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Hackathorn J, Hodges J, Jones S, Hashim S. The guilt that guides me: religiosity, sex guilt, and the demonization of sex workers. THE JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 164:319-335. [PMID: 35608021 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2022.2080037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Religiosity and sex-related attitudes are often correlated, and on occasion negatively. That is, as religiosity increases, sexual attitudes tend to become more conservative or generally more disapproving in valence. Recent research suggests that one's own sex guilt may be the mediating influence in this relationship. A series of two studies sought to extend that research and examine the extent to which an individual's religiosity and sex guilt influences their perspective of pornography and sex workers. A survey containing relevant measures was distributed to undergraduate participants as well as individuals from Amazon.com's MTurk. Results indicate that individuals high in religiosity have more negative views of pornography in general, and more demonizing views toward sex workers. However, it was their own sex guilt that mediated that relationship. This study replicates and adds to our current understanding of how religiosity and disparaging views of sex are related, but also shows the importance of including sex guilt as an influential individual difference.
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2
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Mestre-Bach G, Potenza MN. Pornography Use, Problematic Pornography Use, and Potential Impacts on Partners and Relationships. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-023-00468-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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3
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Floyd CG, Grubbs JB. Context Matters: How Religion and Morality Shape Pornography Use Effects. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-022-00329-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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4
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Mestre-Bach G, Blycker GR, Actis CC, Brand M, Potenza MN. Religion, Morality, Ethics, and Problematic Pornography Use. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00388-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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5
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Jung JH, Ellison CG. Discovering Grace at the Table? Prayers at Mealtime, Marital Status, and Life Satisfaction in Later Life. Res Aging 2021; 44:44-53. [PMID: 33472561 DOI: 10.1177/0164027521989092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the effects of prayers at mealtime on change in life satisfaction among older U.S. adults. In addition, it assesses the ways that marital status conditions these psychological effects of prayers at mealtime. Using two waves of longitudinal data from the Religion, Aging, and Health Survey (2001-2004), a representative sampling of adults aged 65 and older, the analyses reveal that the frequency of prayers at mealtime is associated with an increase in life satisfaction over time. Further, the positive effects of prayers at mealtime on change in life satisfaction are greater for nonmarried older adults than their married counterparts. The findings in the study reinforce claims of the beneficial effects of religion on mental well-being in later life. Moreover, they elaborate on the resource substitution thesis by showing that religion provides greater psychological benefits for older adults who do not have alternative resources for well-being-a marital partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Hyun Jung
- School of Social Sciences, 54761Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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6
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Perry SL. Does Low-Cost Sexual Gratification Make Men Less Eager to Marry? Pornography Use, Masturbation, Hookup Sex, and Desire to Be Married Among Single Men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:3013-3026. [PMID: 32761283 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01793-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Coinciding with declining rates of marriage and coupled sex in the U.S., some scholars have proposed that the growing availability of "low-cost sexual gratification" or "cheap sex"-sexual activities such as hookups, pornography use, and masturbation that demand little effort or investment-will lead men to find marital commitment less appealing. Using data from two nationally representative surveys of American adults (2012 New Family Structures Study, N = 349; 2014 Relationships in America Survey, N = 1402), the current study tested the thesis that unmarried men's pornography use, masturbation habits, or frequency of recent hookup sex would be associated with a lower likelihood of them finding marriage desirable. This thesis was unsupported. In both surveys, masturbation and hookup sex were not associated with unmarried men wishing to be married, while pornography use was robustly and linearly associated with a higher likelihood of wanting to be married. This association was apparent at both the bivariate level and after taking into account sexual satisfaction, relationship status, beliefs about marriage, and a host of other potential confounds. Findings suggest that, rather than making marriage less desirable, some forms of "low-cost sexual gratification" such as pornography use to predict a comparatively higher desire for marriage. The implications of these findings are considered in light of sex-exchange theories of marital commitment and the large body of previous research connecting pornography use to more liberal, non-monogamous sexual attitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel L Perry
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall 335A, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
