Do thinking styles influence whether one pathologises their porn use?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Do thinking styles play a role in whether people pathologise their pornography use?
IRAS ID
155509
Contact name
Athena Duffy
Contact email
Research summary
Pornography, or porn, can be defined as “printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate sexual excitement” (Oxford English Dictionary Online, 2014). Recently, porn production and consumption has increased dramatically and become more accessible than ever (Poulsen, Busby & Galovan, 2012). Some believe that increased exposure can lead to an increased risk of sexual aggression and reduced sexual and relationship satisfaction (Malamuth, Addison & Koss, 2000; Poulsen et al., 2012), whilst others, view this growth as an increased opportunity for natural and beneficial sexual expression (Attwood, 2005; 2010). This lack of consensus as to whether pornography is harmful, or whether it is harmful or beneficial for some people, raises questions about whether it is ethical for society to pathologise all pornography use when it is legal and consensual. Therefore we must continue to engage with this debate.
Currently, there is no diagnostic criteria for porn addiction and therefore no formal psychological guidelines exist to treat it. Given that people do present to services with a self-perceived pornography addiction, clinicians are having to draw on existing literature in related areas which may or may not be appropriate to treat self-defined pornography addicts.
Research examining thinking styles and shame posit that it the way we think about our behaviour rather than the behaviour itself which may be problematic.
Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study will investigate whether thinking styles differ between those who self-define their porn use as problematic and those who do not. In addition, the study will explore porn users views of the quantitative findings and contribute to existing conceptualisations of porn addiction.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
14/WA/1124
Date of REC Opinion
16 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion