Public health effects of pornography
Encyclopedia
Research concerning the effects of pornography
is inconclusive on the issue of crime. Some studies support the contention that the viewing of pornographic material may increase rates of sexual crimes, while others have shown no effects, or a decrease in the rates of such crimes.
, insofar as they accurately describe events as they occur outside of a laboratory setting, but low levels of internal validity
, since they do not strongly establish cause-and-effect relationships between the behaviors or conditions under study, and the health consequences observed.
"The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective" was an epidemiological study which found that the massive growth of the pornography industry in the United States between 1975 and 1995 was accompanied by a substantial decrease in the number of sexual assaults per capita; and reported similar results for Japan. Findings of this nature have been critiqued by Robert Peters
, president of Morality in Media
, on the grounds that the results are better explained by factors other than the increased prevalence of pornography:
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
is inconclusive on the issue of crime. Some studies support the contention that the viewing of pornographic material may increase rates of sexual crimes, while others have shown no effects, or a decrease in the rates of such crimes.
Epidemiological studies
An epidemiological study describes the association between given behaviors or environmental conditions, and physical or psychological health by means of observation of real-world phenomena through statistical data. Epidemiological studies generally have high levels of external validityExternal validity
External validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
, insofar as they accurately describe events as they occur outside of a laboratory setting, but low levels of internal validity
Internal validity
Internal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
, since they do not strongly establish cause-and-effect relationships between the behaviors or conditions under study, and the health consequences observed.
"The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective" was an epidemiological study which found that the massive growth of the pornography industry in the United States between 1975 and 1995 was accompanied by a substantial decrease in the number of sexual assaults per capita; and reported similar results for Japan. Findings of this nature have been critiqued by Robert Peters
Robert Peters
Robert Louis Peters is a poet, critic, scholar, playwright, editor, and actor born in an impoverished rural area of northern Wisconsin in 1924. He holds a Ph.D in Victorian literature. His poetry career began in 1967 when his young son Richard died unexpectedly of spinal meningitis...
, president of Morality in Media
Morality in Media
Morality in Media, Inc. is an American non-profit organization that was established in New York in 1962. MIM seeks to raise awareness about the harms of pornography and other forms of obscenity on individuals, families and society. MIM also works through constitutional means to curb traffic in...
, on the grounds that the results are better explained by factors other than the increased prevalence of pornography:
a more plausible explanation is that if there is a decline in “forcible rape,” it is the result of a tremendous effort to curb rape through community and school-based programs, media coverage, aggressive law enforcement, DNA evidence, longer prison sentences, and more.
Research concerning the effects of pornographyPornographyPornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
is inconclusive on the issue of crime. Some studies support the contention that the viewing of pornographic material may increase rates of sexual crimes, while others have shown no effects, or a decrease in the rates of such crimes.
Epidemiological studies
An epidemiological study describes the association between given behaviors or environmental conditions, and physical or psychological health by means of observation of real-world phenomena through statistical data. Epidemiological studies generally have high levels of external validityExternal validityExternal validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
, insofar as they accurately describe events as they occur outside of a laboratory setting, but low levels of internal validityInternal validityInternal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
, since they do not strongly establish cause-and-effect relationships between the behaviors or conditions under study, and the health consequences observed.
"The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective" was an epidemiological study which found that the massive growth of the pornography industry in the United States between 1975 and 1995 was accompanied by a substantial decrease in the number of sexual assaults per capita; and reported similar results for Japan. Findings of this nature have been critiqued by Robert PetersRobert PetersRobert Louis Peters is a poet, critic, scholar, playwright, editor, and actor born in an impoverished rural area of northern Wisconsin in 1924. He holds a Ph.D in Victorian literature. His poetry career began in 1967 when his young son Richard died unexpectedly of spinal meningitis...
, president of Morality in MediaMorality in MediaMorality in Media, Inc. is an American non-profit organization that was established in New York in 1962. MIM seeks to raise awareness about the harms of pornography and other forms of obscenity on individuals, families and society. MIM also works through constitutional means to curb traffic in...