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Floyd CG, Landa S, Saunders MA, Volk F. The Moderating Influence of Moral Disapproval of Pornography on Couples' Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction. JOURNAL OF SEX & MARITAL THERAPY 2020; 46:660-682. [PMID: 32573369 DOI: 10.1080/0092623x.2020.1783409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Using an online sample of participants that reported using pornography in the last six months and being in a committed relationship, support was found for a moderated mediation model in which sexual shame and sexual satisfaction mediated the relationship between pornography use and couple satisfaction; this indirect effect was moderated by participants' level of moral disapproval of pornography. Findings suggest that pornography use amongst those who morally disapprove of its use is associated with increased sexual shame, which is associated with decreased sexual satisfaction, leading to subsequent reductions in couple satisfaction. Results expand upon the branch of pornography literature suggesting that the association between pornography use and adverse intra- and interpersonal consequences are conditioned on the degree to which users morally disapprove of their use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Floyd
- Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, USA
| | - Samuel Landa
- Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, USA
| | - Mark A Saunders
- Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, USA
| | - Fred Volk
- Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, USA
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8
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Perry SL. Pornography and Relationship Quality: Establishing the Dominant Pattern by Examining Pornography Use and 31 Measures of Relationship Quality in 30 National Surveys. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:1199-1213. [PMID: 31897829 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01616-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have examined the association between pornography use and various measures of relationship quality. Yet scholars have also pointed out the limitations of many such studies, including inconsistent findings for men and women, non-representative samples, and negatively biased measures that could result in misleading findings. The purpose of this study was to establish a dominant pattern in the association between pornography use and relationship quality in a way that mitigated these issues. Data were taken from 30 nationally representative surveys, which together included 31 measures of relationship quality: 1973-2018 General Social Surveys (1 repeated measure); 2006 Portraits of American Life Study (13 measures); 2012 New Family Structures Study (12 measures); and 2014 Relationships in America Survey (5 measures). This allowed for 57 independent tests examining the association between pornography use and relationship outcomes for married Americans and 29 independent tests for unmarried Americans. Along with bivariate associations, full regression models were estimated with sociodemographic controls and interaction terms for gender. For married and unmarried Americans alike, pornography use was either unassociated or negatively associated with nearly all relationship outcomes. Significant associations were mostly small in magnitude. Conversely, except for one unclear exception, pornography use was never positively associated with relationship quality. Associations were only occasionally moderated by gender, but in inconsistent directions. While this study makes no claims about causality, findings clearly affirmed that, in instances where viewing pornography is associated with relationship quality at all, it is nearly always a signal of poorer relationship quality, for men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel L Perry
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall 335A, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
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Guidry R, Floyd CG, Volk F, Moen CE. The Exacerbating Impact of Moral Disapproval on the Relationship Between Pornography Use and Depression, Anxiety, and Relationship Satisfaction. JOURNAL OF SEX & MARITAL THERAPY 2020; 46:103-121. [PMID: 31464162 DOI: 10.1080/0092623x.2019.1654579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Using an online sample of participants in committed relationships, support was found for a moderated mediation model in which depression mediated the relationship between pornography use and relationship satisfaction, and this indirect effect was moderated by level of moral disapproval. Results indicate that, among consumers of pornography, their level of moral disapproval exacerbates adverse intra- and interpersonal outcomes such as distress and decreased relationship satisfaction. These results extend the empirical literature that examines the conditional effects of moral disapproval of pornography use to relational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Guidry
- Center for Counseling and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Fred Volk
- Center for Counseling and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Carolyn E Moen
- Center for Counseling and Family Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
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Rosmarin DH, Pirutinsky S. Problematic Sexual Behavior and Religion Among Adult Jewish Males: An Initial Study. Am J Mens Health 2019; 13:1557988318823586. [PMID: 30819061 PMCID: PMC6440048 DOI: 10.1177/1557988318823586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of research has tied religion to problematic sexual behavior in both positive and negative ways. On the one hand, religious belief and engagement buffer against incidence and severity of problematic sexual behavior, but on the other hand religiously affiliated individuals who engage in such behavior tend to experience spiritual struggles (negative religious coping) and poor psychosocial outcomes. No published empirical studies have examined these variables among adult Jewish males. In the present study, 94 adult Jewish males completed measures of religious belief/practice, positive religious coping, spiritual struggles, and problematic sexual behavior. General and positive aspects of Jewish religiosity were unrelated to problematic sexual behavior. By contrast, spiritual struggles were tied to higher levels of problematic sexual behavior, but only for individuals who were raised as Orthodox Jews. Surprisingly, this latter finding was independent of current Orthodox affiliation. These results suggest that a religious Jewish upbringing, irrespective of current religious identity, can moderate ties between sexual behavior and spirituals struggles.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Rosmarin
