To See or Not to See: The Debate over Pornography and its Relationship to Sexual Aggression

Abstract

The role played by pornography in the generation of thoughts, feelings, impulses and behaviours in its viewers has long been a topic of debate and controversy. The uncertainty about its potential effects on human behaviour, especially its relationship to sexual aggression, has stimulated the recent debate with the possibility of tighter censorship laws being implemented throughout this country. A review of the topic from a number of different perspectives fails to establish that pornography in its purely erotic form has any significant detrimental effect on human behaviour. More difficult to determine are its effects on psychological development. If behavioural disturbances do occur following exposure to such material, they occur in the context of an individual who shows more global disturbances of personality. The current debate regarding pornography provides an opportunity to address in a broader social context issues perhaps more significant for our society: the relationships between men and women, and the roles and recognition provided to each of the sexes.

Sexuality and pornography.

“…Out of numerous studies on the effects of pornography published in the past 40 years, only a few have had matching definitions of pornography, which is mirrored in the theoretical literature on pornography as expressed by Fukui and Westmore (1994):…”

Girly mags and girly jobs: Pornography and gendered inequality in forensic practice

“…Feminist scholars and behavioural scientists might concur about the contribution of specific types of material to gendered inequality, but share little in common regarding the scientific status of evidence (Dines et al . ; Fukui & Westmore ), and ideologically‐located perspectives produce different ways of thinking and talking about pornography (Hald & Malamuth ). Findings from such work, it could be argued, have intellectual value, but less direct relevance to health‐care practice (e.g.…”

“…Experimental studies are problematic in a number of ways: 'subjects' are often student volunteers, researchers operate with different definitions of pornography, and studies focus on short-term results in controlled conditions (Fisher & Grenier 1994). Feminist scholars and behavioural scientists might concur about the contribution of specific types of material to gendered inequality, but share little in common regarding the scientific status of evidence (Dines et al 1998;Fukui & Westmore 1994), and ideologically-located perspectives produce different ways of thinking and talking about pornography (Hald & Malamuth 2008). Findings from such work, it could be argued, have intellectual value, but less direct relevance to health-care practice (e.g.…”

Sexual Crime in India: Is it Influenced by Pornography?

“…[2324] Behavioral disturbances that occurred post-exposure were in individuals who showed more global disturbances of personality. [25] The major drawback of these laboratory studies was again that volunteers may not be representative of consumers in a society and that the studies were short term. The impact of multiple exposures, duration of exposure, pre-exposure personality, and long-term effect on a person had not been studied.…”