, on the grounds that the results are better explained by factors other than the increased prevalence of pornography:a more plausible explanation is that if there is a decline in “forcible rape,” it is the result of a tremendous effort to curb rape through community and school-based programs, media coverage, aggressive law enforcement, DNA evidence, longer prison sentences, and more.
Research concerning the effects of pornographyPornographyPornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
is inconclusive on the issue of crime. Some studies support the contention that the viewing of pornographic material may increase rates of sexual crimes, while others have shown no effects, or a decrease in the rates of such crimes.
Epidemiological studies
An epidemiological study describes the association between given behaviors or environmental conditions, and physical or psychological health by means of observation of real-world phenomena through statistical data. Epidemiological studies generally have high levels of external validityExternal validityExternal validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
, insofar as they accurately describe events as they occur outside of a laboratory setting, but low levels of internal validityInternal validityInternal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
, since they do not strongly establish cause-and-effect relationships between the behaviors or conditions under study, and the health consequences observed.
"The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective" was an epidemiological study which found that the massive growth of the pornography industry in the United States between 1975 and 1995 was accompanied by a substantial decrease in the number of sexual assaults per capita; and reported similar results for Japan. Findings of this nature have been critiqued by Robert PetersRobert PetersRobert Louis Peters is a poet, critic, scholar, playwright, editor, and actor born in an impoverished rural area of northern Wisconsin in 1924. He holds a Ph.D in Victorian literature. His poetry career began in 1967 when his young son Richard died unexpectedly of spinal meningitis...
, president of Morality in MediaMorality in MediaMorality in Media, Inc. is an American non-profit organization that was established in New York in 1962. MIM seeks to raise awareness about the harms of pornography and other forms of obscenity on individuals, families and society. MIM also works through constitutional means to curb traffic in...
, on the grounds that the results are better explained by factors other than the increased prevalence of pornography:a more plausible explanation is that if there is a decline in “forcible rape,” it is the result of a tremendous effort to curb rape through community and school-based programs, media coverage, aggressive law enforcement, DNA evidence, longer prison sentences, and more.
Danish criminologist Berl KutchinskyBerl KutchinskyBerl Kutchinsky was a Danish Professor of Criminology at the University of Copenhagen. He became internationally famous for his studies in the public health effects of pornography....
's Studies on Pornography and sex crimes in Denmark (1970), a scientific report ordered by the Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, found that the legalizing of pornography in DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
had not (as expected) resulted in an increase of sex crimes. Since then, many other experiments have been conducted, either supporting or opposing the findings of Berl KutchinskyBerl KutchinskyBerl Kutchinsky was a Danish Professor of Criminology at the University of Copenhagen. He became internationally famous for his studies in the public health effects of pornography....
, who would continue his study into the social effects of pornography until his death in 1995. His life's work was summed up in the publication Law, Pornography, and Crime: The Danish Experience (1999).
In stark contrast to the previously described research, in 1986 a review of epidemiological studies by Neil M. Malamuth found that the quantity of pornographic material viewed by men was positively correlated with degree to which they endorsed sexual assault. Malamuth's work describes about Check (1984) who found among a diverse sample of Canadian men that the more exposure to pornography led to higher acceptance of rape myths, violence against women, and general sexual callousness. In another study, Briere, Corne, Runtz and Neil M. Malamuth, (1984) reported similar correlations in a sample involving college males. On the other hand, the failure to find a statistically significant correlation in another previous study led Malamuth to examine other interesting correlations, which took into account the information about sexualityHuman sexualityHuman sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
the samples obtained in their childhood and pornography emerged as the second most important source of information. Malamuth's work has been criticized by other authors, however, such as Ferguson and Hartley (2009) who argue Malamuth has exaggerated positive findings and has not always properly discussed null findings.
Usage of pornography among criminals and juvenile crimes
Silbert, M. and Pines, A., in "Pornography and Sexual Abuse of Women," published their study involving prostitutes in the international journal Sex Roles, "The comments followed the same pattern: the assailant referred to pornographic materials he had seen or read and then insisted that the victims not only enjoyed rape but also extreme violence."
The study, Use of Pornography in the Criminal and Developmental Histories of Sexual Offenders examined the exposure to and the usage of pornography in the histories of 38 rapists and 26 child molesters. The study found that both groups reported exposure to pornography and were "significantly more likely" to use pornographic materials prior to and during their offenses. According to the study pornography was employed to relieve an impulse to act out. According to the study, child molesters indicated "significantly more" exposure to pornography than rapists in adulthood.
