A Look at the Facts: Pornography's Effect on Adolescent Males

Pornography is nothing new to society; there have been depictions of human sex acts far back into history. Greek representations, for example, depict people engaging in sexual activity with both men and women, even animals--something which the majority of contemporaneous cultures consider unacceptable. Artists throughout history have also depicted sexuality and the human body in its natural form. However, there is a distinction between art and pornography that can sometimes be difficult to make. The true distinction, it seems, is made in the mind of the person who observes a sexual representation. For the sake of this paper, a widely accepted definition of "pornography" as opposed to art would be most suited. Generally, pornography is a portrayal of the human body, of sexual behavior, or of an object with apparent sexual connotations for the express purpose of sexual arousal. Following this idea of what pornography "is", ancient (and many artistic) portrayals of human sexuality cannot be considered pornography as such. In the case of the Greeks, these were simply depictions of the reality of their society. Taboos in existence today (such as intercourse with animals) were not in place then. This is not to say that pornography of sorts didn't exist, but the major difference between today's porn and the porn of the past is accessibility and presentation. Research strongly indicates that the pornography has a negative effect on both adults and adolescents. What is the nature of today's pornography? Is it accessible to our children? Finally, how is it harmful to today's youth, especially males?

Over the past few years a disturbing mentality that has become more and more prevalent in American society. Sex is no longer viewed as a thing of beauty or closeness, but more as a commodity to be attained, coerced, or bartered for by any means necessary. This loss of mutuality, respect, and sensitivity to the psychological needs of others is partially due to what has been called a "plague upon America". Few could deny that that our culture has become saturated with it, especially since the advent of the internet. Pornography has far passed the point of being merely accessible, it has become intrusive--especially online. Also, modern pornography has become progressively more and more violent as boundaries continue to be pushed and digital mediums make illicit and illegal sexual material more easily traded.

How does this affect an adolescent or a child in the prime of their psychological development? According to professor Andrea Dworkin, the nature of today's pornography includes the following:

a. women are presented dehumanized as sexual objects, things or commodities; or
b. women are presented as sexual objects who enjoy humiliation or pain; or
c. women are presented as sexual objects experiencing sexual pleasure in rape, incest, or other sexual assault; or
d. women are presented as sexual objects tied up or cut up or mutilated or bruised or physically hurt; or
e. women are presented in postures or positions of sexual submission, servility, or display; or
f. women's body parts-including but not limited to vaginas, breasts, or buttocks-are exhibited such that women are reduced to those parts; or
g. women are presented being penetrated by objects or animals; or
h. women are presented in scenarios of degradation, humiliation, injury, torture, shown as filthy or inferior, bleeding, bruised or hurt in a context that makes these conditions sexual. (2004)

One may argue that the scenes and situations depicted in these images are "acted", "posed", or "not real", but is it safe to leave it up to a child to make that distinction? It is obvious that children--even some adults--are not psychologically, socially, or morally developed enough to do so.

In the United States of America a rating system has been implemented for movies and video games, restricting children's access to the violent material contained therein. Violence in video games has been proven to incite violent or aggressive behavior in children, and may have been partially responsible for tragedies such as the school shooting in Columbine. While some may argue that pornography is restricted to those over the age of 18 in the same manner, this is simply untrue. The age at which children have access to pornography has and is becoming lower as a result of the internet. Even with the most rigid measures taken to protect children and young adults from this kind of content, they are bound to run across it at some point, whether it is through unsolicited email or a lewd popup. Internet filters do little to protect children, for it takes only a minimum of effort to find a way over this hurdle. Access to pornographic material-accidental or otherwise--is bound to happen through friends, email, or as a result of uninterested or technologically un-inclined parents. These issues can make it very difficult to truly censor pornographic content. Additionally, questions regarding free speech and the effectiveness of censorship in treating this problem must be carefully considered before the institution of full internet filtering.

A study conducted by Michelle Ybarra and Kimberly Mitchell in 2005 estimated that 90% or more of adolescents between 12 and 18 years have access to the Internet. The study measured exposure data of youths and teens, both male and female, to pornography. According to the study, "Fifteen percent of young, regular Internet users reported intentional exposure to pornographic material in the previous year" (477-478) At least twenty-five percent of children in the ten to seventeen year old age group cited unintentional and unwanted exposure to pornographic material. Adolescents who viewed pornography online, (as opposed to offline through magazines, videos, etc.), were more likely to have emotional disturbance issues such as depression and a poor home life.

The American attitude toward the infiltration of these lewd pictures into our daily lives has become one of acceptance. The statement "Yes, it is a problem, but what can we do?" seems to exemplify even the attitude of those who are opposed to such images. As Johann Hari states, "For thousands of ever younger people, hard-core pornography on the internet is becoming their introduction to sexual expression. Yet the sudden ubiquity of porn is hardly ever discussed publicly" (1998, p. 32) Throughout a wide variety of media--magazines, television, the internet--women are pictured in sexually suggestive poses. It is no secret that our society has become saturated with such images, and it may be that our country has reached the point of no return.

What are pornography's actual psychological effects on adolescents? One study by Neil Malamuth actually suggested that where a predisposition toward "aggressive sexual behavior" already existed, those same adolescents exposed to pornography had four times greater levels of sexual aggression than those their age who did not seek out pornography (2000). Psychologists Dolf Zillmann and Jennings Bryant also studied the effects of sustained exposure to non-violent pornography. Their studies ultimately found that males seek progressively more violent material as the amount of it they view increases. "Pornography can transform a male who was not previously interested in the more abusive types of pornography into one who is turned on by such material" (1984) They also cited, after exposure, a higher acceptance of rape myths and adultery in marriage, more positive views of promiscuity, and more acceptance of dominant and subordinate gender roles.

