Untangling the Porn Web: Creating an Organizing Framework for Pornography Research Among Couples

"There is No One Way to Be Transgender and to Live Sex": Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals' Experiences with Pornography

Transgender or non-binary (TGNB) people are often present as protagonists of pornographic material. This study is the first to consider TGNB people as critical consumers of sexually explicit material. The sample included 212 self-identified TGNB individuals: 47.2% trans man/transmasculine, 15.6% trans woman/transfeminine and 37.3% non-binary. The online questionnaire consisted of a sociodemographic data collection, multiple-choice questions about preferences and habits concerning pornography, and open-ended questions about the sensations experienced when watching pornography, opinions on the representation of TGNB people in pornography, and their experience in watching pornographic videos with cisgender or TGNB protagonists. The answers were analyzed using the qualitative method of thematic analysis. We identified four themes that appeared across the responses: 1) heteronormativity and cisnormativity in pornography: the need for deconstructing the current cis-het-patriarchial normative and binary system, which dominates pornography except for the ethical porn industry, 2) cisgender pornography compared to TGNB pornography, 3) pleasurable sensations (e.g., identification and empowerment) associated with TGNB pornography, and 4) negative sensations (e.g., objectification and dysphoria) associated with TGNB pornography. Results are discussed in light of the objectification framework and the minority stress model.

Partner Knowledge of Solitary Pornography Use: Daily and Longitudinal Associations with Relationship Quality

Pornography use is a common sexual activity engaged in mostly alone, including for partnered individuals. Evidence concerning the benefits and costs of solitary pornography use for romantic relationship quality is mixed and may vary depending on the circumstances of pornography use, including partner knowledge of one's solitary use. Adopting a dyadic daily diary and longitudinal design, we examined the associations between knowledge of a partner's solitary pornography use and one's own and the partner's relationship satisfaction and intimacy on the same day, and trajectories over one year. A convenience sample of 217 couples completed daily surveys over 35 days and self-reported measures three times over one year. Each participant reported if they used pornography today and whether their use was known by their partner. Findings showed that when an individual's solitary pornography use was unknown by their partner, they reported lower same-day relationship satisfaction and intimacy as well as a lower initial level of relationship satisfaction. When an individual's solitary pornography use was known, they reported higher intimacy over one year and their partner reported lower intimacy over one year. Findings underscore the complexity of the relational context surrounding solitary pornography use in couples, in particular the partner's knowledge of pornography use.

Associations Between Pornography Use Through Different Media and Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction Among Cohabiting Couples

Pornography can be used through multiple media and its associations with couples' relationship and sexual satisfaction are mixed. The aims of this study were to examine the proportion of use of different pornographic media (i.e., videos, pictures, audio material, and written material), including different contents (i.e., sexual activities and nudity), gender-based differences in the frequency of use of these media, and the associations between an individual's frequency of use of different pornographic media and their own and their partner's sexual and relationship satisfaction, considering potential gender differences. A sample of 706 adult couples (1368 participants; Mage = 32.19 years) completed online self-report questionnaires. Results of actor-partner interdependence models indicated that video use was associated with lower relationship and sexual satisfaction, and partners' lower sexual satisfaction. Picture use was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and partners' lower sexual satisfaction. Written material use was associated with lower sexual satisfaction. Cisgender women's audio use was associated with their own higher sexual satisfaction, whereas cisgender men's audio use was associated with their partner's lower sexual satisfaction. These findings suggest different associations with sexual and relationship satisfaction depending on the pornographic media.

The Self-Reported Sexual Real-World Consequences of Sex Doll Use

It is a growing concern that the use of sex dolls and robots could affect human sexuality. This concern has led to a ban of child-like sex dolls in several countries and a call to ban adult-like sex dolls and robots by some scholars. However, empirical data is largely missing supporting this claim. Here, we present retrospective self-reported quantitative and qualitative data of a large sample (N = 224, 90.5% men, Mean age = 31 years, SD = 14.2) of teleiophilic (i.e., sexual orientation toward adults) and pedo-hebephilic participants. Using an online survey, we found that users reported an overall reduction in sexuality-related behaviors (e.g., porn consumption or visiting of sex workers) in response to doll ownership. Users in a relationship with a human were less affected by doll use, while those in a relationship with a doll reported greater effects. Interestingly, pedo-hebephilic users reported a greater reduction of sexual compulsivity compared to teleiophilic participants following doll use. Additionally, pedo-hebephilic participants more often reported acting out of illegal sexual fantasies with their dolls and a loss of interest in (sexual) intimacy with real children through doll use in the qualitative data. These self-reported data challenge the view that doll use is dangerously affecting human sexuality and instead suggest that dolls may be used as a sexual outlet for potentially dangerous and illegal (sexual) fantasies.

