A Computer-Based Educational Intervention to Address Potential Negative Effects of Internet Pornography

Abstract

To assess the impact of a computer-based educational intervention to counteract negative effects of Internet pornography, 150 undergraduate males were randomly assigned to view violent and degrading pornography, with or without an educational intervention, or to a no pornography and no intervention control condition. Participants responded to dependent measures assessing rape myth acceptance, attraction to sexual aggression, and evaluations of sexually explicit materials. Contrary to expectations, no negative effects of exposure to pornography were observed on any dependent measures. Exposure to the educational intervention, however, decreasedattraction to sexual aggression and resulted in participants becoming more sensitive to and rejecting of violence in pornography. Results indicate that exposure to violent and degrading pornography, in combination with an educational intervention that addresses the themes that characterize such material, may be effective in reducing positive reactions to depictions of sexual violence.

Keywords:

• Education
• Internet
• Intervention
• Pornography
• Rape
• Sexual Aggression
• Violence

Notes

Note. RMA = Rape Myth Acceptance; ASA = Attraction to Sexual Aggression. Ratings of enjoyment of videos and perceived degradation and violence on Internet Web sites were calculated as an average of participants' responses across all four videos/Web sites. Reliability scores (Cronbach's alpha) appear on the diagonal.

∗p < .01.

Note. Means with different superscripts differ significantly at p < .05 by Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) test. RMA range: 5–35, ASA range: 0–50. n = 50 for all groups.

Note. Means with different superscripts differ significantly at p < .01 by independent t tests.

Portions of this research were presented at the 2006 annual meeting of The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality