‘When you become addicted to it you start having these unrealistic expectations’: young people’s perceptions of porn addiction

Abstract

ABSTRACTThere is ongoing academic and clinical debate over whether someone can be addicted to porn. To gain insights into the role of porn in young people’s lives, this research sought to explore young people’s understandings of porn as a normal part of their lives, or by contrast, as addictive. Drawing on qualitative small friendship group interview data from 106 school-aged young people in New Zealand, I reflect on young people’s views on porn addiction. The young participants believed that men can quite easily become addicted to porn whereas women are much less likely to watch porn or become addicted. A minority of young men in this study were concerned that they were or had been addicted to porn. Their primary concern with porn was their frequency of use more than any of the myriad of other related issues, which was reflective of broader masculine perspectives and concerns.