According to the study, "Pornography Use as a Risk Marker for an Aggressive Pattern of Behavior Among Sexually Reactive Children and Adolescents", Sexually reactive children and adolescents (SRCAs), also referred to as juvenile sexual offendersJuvenile delinquencyJuvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
, "may be more vulnerable and likely to experience damaging effects from pornography use." According to the study,the SRCAs who used pornography were "more likely" to display aggressive behaviors than their nonusing counterparts.
Controlled studies
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In this context, in a study aimed to demonstrate the dangers of pornography and addiction to sex with prisoners, a controlled study describes the correlation between given behaviors or environmental conditions and health effects in a laboratory setting in which conditions other than those under study are effectively held constant across groups of participants receiving various levels of the experimental condition(s). Since it is considered that the only functional difference between groups is the level of experimental condition(s) received, researchers can strongly infer cause-and-effect relationships from statistically significantStatistical significanceIn statistics, a result is called statistically significant if it is unlikely to have occurred by chance. The phrase test of significance was coined by Ronald Fisher....
associations between experimental condition(s) and health consequences. Thus, controlled studies have high levels of internal validityInternal validityInternal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
. However, such studies often suffer from questionable external validityExternal validityExternal validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
due to the considerable differences between real-world environments and the experimental context, and the consequent belief that results cannot be generalized beyond that context. For example, a double-blind study involves participants who are unaware of the levels of experimental condition(s) that they are receiving, and recording of data by observers who are likewise not informed of the groups to which participants have been assigned. Double-blind studies avoid biased results due to participants' or observers' beliefs concerning the effects of the experimental condition(s). While often performed to assess the effects of pharmaceuticals, since placeboPlaceboA placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
medication can be employed, double-blind studies concerning the health consequences of viewing pornographic materials are impossible, as participants would be aware of their exposure to the experimental condition.
"Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography" was review of controlled studies which found that extensive viewing of the type of pornographic material commonly sold at adult bookstores was positively correlated with leniency in the sentencing of a person convicted of rape in a mock trial setting (figure 5), decreased satisfaction of participants with their sex lives and partners (figure 10), and an increased self-reported willingness to commit rape or other forced sexual acts (figure 12).
This line of research has been critiqued in "The effects of Pornography: An International Perspective", in that the effects of exposure may be different when an individual controls their own exposure than when they are subjected to exposure experimentally:
The laboratory-school experiments or brief exposure experiments (less than a week to a semester or so) are hardly comparable to situations in the real world and may not be relevant at all. ... In real life, individuals can elect to experience some pornography for minutes or hours, at a single session, or over years. In real life, individuals are free to satisfy different sexual urges in ways unavailable to students in classroom or subjects in laboratory situations.
In a recent review of this literature Ferguson and Hartley (2009) argue that the results from controlled studies are inconsistent. The authors note that the authors of some studies tended to highlight positive findings while deemphasizing null findings, demonstrating confirmation bias in the published literature. Ferguson and Hartley concluded that controlled studies, on balance, were not able to support links between pornography and sexual violence.
Prostitution
One study found that customers who patronized prostitutes on multiple occasions bought pornographic material and went to strip clubStrip clubA strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
s to a far greater extent than persons who had not purchased sexual services from prostitutes.
Further reading
- Berl Kutchinsky
Berl KutchinskyBerl Kutchinsky was a Danish Professor of Criminology at the University of Copenhagen. He became internationally famous for his studies in the public health effects of pornography....
: Studies on Pornography and sex crimes in Denmark (New Social Science Monographs, Denmark 1970)- Berl Kutchinsky: Law, pornography, and crime: The Danish experience (Pax Forlag, Oslo 1999)
- Gert Martin Hald: Pornography Consumption - a study of prevalence rates, consumption patterns, and effects (Psykologisk Institut, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark 2007)
- Gert Martin Hald & Neil M. Malamuth: Self-Perceived Effects of Pornography Consumption (Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2008)
External links
- Report of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Pornography and Public Health, United States Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, August 4, 1986