- 1 McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,2 Center for Anxiety, New York, NY, USA
| | - Steven Pirutinsky
- 2 Center for Anxiety, New York, NY, USA.,3 Touro College, Graduate School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
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Grubbs JB, Wright PJ, Braden AL, Wilt JA, Kraus SW. Internet pornography use and sexual motivation: a systematic review and integration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/23808985.2019.1584045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B. Grubbs
- Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, USA
| | - Paul J. Wright
- The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Abby L. Braden
- Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, USA
| | - Joshua A. Wilt
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Shane W. Kraus
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 1 New England MIRECC, Bedford VAMC, Bedford, USA
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12
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Grubbs JB, Perry SL. Moral Incongruence and Pornography Use: A Critical Review and Integration. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2019; 56:29-37. [PMID: 29412013 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1427204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Internet pornography use (IPU) remains a controversial topic within sexual behavior research fields. Whereas some people report feeling dysregulated in their use of pornography, mental health and medical communities are divided as to whether IPU can be addictive. The present review sought to examine this issue more closely, with a focus on how variables other than pornography use, such as moral disapproval and moral incongruence (i.e., feeling as if one's behaviors and one's values about those behaviors are misaligned), might specifically contribute to self-perceived problems around pornography use. Through an examination of recent literature, the present work reviews evidence that moral incongruence about IPU is a common phenomenon and that it is associated with outcomes relevant to current debates about pornography addiction. Specifically, moral incongruence regarding IPU appears to be associated with greater distress about IPU, greater psychological distress in general, greater reports of problems related to IPU, and greater reports of perceived addiction to IPU. The implications of this body of evidence for both clinical and research communities are discussed, and future directions for research are considered.
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Al Mamun MA, Yasir Arafat SM, Ambiatunnahar M, Griffiths MD. Attitudes and Risk Factors of Pornography Consumption Among Bangladeshi University Students: An Exploratory Study. Int J Ment Health Addict 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11469-018-0021-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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14
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Perry SL. Pornography Use and Marital Separation: Evidence from Two-Wave Panel Data. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:1869-1880. [PMID: 28936726 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1080-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
As pornography use continues to increase in the U.S., studies have sought to understand its potential influence on marital relationships. Yet, the primary focus of such studies has been pornography's association with marital quality, not stability. Consequently, we still know relatively little about whether pornography consumption at one time predicts marital disruption later on. Drawing on data from the 2006 and 2012 waves of the nationally representative Portraits of American Life Study (N = 445), this article examined whether married Americans who viewed pornography in 2006, either at all or in greater frequencies, were more likely to experience a marital separation by 2012. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that married Americans who viewed pornography at all in 2006 were more than twice as likely as those who did not view pornography to experience a separation by 2012, even after controlling for 2006 marital happiness and sexual satisfaction as well as relevant sociodemographic correlates. The relationship between pornography use frequency and marital separation, however, was technically curvilinear. The likelihood of marital separation by 2012 increased with 2006 pornography use to a point and then declined at the highest frequencies of pornography use. Ancillary analyses, however, showed that this group of married Americans with high frequencies of 2006 pornography viewing and low likelihood of later marital separation was not statistically distinguishable from either abstainers or moderate viewers in terms of marital separation likelihood. All findings held regardless of gender. Data limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel L Perry
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall 335A, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
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Wright PJ. Sex Education, Public Opinion, and Pornography: A Conditional Process Analysis. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2018; 23:495-502. [PMID: 29746204 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2018.1472316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study assesses the relationship between pornography consumption and support for sex education in public schools among adults in the United States. Goals were theoretical and applied. At the theoretical level, conditional process analyses are needed to further evaluate the predictions of the primary theory applied to pornography and social influence, the sexual script acquisition, activation, application model (3AM) of sexual media socialization. At the applied level, themes in pornography are most often associated with socialization outcomes that are a threat to the public health. In certain instances, however, pornography may socialize its users in ways that lead to health-promoting attitudes. An increased likelihood of support for sex education among youth may be one such example. Probabilistic national survey data gathered between 1988 and 2016 from 16 unique samples were utilized. A moderated-mediation path analysis indicated that pornography consumption was associated with support for sex education through more acceptance of teenage sex, but that this indirect effect (IE) was moderated by religiosity. Specifically, as religiosity decreased, the magnitude of the IE increased. These results are consistent with 3AM tenets about the role of sexual scripts in mass media socialization and factors that increase the likelihood of sexual scripting effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Wright
