Violence

Open Access: No.

Abstract

Pornography often depicts traditional gender norms and aggression paired with sexual behaviour. Among adolescents, exposure to pornography is related to unhealthy beliefs about gender, sex and relationships. Critical thinking about media may reduce the internalisation of unhealthy messages in pornography. However, there is a dearth of research examining how critical media attitudes are protective of youth in early adolescence. Using a US sample of ninth- and tenth-grade students (n = 558; Mage = 14; 53% female), this study examines how the relationship between frequency of pornography use and acceptance of traditional gender norms, dating violence and rape myths may be moderated by critical media attitudes. More frequent pornography use was related to greater acceptance of rape myths and gender norms, but only for adolescents who were less sceptical about media messages. For adolescents who were sceptical of media messages about sex, there was no relationship between pornography use and their acceptance of rape myths and gender norms. This study provides preliminary evidence of the protective influence that critical media attitudes may have on adolescents’ sexual and relationship health. In an increasingly digital world, it is critical to provide early media literacy education as part of sexuality education to promote adolescents’ health.

Relevance

This study of early high schools students in the US found that “pornography use was significantly correlated with a greater acceptance of traditional gender role norms, a greater acceptance of rape myths and a greater acceptance of dating violence.”

“There was a significant positive association between the perceived realism of messages about teenage sexual health in general media and acceptance of rape myths. There was a significant negative association between scepticism of messages about sex in general media and rape myth acceptance; however, this relationship was qualified by a significant pornography use*scepticism interaction.”

“There was a significant positive association between the perceived realism of messages about teenage sexual health in general media and gender role norms. There was a significant negative association between scepticism and acceptance of traditional gender roles. This relationship was qualified by a significant pornography use*scepticism interaction.”

“There was a significant positive relationship between pornography use and acceptance of dating violence. There was also a significant negative relationship between scepticism and acceptance of dating violence.”

In sum, “more frequent pornography use was significantly related to greater acceptance of traditional gender role norms, rape myths, and dating violence.” Conversely, “critical media attitudes” and skepticism towards media representations of sexuality served “as protective factors.” That is, “adolescents who believed that general media messages about teenage sexual health were less realistic, were less accepting of traditional gender norms and rape myths and adolescents who were more sceptical of media messages about sex were less accepting of dating violence. Together, these findings provide preliminary support for efforts with early adolescents to promote scepticism and reduce perceived realism of general media messages about sex. Also, the findings highlight how scepticism, specifically, may buffer against the internalisation of harmful messages in pornography.”

“While adolescents who were more sceptical of media messages were less accepting of dating violence, scepticism did not moderate the relationship between pornography use and acceptance of dating violence. This was unexpected, though it may highlight the vulnerability of early adolescents to messages about dating violence in pornography. More research is needed as to whether there are other factors (including, other critical media cognitions) that might protect early adolescents who are exposed to pornography from the effects of these messages on their acceptance of dating violence.”

“Additionally, the perceived realism of sexually themed messages in general media did not moderate the relationship between pornography use and any of the outcomes.” This finding, together with studies that found that “perceived realism of pornography does moderate the relationship between pornography use and sexual health-related outcomes…suggests that intervention developers aiming to buffer young people from the effects of pornography may be wise to focus on reducing perceived realism of messages about sex in pornography, specifically, rather than perceived realism of messages about sex in general media.”

Citation

Evans-Paulson, R., Dodson, C. V., & Scull, T. M. (2024). Critical media attitudes as a buffer against the harmful effects of pornography on beliefs about sexual and dating violence. Sex Education, 24(6), 799–815. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2023.2241133