Permissive Sexual Attitudes Research Articles

The impact of Internet pornography on children and adolescents: A systematic review

ObjectivesYoung people's exposure to online pornographic material has increased in the past years. Its impact is a complex topic but an important issue due to growing concerns. Therefore, we reviewed the literature on Internet pornography consumption and its impact on children and adolescents. Furthermore, we examined young people's thoughts about pornography and their reasons for consumption. MethodWe performed a systematic literature search in the online databases ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and PSYNDEX for peer-reviewed articles in English, published between 2000 and 2022 and additionally identified secondary references. ResultsWe could determine associations between pornography consumption and demographic variables (e.g., age, gender), personal characteristics (e.g., [sexual] sensation seeking, sexual interest and experience, general risk behavior), environmental variables (e.g., peers, family), attitudes (e.g., gender role attitudes, permissive sexual attitudes), behavior (e.g. sexual risk behaviour, sexting) and sexual aggression (e.g., sexual cybervictimization, grooming). Moreover, we found that girls have a more negative attitude towards pornography than boys who have an ambivalent opinion on the subject. Most adolescents are aware that the majority of pornographic material is exaggerated and unrealistic. Furthermore, pornography is not only watched out of curiosity and for sexual arousal but also used as a source of sexual information, especially by minority groups. DiscussionMany effects that impair children's development have been documented. The results found in this review are often contradictory. Therefore, further replication studies are needed. In addition, we propose several preventive measures, e.g., sexual health education at schools for both heterosexuals and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) people.

Theoretically Suggested Divergent Predictions for Pornography Use, Religiosity, and Permissive Sexual Attitudes.

Pornography and attitude change studies most often adopt a sexual scripting (SS) perspective. The moral incongruence (MI) perspective on pornography has gained prominence in recent years, however, and may lead to differential predictions from the SS approach. Specifically, a detailed reading of MI and SS papers reveals the potential for discrepant predictions about the effect of pornography on sexual permissiveness, one of the most studied outcomes in pornography research. From an SS perspective, pornography use increases sexual permissiveness, but the preexisting traditional sexual scripts of the religious lessen the magnitude of this effect. Alternatively, the MI perspective implies the possibility that religious persons become more opposed to permissive sexuality as a result of their pornography use, as a way to mitigate the cognitive dissonance they feel for engaging in a sexual behavior proscribed by their faith tradition. The present study explored these divergent possibilities using nationally representative U.S. data. Across four meta-samples and four indicators of sexual permissiveness, religious nonviewers of pornography were the least sexually permissive, followed by religious viewers, nonreligious nonviewers, and nonreligious viewers. These results were robust over time and maintained after adjusting for demographics. For theorizing about pornography, religiosity, and sexual permissiveness, these results suggest that an SS approach may be preferable to an MI approach. The importance of continued research using both the SS and MI perspectives is discussed, however, emphasizing that the present study extrapolated a potential prediction from MI rather than a formal postulate put forth by the model's creators.

The impact of sexual education and socialization on sexual satisfaction, attitudes, and self-efficacy

This study examined the relation between school-based sexual education and parental messages about sex received in adolescence, and sexual attitudes and experiences in young adulthood. Participants—99 Canadian undergraduate students aged 17–25 years—reported that their sexual education largely focused on traditional topics (e.g., negative health outcomes, physiology, etc.), while social and emotional topics were less likely to be formally covered. Parental sexual socialization that was more comfortable and accepting of teen sexuality was related to more permissive sexual attitudes in young adults, but was unrelated to self-efficacy or sexual satisfaction. When all variables were examined using hierarchical regression, sexual education and parental socialization did not predict sexual satisfaction. However, mediation analysis revealed an indirect effect of sexual self-efficacy on the relation between sexual education and sexual satisfaction. More comprehensive and higher-quality sexual education increased sexual self-efficacy, which was then related to higher sexual satisfaction beyond the role of gender and relationship status. This provides insight into the mechanism by which sexual education in Canada may impact sexual satisfaction. The influence of parental socialization and school-based sexual education are apparent and complementary. Both sources of information and values (parents/school) offered benefits for young adults’ positive sexual attitudes, but school-based education appears to be key. How sexual education is delivered (e.g., if teachers are knowledgeable and comfortable discussing topics) may be even more important than the content itself. These findings suggest that prioritizing teacher training to improve their comfort with delivery of sexual education programming would improve adolescents and young adults’ sexual lives.