Rules (And the Lack of Rules) About Pornography Use Among Heterosexual Couples

Pornography use has become a normative sexual behavior. Despite this, little is known about how romantic couples navigate, discuss, or create boundaries and rules about pornography use in their relationship. Using short-answer qualitative responses from 3385 individuals in heterosexual romantic relationships, this study examined common themes in the rules and boundaries created by couples about pornography use. Results from a content analysis of all responses suggested that most individuals reported no specific rules or a lack of discussion of rules centered on pornography in their relationship. When individuals did report rules, these rules tended to focus on restrictions on pornography use based on the context and content of pornography itself or specific contexts of the relationship that would allow or disallow pornography use to occur. In general, results suggested that many couples lacked frequent communication and discussion about rules and boundaries centered on pornography use in their relationship, despite how common this behavior is. Implications for relationship quality and well-being are discussed.

Pornography, identification, alcohol, and condomless sex

Using national probability data from the 2022 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, the present study evaluated whether moderators of the association between frequency of pornography exposure and condomless sex are consistent with the sexual script acquisition, activation, application model's (3AM) suppositions about the facilitating effects of wishful identification and decreased self-regulation and forethought capacity. Consistent with the 3AM, two-way interaction effect analysis indicated that the strength of the positive association between exposure frequency and condomless sex increased as identification intensified. Inconsistent with the 3AM, two-way interaction effect analysis indicated that the association between exposure frequency and condomless sex was not significantly different among those who had and had not consumed alcohol before their last sexual encounter. However, the three-way interaction between exposure frequency, identification, and alcohol use did suggest a role for each 3AM moderator, as the catalyzing effect of identification was operable among those who had consumed alcohol only.

Associations Between Contents of Pornography and Sexual Satisfaction and Function Among Young Adults

Pornography offers a wide variety of sexual contents and has documented potential positive (e.g., higher sexual satisfaction) and negative associations (e.g., lower sexual function) with sexuality. The aims of this study were to describe the proportion of use of five different contents of pornography (i.e. group sex, passion and romance, gender-bending, taboo transgression and forbidden sex, power, control, and rough sex pornography), to examine gender-based differences in the frequency of use of these contents, and to examine the associations between the frequency of use of these contents and sexual satisfaction and function, considering potential differences among genders and individuals with and without a romantic or sexual partner, and controlling for frequency of masturbation. A sample of 827 young adults (503 women; Mage = 23.44) completed online self-report questionnaires. Results of path analysis indicated that, controlling for frequency of masturbation, the use of passion and romance pornography was associated with higher sexual satisfaction, whereas the use of power, control, and rough sex pornography was associated with lower sexual satisfaction. Cisgender men's use of power, control, and rough sex pornography was also associated with lower sexual function. These findings suggest different associations between pornography use and sexual satisfaction and function depending on the pornographic contents used.

Context Matters: Moderating Effects in the Associations between Pornography Use, Perceived Addiction, and Relationship Well-being

While perceived addiction and religiosity have been key contextual factors in understanding the link between pornography use and personal distress, these contextual factors have been explored less in the relational literature. Using a large nonprobability convenience sample from the United States, a moderated mediation model of the association between pornography use alone and two key indicators of relationship quality (relationship satisfaction and relationship stability) was explored. Results suggested that both general and aggressive pornography use alone were associated with less relationship satisfaction and relationship stability even when accounting for a range of potentially confounding variables. Perceived addiction partially mediated these associations, while both religiosity and gender moderated them. Generally, higher religiosity and being male were linked to compounding negative associations between pornography use and lower relationship quality. Findings suggest the importance of considering both religiosity and perceived addiction as important contextual factors when studying associations between pornography use and both relational and individual outcomes.