- a The Media School , Indiana University , Bloomington , IN , USA
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16
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Perry SL, Schleifer C. Till Porn Do Us Part? A Longitudinal Examination of Pornography Use and Divorce. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018; 55:284-296. [PMID: 28497988 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1317709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
As pornography use becomes more commonplace in the United States, and increasingly so among younger cohorts, a growing literature is considering its potential connection to key social and cultural institutions. The current study examined the relationship between pornography use and one such institution: marriage. We drew on three-wave longitudinal data from 2006 to 2014 General Social Survey panel studies to determine whether married Americans' pornography use predicted their likelihood of divorce over time and under what social conditions. We employed a doubly robust strategy that combines entropy balancing with logistic regression models. We found that the probability of divorce roughly doubled for married Americans who began pornography use between survey waves (N = 2,120; odds ratio = 2.19), and that this relationship held for both women and men. Conversely, discontinuing pornography use between survey waves was associated with a lower probability of divorce, but only for women. Additional analyses also showed that the association between beginning pornography use and the probability of divorce was particularly strong among younger Americans, those who were less religious, and those who reported greater initial marital happiness. We conclude by discussing data limitations, considering potential intervening mechanisms and the possibility of reverse causation, and outlining implications for future research.
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Perry SL. Not Practicing What You Preach: Religion and Incongruence Between Pornography Beliefs and Usage. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018. [PMID: 28632412 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1333569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Religious Americans, and conservative Protestants in particular, have historically been the most ardent opponents of pornography's production, dissemination, and use. Yet while religiously committed and theologically conservative Americans are generally less likely to view pornography than others, the difference is often not as great or consistent as one might suppose given their strong moral stance. Drawing on insights from religious incongruence theory, this study considered whether religious commitment and theological conservatism predicted a greater incongruence between what Americans say they believe about pornography morally and whether they actually watch it. Data are taken from the nationally representative 2006 Portraits of American Life Study (N = 2,279). Analyses show that greater religious service attendance and prayer frequency are predictive of American men (not women) affirming that viewing pornography is "always morally wrong" while still viewing it in the previous year. Evangelicalism and other sectarian Protestantism are also the religious traditions most likely to believe pornography is always morally wrong while also viewing it. Findings ultimately suggest that religious commitment and affiliation with theological conservatism may influence Americans (primarily men) to oppose pornography more strongly in principle than reflected in actual practice. Data limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
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Whitehead AL, Perry SL. Unbuckling the Bible Belt: A State-Level Analysis of Religious Factors and Google Searches for Porn. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018; 55:273-283. [PMID: 28276941 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1278736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
While the link between individual religious characteristics and pornography consumption is well established, relatively little research has considered how the wider religious context may influence pornography use. Exceptions in the literature to date have relied on relatively broad, subjective measures of religious commitment, largely ignoring issues of religious belonging, belief, or practice. This study moves the conversation forward by examining how a variety of state-level religious factors predict Google searches for the term porn, net of relevant sociodemog raphic and ideological controls. Our multivariate findings indicate that higher percentages of Evangelical Protestants, theists, and biblical literalists in a state predict higher frequencies of searching for porn, as do higher church attendance rates. Conversely, higher percentages of religiously unaffiliated persons in a state predict lower frequencies of searching for porn. Higher percentages of total religious adherents, Catholics, or mainline Protestants in a state are unrelated to searching for porn with controls in place. Contrary to recent research, our analyses also show that higher percentages of political conservatives in a state predicted lower frequencies of porn searches. Our findings support theories that more salient, traditional religious influences in a state may influence residents-whether religious or not-toward more covert sexual experiences.
