The Importance of Individual Differences in Pornography Use: Theoretical Perspectives and Implications for Treating Sexual Offenders

Abstract

This article reviews the extant literature regarding pornography's influence on antisocial attitudes, sexual arousal, and sexually aggressive behavior in both noncriminal and criminal samples. The article concludes that when examined in the context of multiple, interacting factors, the findings are highly consistent across experimental and nonexperimental studies and across differing populations in showing that pornography use can be a risk factor for sexually aggressive outcomes, principally for men who are high on other risk factors and who use pornography frequently. Finally, this article presents theoretical implications based on these findings, as well as some clinical implications relevant to the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Pamela Yates for her very helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article.

Notes

¹Although the formulation of implicit theories more clearly elucidates the underlying processes within cognitive structure, the relation to schema is remarkably similar, and the two terms are used interchangebly in this review.