Mental Health
The Dark Side of Desire: Violent Pornography, Problematic Sexual Internet Use and Their Associations with the Dark Tetrad.
Open Access: No.
Abstract
The internet plays a essential role in modern life, but its problematic use, especially involving sexual content, can lead to serious psychosocial issues. Violent pornography is particularly concerning for its potential to desensitize users to aggression and reinforce antisocial behaviors. This study investigated the relationship between violent pornography consumption, problematic sexual internet use, and Dark Tetrad personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism). A total of 795 participants, mostly female and recruited via social media, completed an online survey measuring these variables. The findings revealed significant associations, with psychopathy and sadism showing the strongest links to problematic sexual use of the internet. Structural equation modeling, controlling for the sex of the participants, confirmed that time spent viewing violent pornography and problematic sexual internet use are associated to the Dark Tetrad traits. These results suggest a reinforcing cycle, where individuals high in psychopathy and sadism are drawn to violent sexual content, which may further entrench these traits and normalize aggressive or antisocial behaviors. The study underscores the importance of addressing the psychological factors behind problematic sexual internet use.
Relevance
“The dark tetrad comprises subclinical traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.” The study found “significant associations between these dark traits and variables such as problematic sexual internet use and and time spent watching violent pornography. Consistent with our hypotheses, sadism and psychopathy exhibit the strongest associations with these variables…our findings suggest that individuals high in psychopathy and sadism may be particularly prone to repetitive, potentially addictive online sexual activities involving violent content” such as pornography.
“This study highlights the intricate relationship between Dark Tetrad personality traits and problematic sexual internet use, particularly with the consumption of violent pornography. Psychopathy and sadism exhibited the strongest associations, consistent with tendencies toward callousness, aggression, and sensation seeking, while Machiavellianism and narcissism showed weaker but still meaningful links. These findings emphasize the relevance of dark personality traits in understanding engagement with sexualized online content.”
Citation
Galán, M., Rico-Bordera, P., Pineda, D., Bøckmann, E., & Piqueras, J. A. (2025). The Dark Side of Desire: Violent Pornography, Problematic Sexual Internet Use and Their Associations with the Dark Tetrad. Sexual Health & Compulsivity. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720162.2025.2598471
