Legal Considerations
Problems with Aggregate Data and the Importance of Individual Differences in the Study of Pornography and Sexual Aggression
Full Article Title: Problems with Aggregate Data and the Importance of Individual Differences in the Study of Pornography and Sexual Aggression: Comment on Diamond, Jozifkova, and Weiss
Open Access: No
Abstract
The influence of pornography on attitudes and behaviors has been a longstanding question that has provoked considerable debate among researchers (Malamuth, Addison, & Koss, 2000; Marshall, 2000). Evidence associating pornography consumption with aggression would be important, not only for public policy and legislation but in the assessment and treatment of special populations, such as sexual offenders. In this commentary, we briefly discuss the methodologies in which pornography’s putative effects have been examined, with particular note of the aggregate approach employed by Diamond, Jozifkova, and Weiss (2010). We conclude with a brief review of the literature on pornography’s role in affecting negative attitudes and behaviors among certain individuals.
Citation
Kingston, D. A., & Malamuth, N. M. (2011). Problems with aggregate data and the importance of individual differences in the study of pornography and sexual aggression: Comment on Diamond, Jozifkova, and Weiss (2010). Archives of Sexual Behavior: The Official Publication of the International Academy of Sex Research, 40(5), 1045–1048. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-011-9743-3