The Sexual Attitudes of Iranian Students

Background: Sexual attitudes are a central concept in the study of sexuality and may largely influence the decision-making of the youth to engage in premarital sexual relations. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the sexual attitudes (permissive/conservative) of Iranian students. Methods: This study was conducted on 280 students (170 females and 110 males) who were selected via multistage random sampling from the students of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz, Iran. Data were collected using the short-form sexual attitude scale. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 22 using the factorial analysis of variance. Results: A significant difference was observed between the male and female students in terms of sexual attitudes as the sexual attitude of the female students was conservative, while the sexual attitude of the male students was permissive. In addition, sexual attitudes differed significantly between age groups as the students aged 18 - 22 years had conservative sexual attitudes, while those aged 23 - 26 years had permissive sexual attitudes. Conclusion: The results of this survey could guide psychologists and counselors in helping students with the issues regarding premarital sex and the prevention of high-risk sexual behaviors.

Sex Feelings: A Mediated Group Path Analysis of the Association of Perceptions of Parent Communicated Sexual Values with Sexual Attitudes and Outcomes in Emerging Adulthood

ABSTRACT Although communication between parents and children about sexually transmitted diseases and avoiding unwanted pregnancy has been shown to be effective in increasing safe sex practices, parents also implicitly (or explicitly) communicate their own values and attitudes about sex in conversations with their children that might have impacts on their children’s sexual feelings and behaviors beyond adolescence. Data were collected from undergraduate students in a human development class (N = 351; 265 women). Multiple group path analysis was used to investigate how emerging adults’ perceptions of their parents’ sexual values, either leaning toward sexual exploration or abstinence, were associated with their own sexual attitudes, frequency of sexual activity with a partner, desired frequency of sexual activity with a partner and sexual satisfaction. Sexual exploration and abstinence values communicated by parents were significantly associated with emerging adults’ permissive and instrumental sexual attitudes; however, only permissive sexual attitudes mediated relationships between parental values and emerging adult sexual outcomes. Only parent-communicated abstinence values had significant direct effect on any of the sexual outcomes (sexual satisfaction). Additionally, gender only moderated the direct relationship between parental abstinence values and sexual frequency; this relationship was significant only for women.

Pornography use and sexting amongst children and young people: a systematic overview of reviews

BackgroundYoung people’s use of pornography and participation in sexting are commonly viewed as harmful behaviours. This paper reports findings from a ‘review of reviews’, which aimed to systematically identify and synthesise the evidence on pornography and sexting amongst young people. Here, we focus specifically on the evidence relating to young people’s use of pornography; involvement in sexting; and their beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and wellbeing to better understand potential harms and benefits, and identify where future research is required.MethodsWe searched five health and social science databases; searches for grey literature were also performed. Review quality was assessed and findings synthesised narratively.ResultsEleven reviews of quantitative and/or qualitative studies were included. A relationship was identified between pornography use and more permissive sexual attitudes. An association between pornography use and stronger gender-stereotypical sexual beliefs was also reported, but not consistently. Similarly, inconsistent evidence of an association between pornography use and sexting and sexual behaviour was identified. Pornography use has been associated with various forms of sexual violence, aggression and harassment, but the relationship appears complex. Girls, in particular, may experience coercion and pressure to engage in sexting and suffer more negative consequences than boys if sexts become public. Positive aspects to sexting were reported, particularly in relation to young people’s personal relationships.ConclusionsWe identified evidence from reviews of varying quality that linked pornography use and sexting amongst young people to specific beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. However, evidence was often inconsistent and mostly derived from observational studies using a cross-sectional design, which precludes establishing any causal relationship. Other methodological limitations and evidence gaps were identified. More rigorous quantitative studies and greater use of qualitative methods are required.

Risky Business: Sexual Risk and Responsibility Messages in Teen Sex Romps

Previous research on media effects has revealed a relationship between exposure to sexual content on screen and sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Highly sexual films targeting adolescent audiences may be particularly influential. Study 1 examined movies of the comedy subgenre of Teen Sex Romps (TSRs) in a quantitative content analysis. In particular, the frequency of sexual behavior, talk about sex, and risk and responsibility messages were analyzed. Findings revealed that messages related to sexual precaution appeared only once for every 10 instances of sexual behavior, and mentions of birth control occurred approximately once for every 17 conversations about sex. Using a cross-sectional survey design, study 2 examined the association between exposure to TSR films and participants’ attitudes toward casual sex and condom use. As predicted, exposure to TSR films was associated with more permissive sexual attitudes, more sexual behavior outside of romantic relationships, and less favorable attitudes towards condoms. Implications for questions of media influence and sexual health are discussed.

Sanctification and Cheating Among Emerging Adults.

