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Pressure, preoccupation, and porn

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Pressure, Preoccupation, and Porn: The Relationship Between Internet Pornography, Gendered Attitudes, and Sexual Coercion in Young AdultsFull Article Name: Pressure, Preoccupation, and Porn: The Relationship Between Internet Pornography, Gendered Attitudes, and Sexual Coercion in Young Adults

Open Access: No

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that free heterosexual internet pornography (IP) often depicts violent, coercive, and degrading acts by men against women. This has raised concerns that IP may be fostering the development of gendered, coercive, and aggressive sexualized beliefs and attitudes toward women, with the potential for these to influence how some men behave in their sexual interactions with women. The current study of young adult males and females (17–25 years) explored problematic IP viewing and how this might be associated with the development of gendered and sexually aggressive attitudes. Specifically, a number of environment and person factors that might lead individuals to be more susceptible to the development of problematic IP viewing, and the endorsement of gendered and sexually aggressive beliefs and attitudes were examined. Positive associations were found between problematic IP viewing, stereotypical gendered attitudes, IP-congruent beliefs (including beliefs that endorse sexual coercion), and psychological vulnerability factors such as higher levels of sexual impulsivity, depression, and the tendency to dissociate. Higher stereotypical gendered beliefs, higher IP-congruent sexual beliefs, and higher sexual impulsivity all uniquely contributed to the prediction of problematic IP viewing. Based on these findings, it appears probable that some young adults’ sexual attitudes and beliefs may be, to some extent, associated with their exposure to the violent, coercive, and degrading acts by men against women often found in IP. Broader implications for aggression and violence against women are discussed. 

    Citation

    Bernstein, S., Warburton, W., Bussey, K., & Sweller, N. (2022). Pressure, preoccupation, and porn: The relationship between internet pornography, gendered attitudes, and sexual coercion in young adults. Psychology of Popular Media.  https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000393

    Relevance

    This study “did not find a significant gender difference in scores on the measure of IP [Internet Pornography]-congruent sexual beliefs and attitudes, a measure that included items related to sexual coercion, notions around the gender-based stipulation of sexual behavior, sexually rough conduct toward women and sexual dominance of women by men.” The study “showed that IP-congruent beliefs were significantly associated with stereotypical gendered beliefs, which included sexually objectifying notions of women and the submissive status of women in sexual relationships. This “suggests an urgent need for further community education around sexual consent, female sexual agency and respectful sexual interactions. Targeted IP education programs for both young women and young men that encourage discussion about mutuality and consent may also serve to challenge views that normalize sexual coercion and aggression, and may ultimately reduce engagement in higher risk and [for women] painful sexual activities.” Additionally, “As expected, higher levels of sexual impulsivity, higher stereotypical gendered beliefs and higher IP related sexual beliefs all uniquely contributed to the prediction of problematic IP viewing.”

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