A Meta‐Analysis of Pornography Consumption and Actual Acts of Sexual Aggression in General Population Studies
Abstract
Whether pornography consumption is a reliable correlate of sexually aggressive behavior continues to be debated. Meta‐analyses of experimental studies have found effects on aggressive behavior and attitudes. That pornography consumption correlates with aggressive attitudes in naturalistic studies has also been found. Yet, no meta‐analysis has addressed the question motivating this body of work: Is pornography consumption correlated with committing actual acts of sexual aggression? 22 studies from 7 different countries were analyzed. Consumption was associated with sexual aggression in the United States and internationally, among males and females, and in cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies. Associations were stronger for verbal than physical sexual aggression, although both were significant. The general pattern of results suggested that violent content may be an exacerbating factor.
Citing Literature
Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 7
- Stephen T. Russell, Allen B. Mallory, Meg D. Bishop, Armin A. Dorri, Innovation and Integration of Sexuality in Family Life Education, Family Relations, 10.1111/fare.12462, 69, 3, (595-613), (2020).
- Helene Laporte, Ann Rousseau, Steven Eggermont, Effects of Media on Sexual Behaviors, The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology, 10.1002/9781119011071, (1-12), (2020).
- Lonni Besançon, Amir Semmo, David Biau, Bruno Frachet, Virginie Pineau, El Hadi Sariali, Marc Soubeyrand, Rabah Taouachi, Tobias Isenberg, Pierre Dragicevic, Reducing Affective Responses to Surgical Images and Videos Through Stylization, Computer Graphics Forum, 10.1111/cgf.13886, 39, 1, (462-483), (2019).
- Crystal A. Jackson, Aleta Baldwin, Barbara G. Brents, Paul J. Maginn, EXPOsing Men's Gender Role Attitudes as Porn Superfans, Sociological Forum, 10.1111/socf.12506, 34, 2, (483-500), (2019).
- Kate Dawson, Azra Tafro, Aleksandar Štulhofer, Adolescent sexual aggressiveness and pornography use: A longitudinal assessment, Aggressive Behavior, 10.1002/ab.21854, 45, 6, (587-597), (2019).
- Timothy Hagen, Martie P. Thompson, Janelle Williams, Religiosity Reduces Sexual Aggression and Coercion in a Longitudinal Cohort of College Men: Mediating Roles of Peer Norms, Promiscuity, and Pornography, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 10.1111/jssr.12496, 57, 1, (95-108), (2018).
- Paul J. Wright, Robert S. Tokunaga, Ashley Kraus, Elyssa Klann, Pornography Consumption and Satisfaction: A Meta‐Analysis, Human Communication Research, 10.1111/hcre.12108, 43, 3, (315-343), (2017).
