Self-Perceived Sexual Health Effects of Pornography Consumption. A Cross-Sectional Study Among Adult Norwegian Pornography Consumers.

Abstract

Introduction. Studies on pornography and sexual health-related subjects are centered around a negative effect paradigm and an effects tradition. Yet, with its widespread availability, pornography is most likely taking up a place in many persons’ sexual lives. Therefore, it is important to draw a complete, balanced image. Studying peoples’ perceptions of the effects of their pornography consumption supplements the studies on pornography and sexual functioning or satisfaction. Objectives. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the association between the frequency of pornography consumption and the self-perceived effects of pornography use among adult Norwegian pornography users. We also assessed whether this association was mediated by perceived pornographic realism and if there were differences in the associations between men and women. Methods. Data from a cross-sectional study among Norwegian adult pornography consumers were used, which included 1,317 male and 584 female participants. The data were collected in 2020 by Kantar Norway and made available for secondary analysis by the University of Oslo. Results. A higher pornography frequency and considering pornography to be more realistic were associated with more positive self-perceived effects of pornography. Participants that watched more pornography tended to consider it to be more realistic. The association between pornography frequency and the self-perceived effects was partially mediated by perceived pornographic realism. Generally, the associations tested were slightly stronger for women than for men, yet, the differences were small. Conclusion. People might perceive pornography to be beneficial for their sexual lives, however, attention should be paid to the degree of pornography’s realism. Considering pornography to be realistic might be associated with positive self-perceived effects, nonetheless, not all pornography is realistic. This study showed the importance of focusing on pornography and porn literacy in sexual health interventions. Furthermore, additional studies with large, adult, representative samples are required to fully grasp the complexity of the associations between pornography and sexual health-related topics.