Sex on the Screen: A Content Analysis of Free Internet Pornography Depicting Mixed-Sex Threesomes from 2012–2020

Viewing online pornography is common among US adults, with mixed-sex threesome (MST) videos being one of the top 10 most popular categories of pornography for both men and women. The current content analysis applied sexual script theory to understand the themes present in these mixed-sex threesome videos. Independent coders viewed a total of 50 videos (25 MMF and 25 FFM) at each timepoint (2012, 2015, 2020) and coded for different sexual behaviors and themes in each video. By examining both same-sex (female–female, male–male) and other-sex (female–male) behaviors, as well as themes of aggression and sexual initiation in different videos and across three timepoints, it was determined that other-sex behaviors are more common in MST videos than same-sex behaviors. Same-sex behaviors between two female actors were more common than same-sex behaviors between two male actors. Aggression was a common theme in videos, with male actors being more aggressive on average than female actors. Most of these trends did not change across 8 years, suggesting that the impacts of traditional sexual scripts are pervasive in pornography, even in current online content. Important implications for both researchers and clinical professionals are discussed.

Solitary and joint online pornography use during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal: Intrapersonal and interpersonal correlates

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced several people into social isolation and research has shown a paradoxical effect on people’s sexual functioning. Some people experienced decreases in sexual desire and sexual satisfaction, whereas others experienced heightened sexual desire and made new additions to their sexual repertoire, including more online pornography use, during the lockdown. Yet, studies failed to examine its interpersonal and intrapersonal correlates, distinguish between solitary and joint use, or explore differences between partnered and single people. We examined if changes in solitary or joint online pornography use since the lockdown were associated with sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, perceived health, and sleep quality. We conducted an online cross-sectional study with convenience sampling in Portugal (N = 303 participants; 56.3% men; Mage = 31.32, SD = 10.55; 71.0% in a relationship) during May and July 2020. Partnered participants who reported increases in solitary online pornography use also reported decreases in their sex life quality. For partnered and single participants, increases in joint online pornography use were associated with increases in sex life quality. Single participants who reported increases in solitary online pornography use also perceived better health and sleep quality, and those who reported increases in joint online pornography use also reported more intimacy with casual partner(s) and better sleep quality. These findings suggest that online pornography might have beens used as a sexual pleasure tool to connect with a stable or casual partner(s) in a time when social interactions were restricted.

Self-Perceived Problematic Use of Online Pornography Is Linked to Clinically Relevant Levels of Psychological Distress and Psychopathological Symptoms

Online pornography is a widespread Internet application. As with other Internet applications, in some cases its use can become problematic. First indications point to a link between problematic use of online pornography and psychological distress and general functional impairment. However, to date, there are no standardized criteria for assessing problematic use of online pornography. In this study, we used the Online Pornography Disorder Questionnaire (OPDQ)—an instrument which adapted the official criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder to online pornography—to measure problematic use and investigated to what extent consumers with a self-perceived problematic use of online pornography differed from casual users with regard to their psychological distress. An online sample of German adult visitors to a popular casual dating site completed the OPDQ, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and provided information on their online pornography use (n = 1539; 72.6% male; 31.43 ± 11.96 years). T-scores for the BSI were calculated and independent t-tests were conducted to compare casual users with consumers with a self-perceived problematic use of online pornography. Of the users, 5.9% fulfilled the criteria for problematic use. This group consumed online pornography for longer amounts of time and showed higher levels of psychological distress (Hedges’ g from 0.75 to 1.21). The T-scores of users with self-perceived problematic online pornography use reached clinically relevant levels on all subscales. Overall, the results of the study indicate that self-perceived problematic use of online pornography seems to be linked to severe psychological distress that may warrant clinical attention.

