Violence
Pornography Use, Perceived Peer Norms, and Attitudes Toward Women: A Study of College Men.
Open Access: No.
Abstract
Men’s negative attitudes toward women is a known risk factor for sexual aggression perpetration. Sexual aggression is a widespread public health concern, especially among emerging adults, and is associated with a multitude of negative consequences. The current study evaluated whether pornography-related perceived peer norms, own approval, and self-reported use are associated with negative attitudes towards women in a sample of college men. Types of pornography examined included: pornography (in general), pornography that included portrayals of bondage, whipping, and spanking but without explicit dissent (i.e., pornography that depicted bondage/physical aggression), as well as pornography consisting of sexually explicit rape depictions in which force is used. Self-report measures assessing the frequency of pornography exposure, self-acceptance of pornography use, and perceived peer norms were collected from 283 college men. A multiple linear regression model revealed that only perceived peer norms for acceptance of pornography that depicted rape was positively associated with negative attitudes toward women. Findings highlight the importance of better understanding and addressing perceived peer norms in sexual assault prevention programs for college men.
Relevance
This study found that 21% of college men “approved of watching pornography that depicted rape”, and 54% did likewise for pornography that depicted bondage.
The study also found that “greater negative attitudes toward women were positively associated with greater exposure to pornography that depicted bondage/physical aggression, greater self-acceptance of watching pornography that depicted rape, and greater perceived peer acceptance of watching pornography that depicted rape.”
Additionally, “perceived peer acceptance of pornography that depicted rape was positively associated with negative attitudes toward women.”
Citation
Bhuptani, P. H., Kenney, S. R., Napper, L. E., & Orchowski, L. M. (2024). Pornography Use, Perceived Peer Norms, and Attitudes Toward Women: A Study of College Men. American journal of sexuality education, 19(3), 280–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2023.2233414