Cheating-a general term for extradyadic romantic or sexual behavior that violates expectations in a committed romantic relationship-is common and leads to a number of poor outcomes. Religion has historically influenced conceptions of romantic relationships, but societal attitudes about religion are in flux as many seek to retain spirituality even as affiliations with formal religion decrease. The present study evaluated a potential predictor of cheating that is more spiritual than formally religious, the "psychospiritual" concept of relationship sanctification (i.e., the idea that one's relationship itself is sacred). In a sample of college students in committed relationships (N = 716), we found that higher levels of self-reported relationship sanctification were associated with a lower likelihood of both physical and emotional cheating even when accounting for plausible alternate explanations (general religiosity, problematic alcohol use, and trait self-control). This association was mediated via permissive sexual attitudes; specifically, higher levels of sanctification were associated with less permissive sexual attitudes which, in turn, predicted a lower likelihood of emotional and physical cheating.

Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry as Predictor of Sexual Attitudes of Nigerian Christian Clergy

The study aimed to examine Emotional Exhaustion (EE) of the minister as predictor of the Christian clergy sexual attitudes in an era of “#ChurchToo” crusade and sexual crisis facing the church globally yet, there are not sufficient empirical data on the Christian clergy regarding dynamics that are responsible for permissive sexual attitudes and behaviours. Five hundred and sixty-two (562) Christian clergy (410 male, 152 female), mean age 34.7± 0.1 were purposively selected from Protestant, Pentecostal and White garment churches in south-western Nigeria who responded to Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry (SEEM) and Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analyses. The observed prevalence of high burnout was 14.0%. Emotional exhaustion in ministry significantly predicted Birth control (sexual responsibility) Birth control (sexual responsibility) (Sexual responsibility) attitude, communion attitude, instrumentality attitude and permissiveness attitude. There were statistically significant sex differences in the mean (± SD) scores of Birth control (sexual responsibility) attitude, Communion attitude and permissiveness attitude. Male and female clergy had similar mean (± SD) score on instrumentality. Findings demonstrate that emotional exhaustion in ministry is strongly linked with several dimensions of sexual attitudes in unique ways, and that gender deference in sexual attitude exists among the clerics.

Family-of-Origin, Sexual Attitudes, and Perceptions of Infidelity: A Mediation Analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence family of origin and sexual attitudes have on perceptions of infidelity through a mediation analysis to test whether sexual attitudes mediates the relationship between family of origin attitudes and perceptions of infidelity. Results indicated that family of origin attitudes were linked with higher permissive sexual attitudes and lower perceptions of infidelity. Additionally, results indicated an indirect link between family of origin attitudes and perceptions of infidelity through sexual attitudes. These findings align with previous research examining how family of origin influences the occurrence of infidelity and provides insight to helping professionals as they address infidelity in romantic relationships.

Men View Their Ex-Partners More Favorably Than Women Do

Our research deals with the question how people look back at their ex-partners—those with whom they were once romantically involved? Such views are important because they may shape our views of current relationships or new (potential) partners. Across three studies (total N = 876), we find that men hold more positive attitudes towards their female ex-partners than women do towards their male ex-partners. Gender-related variables provide further insight into this phenomenon. Ex-partner attitudes correlated positively with more permissive sexual attitudes and the amount of social support that individuals perceived from their ex-partners (both higher in men), whereas the ex-partner attitudes correlated negatively with attributions of greater responsibility for the breakup to ex-partner or relationship itself (both higher in women). Both men and women reported more positive ex-partner attitudes if they were single or had lower breakup acceptance.

Popular Music Media Literacy: Recommendations for the Education Curriculum

Advances in technology have made music more readily accessible and geographic distance irrelevant in dissemination of music. Greater access to popular music has resulted in greater consumption by both children and adolescents. Popular music in the United States may contain the most sexual content, compared with other forms of media. Exposure to such content is associated with the development of gender ideals and identity, objectification and sexualization of women, permissive sexual attitudes and risky sexual behaviors, as well as greater acceptance of sexual and gendered violence. Even so, current education standards do not include media literacy, much less popular music media literacy, and do not prepare children for best practices related to media consumption. Some of the inadequacies in current education standards include introducing education about media influence on personal development at an age far later than children’s engagement with contemporary media, avoidance of controversial topics, and not making this education compulsory. Considering the lack of media literacy provided in the curriculum, we outline specific foundational curricular recommendations related to media education and specifically for popular music media literacy.

