Consuming Pornography Predicts Sexual Harm Against Women, but Only When Consumers Are Higher in Hostile or Benevolent Sexism: Multimethod Research Evidence

Abstract

Whether pornography use predicts sexual harm toward women has been debated, with past research producing contradictory findings. To clarify mixed results and qualify existing theoretical frameworks, I examined the viability of a prejudice-based person-by-situation approach focusing on hostile and benevolent sexism as essential moderators of potential anti-women effects of pornography, namely rape myth acceptance, sexual objectification, and sexual harassment. Study 1 revealed that for men (n = 379) and women (n = 278) higher but not lower in hostile or benevolent sexism, more frequent pornography consumption related to higher anti-women outcomes. Interestingly, however, women lower in hostile sexism exhibited lower anti-women outcomes with more frequent pornography consumption. In Study 2 (N = 253), I explored the dynamic processes of hardcore pornography use and anti-women effects over time. Notably, those high but not low in hostile sexism sexually objectified women more often when they watched more hardcore pornography in previous weeks, but not vice versa. Study 3 explored the effects of brief pornography exposure and the role of sexual arousal. Among men (n = 500) and women (n = 298), exposure to pornography (vs. control) images increased sexual arousal. Although exposure to hardcore (vs. romantic) images generally lowered sexual arousal, those higher in hostile or benevolent sexism were more aroused by the hardcore (vs. romantic) pornography images. Increased sexual arousal correlated with a) higher sexual objectification (regardless of hostile or benevolent sexism) and b) higher rape myth acceptance or sexual harassment inclinations, but only for those higher in hostile or benevolent sexism. For women lower in hostile sexism, increased sexual arousal correlated with lower rape myth acceptance. With Studies 1-3 demonstrating that anti-women effects are absent or reverse among those lower in ideological sexism, Study 4 delved into ethical pornography consumption in a sample of self-identified feminist women (N = 198). Qualitative data analyses revealed the importance of consent, pleasure, sexual freedom, and the distinction between fantasy and reality as participants navigated ethical tensions. Women overall sought pornography that reflected what they enjoyed in their sex lives, resolving tensions with strategies prioritizing their sexual tastes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.