."
