U.S. Males and Pornography, 1973–2010: Consumption, Predictors, Correlates
AUTHOR(S)
PUBLISHED
2013 in Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 50(1), pp. 60–71
KEY FINDINGS
- This study found that pornography influences people's sexual attitudes and behaviors in a variety of negative ways.
- Pornography use was found to be linked to permissive sexual attitudes and behaviors.
- Pornography use was was associated with engaing in extramarital sex.
ABSTRACT
Although both storied and extensive, social scientific research on the effects of pornography consumption on males has primarily focused on testing the feminist contention that pornography contributes to sexual aggression against females. Other parties have expressed concern about males’ use of pornography, however. ‘‘Moralists’’ (Linz & Malamuth, 1993) have argued that pornography promotes a permissive approach to sexual relations. Public health researchers have hypothesized that pornography encourages epidemiologically... READ FULL ABSTRACT
EXCERPTS
- "The key findings from this study can be synopsized as follows. First, as some commentators have contended, more adult U.S. males appear to be consuming pornography today than in the past. For example, 26% of 1970s GSS respondents said they had consumed pornography, whereas 34% of respondents between 2000 and 2010 said they had consumed pornography. However, regression analyses reveal that each new year brings about less than a 0.5% increase in the number of adult U.S. males who consume pornography."
- "Two associations between adult U.S. males’ pornography consumption and risky sexual behavior supported the fears of the public health minded. Pornography consumption was positively associated with having multiple partners and engaging in paid sex behavior, even after controlling for age, ethnicity, education, and religiosity"
- "Pornography consumption was associated with having more positive attitudes toward teenage sex, adult premarital sex, and extramarital sex. Pornography consumption was also positively related to actually engaging in extramarital sex. These associations held after controlling for the demographic covariates."