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Perry SL, Snawder KJ. Pornography, Religion, and Parent-Child Relationship Quality. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1747-1761. [PMID: 28062935 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0927-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Frequent pornography use is often negatively associated with marital quality. Recent research has argued that this negative association is particularly strong for those who are embedded in religious communities, likely due to the greater stigma and shame associated with viewing pornography. In order to test and extend this theory, the current study examined how religious service attendance moderates the link between parents' pornography consumption and four measures of parent-child relationship quality. Analyses of 2006 Portraits of American Life Study data (N = 2610) revealed that greater pornography viewing predicted negative outcomes on two out of four measures of parent-child relationship quality, while religious service attendance was associated with more positive parent-child relationship outcomes. Interaction effects, however, affirmed that the negative association between porn viewing frequency and three parent-child relationship outcomes was stronger for participants who attended religious services more often. Analyzing fathers (N = 771) and mothers (N = 904) separately revealed that the observed relationships held more consistently for fathers than mothers. Evidence for directionality was presented by incorporating re-interview data from 2012. While pornography use may be negatively associated with some aspects of parent-child relationship quality, this association was particularly strong for those embedded within religious communities, possibly owing to greater attendant guilt and shame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel L Perry
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall 335A, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
| | - Kara J Snawder
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall 335A, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
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Perry SL, Hayward GM. Seeing is (Not) Believing: How Viewing Pornography Shapes the Religious Lives of Young Americans. SOCIAL FORCES; A SCIENTIFIC MEDIUM OF SOCIAL STUDY AND INTERPRETATION 2017; 95:1757-1788. [PMID: 28546649 PMCID: PMC5439973 DOI: 10.1093/sf/sow106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Pornography has become increasingly accessible in the United States, and particularly for younger Americans. While some research considers how pornography use affects the sexual and psychological health of adolescents and emerging adults, sociologists have given little attention to how viewing pornography may shape young Americans' connection to key social and cultural institutions, like religion. This article examines whether viewing pornography may actually have a secularizing effect, reducing young Americans' personal religiosity over time. To test for this, we use data from three waves of the National Study of Youth and Religion. Fixed-effects regression models show that more frequent pornography viewing diminishes religious service attendance, importance of religious faith, prayer frequency, and perceived closeness to God, while increasing religious doubts. These effects hold regardless of gender. The effects of viewing pornography on importance of faith, closeness to God, and religious doubts are stronger for teenagers compared to emerging adults. In light of the rapidly growing availability and acceptance of pornography for young Americans, our findings suggest that scholars must consider how increasingly pervasive pornography consumption may shape both the religious lives of young adults and also the future landscape of American religion more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George M. Hayward
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Perry SL. Does Viewing Pornography Reduce Marital Quality Over Time? Evidence from Longitudinal Data. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:549-559. [PMID: 27388511 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0770-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have examined the connection between pornography viewing and marital quality, with findings most often revealing a negative association. Data limitations, however, have precluded establishing directionality with a representative sample. This study is the first to draw on nationally representative, longitudinal data (2006-2012 Portraits of American Life Study) to test whether more frequent pornography use influences marital quality later on and whether this effect is moderated by gender. In general, married persons who more frequently viewed pornography in 2006 reported significantly lower levels of marital quality in 2012, net of controls for earlier marital quality and relevant correlates. Pornography's effect was not simply a proxy for dissatisfaction with sex life or marital decision-making in 2006. In terms of substantive influence, frequency of pornography use in 2006 was the second strongest predictor of marital quality in 2012. Interaction effects revealed, however, that the negative effect of porn use on marital quality applied to husbands, but not wives. In fact, post-estimation predicted values indicated that wives who viewed pornography more frequently reported higher marital quality than those who viewed it less frequently or not at all. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel L Perry
- Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma, 780 Van Vleet Oval, Kaufman Hall, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.
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