Pornography, Individual Differences in Risk and Men’s Acceptance of Violence Against Women in a Representative Sample
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2012 in Sex Roles, Vol. 66, pp. 427–439
KEY FINDINGS
- This study found an overall positive association between pornography consumption acceptance of violence against women; and found that this association is largely due to men with relatively high risk for sexually aggression who were amplified through frequent pornography consumption.
ABSTRACT
Based on the Confluence Model of Sexual Aggression, we hypothesized that individual differences in risk for sexual aggression moderate the association between pornography use and attitudes supporting violence against women. This hypothesis was in keeping with the findings of a recent meta-analysis which indicated such a positive association between porn use and attitudes. However, in this meta-analysis there was also a high degree of heterogeneity among studies, suggesting the existence of crucial moderating variables. Unfortunately,... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "In line with our first hypothesis, we successfully replicated the overall positive correlation between pornography use and attitudes...follow-up analyses showed that in keeping with the third hypothesis, only men at the highest risk level showed differences in attitudes as a function of pornography consumption. Within this high risk cohort it was found that participants who “very frequently” reported using pornography held significantly higher attitudes supporting violence against women than those who reported “seldom” or “never” using pornography. Similarly, within this high risk cohort those who reported “somewhat frequently” using pornography had higher ASV than those reporting “never” using it."