Increase in the Prevalence of Online Pornography Use: Objective Data Analysis from the Period Between 2004 and 2016 in Poland

Despite the considerable amount of attention presently devoted to the high accessibility of online pornography, very little formal analyses have been carried out to show how the advent and proliferation of Internet technology has changed the prevalence of pornography use in populations. We conducted a preliminary analysis based on objective website traffic data, representing the changes in the number of (1) Internet users generally and (2) online pornography users specifically, between 2004 and 2016 in Poland. We observed a clear increase in the estimated number of people using online pornography in the analyzed period. The estimated number of general population members viewing pornography on the Internet increased over three times (310%) between October 2004 and October 2016–starting from an estimated 2.76 million in the first period to 8.54 million in the last. At the same time, we did not observe a clear increase in the percentage of Internet users who viewed online pornography in the same time period. Additionally, pornography viewership on the Internet was almost 2 times more prevalent among male (47%) than female Internet users (27%), and most popular in the 18–27 age group. Since our analysis is based on objective data, it does not share the limitations inherent in self-reports. However, our approach also has several important limitations (e.g., the analysis does not include online activity generated on mobile devices and under a private browsing mode); thus, the results should be interpreted with caution.

The Effects of Pornography on Youth

Historically, moral panics have often centered the possible impact of media on youth. It is not easy to disentangle the effects of sexual media in general from the effects of sexually explicit media on youth. However, this chapter argues that the bulk of the evidence on the influence of mainstream online pornography on youth suggests that there is, on average, a negative effect and that there may be particular reasons for concern in the absence of comprehensive sex education. The chapter provides statistical information on the prevalence of pornography use by youth, the age of first exposure, and sexting, as well as evidence-based information about risk factors for, and consequences of, use. The chapter argues that public health professionals need to safeguard underage youth from the potential harms of pornography while pushing back on nonscientific claims about its effects and promoting a sex-positive perspective on sex simultaneously.

Is Online Pornography consumption linked to off-line sexual dysfuntions in young men? A multivariate analysis based on an international web-based survey. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Expanding access to the internet resulted in more and earlier consumption of online pornography. At the same time, a higher prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) among young men is seen. Increased pornography consumption has been suggested as a possible explanation of this rise. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to better understand associations between problematic pornography con-sumption (PPC) and ED. METHODS A 118-item survey was published online and data collection took place between April 2019 and May 2020. 5770 men responded. Eventually, the results of 3419 men be-tween 18 and 35 years old were analyzed. The survey used validated questionnaires like Cyber Pornography Addiction Test (CYPAT), IIEF-5, and AUDIT-c. Estimated amount of porn watching was calculated. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed. For the multivariable analysis a logistic regression model using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) was used. RESULTS According to their IIEF-5 scores, 21,5% of our sexually active participants (i.e. those who attempted penetrative sex in the previous 4 weeks) had some degree of ED. This prevalence of ED in young men is alarmingly high and the results of presented study suggest a significant association with PPC. CONCLUSIONS Higher CYPAT scores indicating problematic online pornography consumptium resulted in a higher probability of ED, while controlling for covariates. Masturbation frequency seemed not a significant factor when assessing ED. CLINICALTRIAL The study was registered on www.researchregistry.com (ID 5111).

“not conducive for sobriety”: Sex Addiction and Neoliberal Masculinity in Don Jon and Thanks for Sharing

Thanks for Sharing (2012) and Don Jon (2013), share similarities in their representation of the lives of unmarried men who are all approaching midlife, and who are all struggling to build meaningful, monogamous, long term attachments with women. In Thanks for Sharing, Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is addicted to brief encounters with numerous partners in contexts devoid of emotional intimacy, while a fellow member of his sex addicts support group, Neil (Josh Gad), struggles with a compulsion to touching strangers in public locations. In counterpoint, Don Jon charts the protagonist’s insatiable consumption of online pornography, since Jon believes that the virtual domain provides a far superior sexual experience than anything, he could find in real life encounters with women. This article is concerned with the relationship between sex addiction and masculinity, and how neoliberalism is imbued in the characters’ embodiment of masculinity regardless of their divergent social backgrounds.