Pornography use and closeness with others in women

Abstract

Closeness/intimacy and pornography are sometimes linked and frequently presented as competing with each other. They have been the subject of some research but many issues in the area remain controversial and indeterminate. The aim of this pilot study was to establish whether female pornography users and non-users' ratings in terms of socio-emotional closeness differed, i.e. to examine the association between pornography use and aspects of socio-emotional closeness in a non-clinical sample of females. Sixty-six females participated in the study. Their actual and ideal socioemotional closeness was measured by the Perceived Interpersonal Closeness Scale/PICS, while their pornography use was examined by the Background and Pornography Use Information Questionnaire. Potential links between the two variables and comparisons with the relevant results obtained by males are presented. The results showed that there were no significant differences between self-reported female pornography users and non-users in terms of total closeness numbers and scores and also in specific socioemotional closeness with the most significant adults in their lives (i.e., partners, closest friends, mothers and fathers). The results confirmed that there were differences between females and males' approaches to pornography and closeness; females had lower interest in pornography and their use of it had not been associated with higher total closeness numbers and scores. Due to the participant group's size (N) limitations, this sample was rather used for preliminary investigations that would enable some elementary insight into females' relevant behaviours. Further investigations of pornography's complex links with socio-emotional and sexual closeness on larger samples may allow more reliable comparisons between gender and pornography users groups.