Assessment of attitudes toward internet pornography in emerging adults using the Internet Pornography Questionnaire

Young People's Intentional and Unintentional Encounters with Internet Pornography in Australia

Amidst the increased online engagement of adolescents, a growing global body of literature has examined adolescents' encounters with internet pornography (IP). Though prevalence rates vary across studies, collectively the literature suggests that most adolescents have encountered IP. However, there is a lack of recent Australian research regarding adolescents' encounters with IP, in particular research that distinguishes between intentional and unintentional encounters. The present study provides updated evidence on the prevalence of intentional and unintentional encounters with IP among Australian adolescents (n = 1004, 16-18 years) and examines sociodemographic characteristics associated with encounters. Approximately 75% of adolescents reported having ever encountered IP, with 40% of adolescents first encountering it under the age of 13 and accidentally. Most adolescents (63%) indicated that they encountered IP monthly or more often. Older adolescents, boys, sexually diverse adolescents, and disabled young people, were more likely to have ever encountered IP. Sexually diverse adolescents, young people with disability, and those who spoke a language other than English at home were also significantly more likely to first encounter IP at a younger age. Girls were more likely than boys to report first encountering IP unintentionally and were also more likely to report subsequent accidental encounters with IP. Conversely, boys were more likely to report encountering IP intentionally and recurrently. Finally, participants who reported being under 13 years of age when they first encountered IP were more likely to report recurrent and intentional encounters with IP. Our findings indicate that IP is highly visible in the online lives of Australian adolescents, with many encounters likely occurring unintentionally. Evidently, more stringent measures are needed on online platforms to prevent adolescents from unintentionally encountering IP.

Understanding Rape Myth Acceptance Through the Lens of Sexual Objectification Theory: The Role of Pornography Consumption, Purchase of Sexual Services, and Masculinity

Sexual Objectification Theory posits that exposure to objectifying content, such as pornography, the purchase of sexual services, and adherence to traditional masculinity, can contribute to the acceptance of harmful beliefs about sexual violence. This study examined the relationship between rape myth acceptance and a range of attitudinal and personal factors using a sample of 1,603 internet users in Spain (51.6% women, M = 45.7 years old). The outcome variable was rape myth acceptance (α = .79), and the correlates included various forms of pornography consumption, purchasing sexual services, ambivalent sexism, comfort with sexuality, gender identification, and sociodemographic characteristics. The results indicate that rape myth acceptance was generally low (M = 2.03, range 1-5) and was associated with some sociodemographic characteristics, pornography consumption, ambivalent sexism, and comfort with sexuality. Ambivalent sexism, comfort with sexuality, and gender were the strongest predictors of rape myth acceptance, while pornography consumption had a limited impact on endorsing such beliefs. These findings provide insights into the factors influencing rape myth acceptance and offer guidance for developing policies to combat rape culture.

Closing the Gender Gap? A Cohort Comparison of Adolescent Responses to and Attitudes Toward Pornography, 2004 vs. 2021

Pornography has become increasingly prevalent and normalized within society, raising questions about how today's adolescents might differ in their responses to and attitudes toward pornography compared to earlier generations. This study begins to fill this gap by comparing cross-sectional data from two cohorts of high school students in Sweden in 2004 (n  = 4,266, mean age = 18.15, SD  = 0.74, 53.9% girls) and 2020-21 (n  = 3,256, mean age = 18.20, SD  = 0.61, 55.4% girls). Gender-stratified bivariate analyses and logistic regression models were performed to examine the impact of survey year on outcomes. Results reveal an increase in frequent pornography use among both genders and a narrowing of the gender gap in responses and attitudes by 2020-21. Boys reported decreased arousal responses, fewer positive emotional responses, and were less inclined to imitate the behaviors seen in pornography. Girls were less averse to and upset by the pornography they encountered. Both genders became more tolerant of pornography, yet more critical of its purported benefits. Notable gender differences remain, especially with girls being more likely to recognize pornography as degrading and exploitative. These findings underscore the need for educational strategies that foster critical understandings of pornography and its societal impact.

Exploring the Interplay of problematic pornography use, sexism, and rape myth acceptance: An Italian cross-sectional study

The relationships among pornography use, sexist ideology and false or stereotypical ideas about rape are controversial. This study specifically examines the associations of problematic pornography use (PPU) with sexism and rape myth acceptance among both male and female participants within the Italian context utilizing a cross-sectional methodology. Based on data from 815 participants collected through an online questionnaire, the study identifies significant gender-based differences, with men typically exhibiting higher scores on sexism, rape myth acceptance, and token resistance beliefs. Correlation analysis revealed that in men, there was a positive relationship between pornography cravings and sexist beliefs but not between pornography cravings and minimizing rape or accusations of lying (rape myth). Women showed significant positive correlations across all problematic pornography use dimensions with sexist ideology, although the relationship with rape myth acceptance varied. These findings underscore the critical need for acknowledging these relationships to enhance strategies for preventing gender-based violence.

Does Pornography Misinform Consumers? The Association between Pornography Use and Porn-Congruent Sexual Health Beliefs

Pornography may contribute to sexual health illiteracy due to its often fantastical and unrealistic depictions of sex. This cross-sectional study investigated whether pornography use was associated with holding porn-congruent sexual health beliefs among a sample of 276 Australian and Singaporean university students (Mage = 23.03, SDage = 7.06, 67.9% female, 47.8% Australian). The majority of participants (95.5% of males and 58.9% of females) reported viewing pornography in the past six months. Perceived realism of pornography and prior sexual experience were tested as potential moderators of the relationship between pornography use frequency and sexual health beliefs. Pornography use frequency showed no zero-order association with sexual health beliefs in the overall sample (although a significant zero-order association was observed among female participants). However, a significant positive association between porn use and porn-congruent sexual health beliefs was found in the overall sample, after controlling for demographic variables. Neither perceived realism nor sexual experience were found to act as moderators. Interestingly, prior sexual experience showed a significant zero-order association with sexual health beliefs, such that prior sexual experience was associated with holding porn-congruent beliefs. Perceived realism was unrelated to porn-congruent sexual health beliefs. The study provides some preliminary support for pornography having a misinformation effect on the sexual health knowledge of consumers.