J Sex Marital Ther. 2020 May 7:1-17. doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2020.1760980.
Borgogna NC1, Smith T1, McDermott RC1, Whatley M1.
Abstract
Research has indicated that pornography viewing is related to romantic relationship problems. However, the correlations across past studies have been small. We tested a model in which playboy norm conformity (i.e. desires to have frequent sex with multiple partners) functions as a confound between pornography viewing constructs on three romantic relationship wellbeing indicators: Relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and infidelity proclivity. Results from men (n = 286) and women (n = 717) indicated that the significant inverse correlations between relationship satisfaction and relationship commitment with pornography viewing constructs becomes non-significant when playboy norm conformity is accounted. Further, the positive relationship between pornography viewing and infidelity proclivity also becomes non-significant in women (no initial connection between pornography viewing and infidelity proclivity was found in men). Though conformity to playboy norms was more strongly related to all romantic relationship wellbeing indicators across genders, pornography viewing frequency was still significantly inversely correlated with relationship satisfaction for women; though the effect size was small. Moderation analyses suggested that pornography viewing frequency was more strongly inversely correlated with relationship satisfaction for women than men. Cumulatively, our results suggest conformity to playboy norms is a significant confounding variable between pornography viewing and romantic relationship wellbeing.
KEYWORDS: Pornography; infidelity; promiscuity; relationship commitment; relationship satisfaction
PMID: 32378472
DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2020.1760980
FROM DISCUSSION SECTION:
Furthermore, we controlled for the role of sexual orientation. Our results were partially consistent with our hypotheses. Consistent with H1, pornography viewing frequency was modestly negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction for men (and women) when playboy norms were not entered in the model. The size of the correlations was also roughly commensurate with metanalytic findings from Wright and colleagues’ (2017). Moreover, problematic pornography viewing was also modestly inversely related to relationship satisfaction in men (and women). Similarly, partially consistent with H2, pornography viewing frequency was modestly negatively correlated with relationship commitment in men (and women) when playboy norms were not entered in the model. This is consistent with findings that have shown pornography viewing to be inversely related to relationship commitment (Lambert et al., 2012; Maddox et al., 2011). However, results were inconsistent with hypotheses that problematic pornography viewing would be negatively related to relationship commitment. Further, results were inconsistent with H3, pornography use/problematic use were unrelated to infidelity proclivity in men (Though positively correlated at the bivariate level in women). Importantly, all of the significant findings evidenced at the bivariate level were small and below “practical significance” (c.f., Ferguson, 2009). In other words, while the specified correlations are significant, they are so small that they hold little meaning. This is further evidence that, while a relationship exists (using traditional p-value cutoffs), it is rather distal, and likely influenced by more proximal factors.
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