COMMENTS: Not only did this study link porn use to lower sexual satisfaction in both men and women, it also reported that frequency of porn use was related to preferring (or needing?) porn to achieve sexual arousal. Excerpts about sexual satisfaction:
Guided by sexual script theory, social comparison theory, and informed by prior research on pornography, socialization, and sexual satisfaction, the present survey study of heterosexual adults tested a conceptual model linking more frequent pornography consumption to reduced sexual satisfaction via the perception that pornography is a primary source of sexual information, a preference for pornographic over partnered sexual excitement, and the devaluation of sexual communication.
Pornography consumption frequency was associated with perceiving pornography as a primary source of sexual information, which was associated with a preference for pornographic over partnered sexual excitement and the devaluation of sexual communication. Preferring pornographic to partnered sexual excitement and devaluing sexual communication were both associated with less sexual satisfaction.
In alignment with reports from clinical psychologists who have counseled individuals dependent on pornography for sexual arousal (Brooks, 1995; Levant & Brooks, 1997; Schneider & Weiss, 2001; Stock, 1997), we found that the higher the relative likelihood was that men and women relied on pornography for sexual excitement instead of their partners, the lower was their relative level of sexual satisfaction.
Excerpts about preferring (perhaps needing) porn to achieve sexual arousal:
Finally, we found that frequency of pornography consumption was also directly related to a relative preference for pornographic rather than partnered sexual excitement. Participants in the present study primarily consumed pornography for masturbation. Thus, this finding could be indicative of a masturbatory conditioning effect (Cline, 1994; Malamuth, 1981; Wright, 2011). The more frequently pornography is used as an arousal tool for masturbation, the more an individual may become conditioned to pornographic as opposed to other sources of sexual arousal.
From the discussion section:
In Peter and Valkenburg’s (2009) three-wave longitudinal study, sexual dissatisfaction at wave one did not predict pornography consumption at wave two after controlling for pornography consumption at wave one, but sexual dissatisfaction at wave two did predict pornography consumption at wave three. These results were at least somewhat consistent with a “downward spiral” model, wherein media consumption changes consumers’ outlooks and preferences in adverse ways, which subsequently increase their likelihood of consuming that media (Slater, Henry, Swaim, & Anderson, 2003). For instance, it seems likely that the associations between pornography consumption frequency, preferring pornographic to partnered sexual excitement, and sexual dissatisfaction are reciprocal. As discussed previously, masturbatory conditioning may lead frequent consumers to prefer pornographic to partnered sex, ultimately leading to sexual disconnect between them and their partners and lowered sexual satisfaction. The more dissatisfied with partnered sex they become, the more they may perceive that pornographic fantasies and solitary masturbation are preferable to sex with their partner, and the more frequently they may consume pornography.
Paul J. Wright, Chyng Sun, Nicola J. Steffen & Robert S. Tokunaga
Pages 1-18 | Received 08 Nov 2016, Accepted 18 Apr 2017, Published online: 09 May 2017
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2017.1323076
ABSTRACT
Social and clinical psychologists are increasingly examining the influence of pornography on sexual health outcomes. An important sexual health outcome that some scholars have suggested is influenced by pornography is sexual satisfaction. Guided by sexual script theory, social comparison theory, and informed by prior research on pornography, socialization, and sexual satisfaction, the present survey study of heterosexual adults tested a conceptual model linking more frequent pornography consumption to reduced sexual satisfaction via the perception that pornography is a primary source of sexual information, a preference for pornographic over partnered sexual excitement, and the devaluation of sexual communication. The model was supported by the data for both men and women. Pornography consumption frequency was associated with perceiving pornography as a primary source of sexual information, which was associated with a preference for pornographic over partnered sexual excitement and the devaluation of sexual communication. Preferring pornographic to partnered sexual excitement and devaluing sexual communication were both associated with less sexual satisfaction.
KEYWORDS: Pornography, satisfaction, sexual scripts, sexual excitement, sexual communication
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