Author Diana Russell makes a slightly more extreme case in her book, "Pornography as a cause of rape." Nonetheless, her findings seem to support those made by Malamuth, Zillmann, and Bryant. A study conducted by Russel showed that fifty percent of high school males said that it would be ok to force themselves upon a female if she changed her mind after "turning him on." However, when the boys were asked if they would ever rape someone the response was always "no." Russell found that the arousal of pornography paired with violent/aggressive or dominant/submissive imagery follows the "laws of social learning". The pairing of positive or stimulating responses with imagery sexualized in this manner was shown to increase males' self-generated rape fantasies. Young men seem to have difficulty making the connection between their own fantasies/behaviors and those things they know to be "bad".

When this lack of understanding is combined with the reinforcement of peers, social norms, and media on sexuality, a crippling environment is created for young males. A 1991 study by Jeanette Norris, Ph.D., showed that interest in violent and rape-oriented material is most heavily developed "through the impact of social influence" (p. 67) and external stimuli, such as pornography. Adolescents consciously or unconsciously looks to their peers to learn what normally causes arousal. Ex. group fantasizing or "joking around". Norris' study also indicated increased acceptance of rape myths, violence toward women, and insensitivity toward or difficulty empathizing with the opposite sex on matters of sexual aggression.

In America, (and around the world), it is widely known that pornography is available, but there is generally a low social awareness about the violent extremes pornography has reached. Many women are raped on set, and the tape is sold as "regular" pornography. Some women have had their eyelids clothes pinned open so that her male "partner" could masturbate into her exposed eye-sockets. Extremes of this nature are not exceptional, and the lack of public outcry against them can be partly attributed to a lack of awareness, and disbelief about the realities of pornography. This lowered social consciousness is partially a result of the stigmatization of pornography itself, and of those who speak out for or against it. What effects does the stigmatization of pornography have on adolescents? One study by Andreas Schneider suggests that, "[S]tigmatization of sexual-erotic identities causes shame that leads to emotions of anger and rage that, in turn, create a fertile basis for violent behavior related to the source of stigmatization" (2002, p. 23) Schneider's study compared both American and German attitudes toward sexuality. In America, sexuality tended to be associated with shameful or guilty feelings, and repression, which incited the anger emotion, while in Germany, (where the stigmatization of sexual-erotic identities is lower), the main emotion evoked was excitement. Shockingly, rates of rape per hundred thousand women were almost doubled in the United States. The study concluded that to lessen the stigmas attached to sexual-erotic identities would be to weaken the connection between violence (or anger) and sexuality. The study cites that "to lessen the stigma of the remaining sexual-erotic identities, the bisexual, adulterer, intimate, and playboy might involve changing the influence of the religious right on the education of young Americans" (39). For America, this would mean a more open discussion on these issues, more public awareness, better education for children and adults, and a better understanding and control over the porn industry itself.

In conclusion, studies have shown a very direct relationship between pornography and its negative effects on adolescent males in America. Pornography promotes the acceptance of rape myths, aggression toward women, and shameful or guilty emotions. It is becoming accessible to younger and younger Americans by means of the internet, which has little in the way of effective filters to protect children from this type of material. I contend that parental and societal awareness needs to be increased to help stem this problem. Pornography helps to foster unhealthy emotions and ideas in youth, and it has an undeniable relationship to increased rates of rape in this country. To fight this "plague upon America", as it may be called, we must start by bringing this issue to the forefront of the battle for American teens and pre-teens. By pushing it further down, we are simply contributing to the quiet acceptance of a mentality that leads to and condones violent sex crimes. If we are to stop the suffering, we must start at the source, which I believe is pornography. Education--rather than eradication--is the key to our recovery.

References

Bryant, J. (1985). Unpublished transcript of testimony to the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography Hearings, Houston, pp. 128-157.

Check, J.V.P., & Malamuth, N. M. (1984). Debriefing Effectiveness Following Exposure to Pornographic Rape Depictions. The Journal of Sex Research, 20(1), 1-13.

Dworkin, A. (2002). Model Anti-pornography Civil-Rights Ordinance. Retrieved April 25, 2006, from http://www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/dworkin/other/ordina nce/newday/AppD.htm

Hari, J. (2005). It's everywhere: just don't talk about it. New Statesman, 134(4730), 32-33.

Norris, J.M. (1991). Social Influence Effects on Responses to Sexually Explicit Material Containing Violence. The Journal of Sex Research, 28(1), 67-76.

Malamuth, N.M., Addison, T., Koss, M. (2000). Pornography and sexual aggression: are there reliable effects and can we understand them? Annual Review of Sexual Research, 11, 2691.

Russell, D.E.H. Pornography as a cause of rape. Retrieved April 25, 2006, from dianarussell.com Website: http://www.liu.edu/cwis/CWP/library/workshop/citapa. htm

Schneider, A. (2002). A possible link between stigmatization of sexual-erotic identities and sexual violence. Sexuality & Culture, Fall 2002, 23-43.

Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2005). Exposure to Internet Pornography among Children and Adolescents: A National Survey. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(5), 473-486.

Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (1988). Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography on Family Values. Journal of Family Issues, 9(4), 518-544.