"We Felt Emotionally Closer:" A Qualitative Study of Couples' Communication about Pornography Use

Despite much empirical study of the complex association between pornography use and relationship health, little research has been conducted on the quality of communication about pornography use within relationships, which may meaningfully impact its association with relationship health. We used reflexive thematic analysis and behavioral intimacy theory to analyze responses to an online survey in which 146 individuals (77.3% women) in committed relationships described their communication with their partner about pornography use. Themes drawn from participants' responses included: 1) Discussing pornography use is not vulnerable (anymore); (2) Asymmetrical vulnerability within the couple; (3) Disappointment and divergent values present in suppressive events; (4) Sharing the struggle of navigating unwanted pornography use; and (5) Selective reinforcement: encouraging some, but not all, vulnerable behavior, which included two subthemes: (a) Your pornography use is not okay, but I'm glad you told me; and (b) You can use pornography; I just don't need to hear about it. Findings provide guidance to help couples navigate conversations about pornography use in ways that enhance relationship health.

Porn use and men's and women's sexual performance: evidence from a large longitudinal sample

BACKGROUND

We examined whether young men and women differ in the relation between porn use and sexual performance (sexual self-competence, sexual functioning, and partner-reported sexual satisfaction).

METHODS

We conducted a three-wave longitudinal study (spanning 2015-16-17) that involved a very large number of men and women in their early 20s (100 000 + French-speaking individuals; 4000 + heterosexual couples).

RESULTS

The results revealed a twofold phenomenon. Among men, a higher frequency of porn use (wave 1) and increased porn use over time (waves 1-3) were associated with lower levels of sexual self-competence, impaired sexual functioning, and decreased partner-reported sexual satisfaction. In contrast, among women, higher and increasing frequencies of porn use were associated with higher levels of sexual self-competence, improved sexual functioning, and enhanced partner-reported sexual satisfaction (for some aspects).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings reveal the irony that porn - a male-dominated industry that targets a male-dominated audience - is associated with the erosion of the quality of men's sex lives and the improvement of women's sex lives.

The Development and Validation of the Pornography Use in Romantic Relationships Scale

Recent reviews of the pornography literature have called for the development of valid and reliable measures that assess multiple facets of pornography use. Moreover, despite pornography use having important implications for romantic relationships, there are currently no self-report assessments of pornography use specifically within the context of romantic relationships. To address these limitations, the current paper reports on two studies regarding the development and psychometric evaluation of a 38-item multidimensional measure of pornography use within the context of romantic relationships: the Pornography Use in Romantic Relationships Scale (PURRS). Study 1 (n = 739) reports on an Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analytic approach to determine the factor structure of the PURRS. Study 2 (n = 765) reports on the cross-validation of the factor structure of the PURRS, before assessing the criterion validity of the measure. The PURRS exhibited good internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion validity. The findings suggest that the PURRS is best modeled by 13 first-order factors, though a higher-order factor structure comprising four broad factors may also be used. The PURRS significantly extends on past assessments of pornography use, and in particular, advances the assessment and study of pornography use within the context of romantic relationships.

Sexually Explicit Internet Media Consumption and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Chinese Male Sexual Minorities: The Moderating Role of Perceived Realism

Western research has suggested that viewing sexually explicit internet media (SEIM) may result in sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. This study explored the relationship between SEIM consumption and SRBs and whether perceived realism could moderate this relationship among Chinese male sexual minorities. We assessed SEIM consumption from two aspects: consumption frequency and preference for specific content (condomless and group sex). This study recruited 360 participants from various online channels. Consistent with the sexual script acquisition, activation, application model (₃AM), we found that both SEIM consumption frequency and content preference were related to SRBs, and that perceived realism moderated the relationship between SEIM consumption and SRBs. Preference for group sex SEIM was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of casual sex when perceived realism was higher. SEIM use frequency was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of unprotected anal intercourse when perceived realism was higher. These findings may be used to promote HIV prevention, which necessitates joint effort from multiple stakeholders.

But What's Your Partner Up to? Associations Between Relationship Quality and Pornography Use Depend on Contextual Patterns of Use Within the Couple

It is commonly assumed that exposure to pornography harms relationships because pornography changes the way that individuals think, feel, and behave in problematic ways. In the current research, we contribute to a small but growing body of work that challenges this assumption by carefully scrutinizing the relational context of pornography use. In contrast to dominant theoretical explanations in this field, we argue that at least some of the apparent negative “impacts” of pornography use on relationship quality may reflect partner dissimilarity in pornography use behavior rather than the consequences of exposure to such materials. Moreover, we further examine a particular type of pornography use – shared use with a partner – which previous evidence suggests may be positively associated with relationship quality. To this end, we sought to test whether dyadic patterns of pornography use, and related attributes, were associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction in two cross-sectional (N₁ = 200; N₃ = 207) and two longitudinal (N₂ = 77; N₄ = 277) samples of heterosexual couples. Across these samples, we found consistent evidence that partners who watch pornography together report higher relationship and sexual satisfaction than partners who do not, and notably, this association was not moderated by gender. Independent of this association, we also found evidence of a similarity-dissimilarity effect, such that the solitary pornography use of one partner was negatively associated with their own relationship and sexual satisfaction, but only in cases where their romantic partners used little or no pornography alone. Further consideration of several correlates of pornography use established comparable patterns of results for dissimilarity in attitudes toward pornography, erotophobia-erotophilia, sexual preferences, and sex drive. Importantly, only dissimilarity in sex drive statistically accounted for dissimilarity in solitary pornography use, suggesting that differences in sex drive may be implicated in the associations between pornography use and relationship quality. These findings demonstrate that links between pornography use and relationship health are partially a function of different dyadic patterns of pornography use within couples and do not always suggest relational harm.

Clinical use and implications of sexual devices and sexually explicit media

Given that sexual pleasure is a core component of sexual health, devices that are designed to enhance and diversify sexual pleasure are particularly useful in clinical practice. Despite their growing popularity and widespread use in various biopsychosocial circumstances, many taboos still seem to exist, as indicated by the paucity of scientific literature on the prevalence, application and effectiveness of sexual devices for therapeutic use. However, sex toys and sexual devices are commonly used and have a variety of indications to expand individual and partnered sexuality and to treat sexual difficulties. Different devices are associated with specific advantages and potential risks, opportunities, barriers and ethical challenges when used in a clinical context. Increased knowledge about the aim and functional possibilities of sexual devices might help health-care professionals overcome potential embarrassment, preconceptions and other barriers, learn which patients might benefit from which products, consider their use in treatment programmes, educate about correct use and safety issues, and facilitate open communication about sexual pleasure with their patients.

With or Without You: Associations Between Frequency of Internet Pornography Use and Sexual Relationship Outcomes for (Non)Consensual (Non)Monogamous Individuals

More frequent internet pornography use is often associated with decreased sexual satisfaction. However, individuals who use internet pornography more often can experience better relationship outcomes, depending on how they use it in the context of their relationship. Indeed, internet pornography use with the partner seems to be positively associated with sexual satisfaction. We explored whether the type of agreement partners have about monogamy is related to this association. We conducted a cross-sectional study (N = 866; 66.3% women, Mage = 27.40, SD = 8.58) with individuals in monogamous (n = 552), non-consensual non-monogamous (NCNM; n = 210) and consensually non-monogamous (CNM; n = 104) relationships. Results showed that CNM individuals used internet pornography substantially more than the other two groups, but they were as sexually satisfied with themselves and with their primary partner as monogamous individuals. NCNM individuals were the least sexually satisfied and reported more sexual arousal difficulties than the other groups. Results further showed that CNM individuals included their primary partner in their internet pornography use more frequently than the other groups, and this inclusion was positively associated with sexual satisfaction with the primary partner. The frequency of internet pornography use with the partner was negatively associated with sexual arousal difficulties for monogamous individuals and positively associated with personal and relational sexual satisfaction in both monogamous and NCNM individuals. These results complement past findings by shedding light on the role of internet pornography use for different relationship agreements, and its association with personal and relational experiences.