Pornography Use, Two Forms of Dehumanization, and Sexual Aggression: Attitudes vs. Behaviors
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2021 in Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
KEY FINDINGS
- Researchers found that pornography consumption is associated with both animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization, which predict sexually aggressive attitudes and behaviors.
ABSTRACT
Sexual objectification is a common pornographic theme. Research shows that sexual objectification leads to the expression of aggressive attitudes and behaviors toward women. Based on a survey study of 320 male participants, this study re-conceptualizes sexual objectification in terms of two forms of dehumanization. Evidence suggests men’s pornography use is positively associated with both forms, but mechanistic dehumanization of women is more associated with aggressive attitudes while animalistic dehumanization is more... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "Results indicate that the frequency of pornography use is positively associated with both mechanistic and animalistic dehumanization of women. The more male participants were exposed to pornography, the more likely they mechanistically dehumanize women. Similarly, the heavier pornography users were also more likely to animalistically dehumanize women."
- "Men who use more pornography are more likely to see women as close-minded, impassive, cold, or mechanical, much like instruments or robots. They are also more likely to see women as uncivilized, irrational, unsophisticated, or lacking self-constraint, like animals or beasts. The two types of dehumanization combine to provide male pornography viewers with a specific sexual script in which women either are denied their full agency and human nature, or only have agency only within the narrow role of a wild sexual creatures that lacks characteristics of human uniqueness."