De rol van seksuele opvoeding in de ontwikkeling van seksualiteit en seksueel expliciete mediaconsumptie in de adolescentie

In dit onderzoek toetsen we twee hypothesen over de rol van seksuele opvoeding in de ontwikkeling van seksualiteit en seksueel expliciete mediaconsumptie tijdens de adolescentie. De bufferhypothese stelt dat een actieve mediaopvoeding door ouders het effect van seksueel expliciete mediaconsumptie op seksuele attituden en gedrag van adolescenten buffert, en vice versa, het effect van seksuele attituden en gedrag van adolescenten op hun seksueel expliciete mediaconsumptie buffert. Een tweede hypothese, de remhypothese, stelt dat ouders door het communiceren van een seksuele ‘liefde-en-respectnorm’ de ontwikkeling richting meer seksueel expliciete mediaconsumptie, meer permissieve seksuele attituden en meer seksueel (risico) gedrag kunnen afremmen. We analyseerden 4‑wave longitudinale gegevens van 514 Nederlandse adolescenten in de leeftijd van 13–16 jaar (48,8% meisjes) en vonden bewijs voor de remhypothese. Als ouders vaker een liefde-en-respectnorm communiceerden, hadden adolescenten een minder permissieve seksuele attitude en rapporteerden met name jongens dan minder vergevorderd seksueel gedrag, evenals een minder sterke stijging van seksueel risicogedrag. Een actieve mediaopvoeding voorspelde een minder permissieve seksuele attitude (bij meisjes), maar we vonden geen systematisch bewijs voor de bufferhypothese.

Pornography, permissiveness, and sex differences: An evaluation of social learning and evolutionary explanations

Using national probability data gathered between 1990 and 2016, this study explored associations between pornography consumption and sexual permissiveness within and between the sexes, as well as permissiveness differences between the sexes across categories of pornography use. Its goal was to compare whether theory from the social learning or evolutionary psychology paradigms could better explain the results. In support of social learning: pornography consumption was associated with higher permissiveness within sex; associations between pornography use and permissive sexual attitudes were generally stronger for men than women; and attitudinal sex differences among nonconsumers became smaller over time. In support of evolutionary psychology: women were never more permissive than men; men were often more permissive than women, especially behaviorally; and the largest and most consistent sex differences were for paid sex behavior. That a combination of social learning and evolutionary perspectives explains the results better than either perspective standing alone is discussed.

Asses Making Passes: Making Meaning of Unwanted Sexual Advances

The author believes there may be no way to discuss possible meanings of unwanted sexual overtures that does not arouse strong, uncomfortable feelings. Despite a sense of justice being served when victims of sexual harassment come forward and start naming names, the author asks, should we not distinguish between legitimate concern for people who have been sexually abused from the experiences of those claiming abuse but who were probably just offended or disappointed? This article discusses how interpersonal and relational analysts listen to patient accounts of sexual harassment and abuse. This is followed by a discussion of permissive sexual attitudes and mores of the 20th century. The author recounts some personal accounts of unwanted sexual advances in professional settings. A clinical vignette of a dream and its associations illustrates the psychoanalytic complexity of teasing apart problems in living from problems in survival. The author concludes with a call for increased efforts to achieve justice for actual victims without creating a social environment in which everyone presents him- or herself as a potential victim.

Discourse on Exposure to Pornography Content Online Between Arab Adolescents and Parents: Qualitative Study on its Impact on Sexual Education and Behavior.

BackgroundThe internet revolution of the 21st century has made sexual content available and accessible on a scale that has never existed before. Many studies have indicated that the use of pornography was associated with more permissive sexual attitudes and tended to be linked with stronger gender-stereotypical sexual beliefs. It also seemed to be associated with other risky behaviors and sexual promiscuity. Pornography exposure in conservative societies leads to conflicts with religious and cultural taboos.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to characterize the barriers and difficulties that prevent sexual discourse in the Arab society and enable pornography viewing according to the perceptions of adolescents and mothers.MethodsThis study involved qualitative research methods and in-depth interviews with 40 participants. This study included 20 Arab adolescents, sampled by 2 age groups (14-16 years and 16-18 years), and 20 mothers of adolescents from both sexes.ResultsThe findings indicate that mothers “turn a blind eye” to porn viewing and sexual activity by boys; however, they show a sweeping prohibition and denial of such behavior by girls. Boys reported viewing porn routinely, whereas girls denied doing so, but admitted that their female friends watched porn. The study also found that boys experienced guilt during and after viewing porn as a result of the clash between modernity and traditional values. The mothers and adolescents emphasized the need for an open sexual discourse to reduce violent behaviors such as Web-based sexual harassment, including sending videos and pictures of naked girls, often accompanied by threats and blackmail.ConclusionsIt is necessary to find a way to encourage a significant sexual discourse to prevent the violent consequences of its absence in the Arab society. A controlled, transparent, and critical sexual discourse could help youth make more informed decisions concerning the search for sexual content, porn viewing, and sexual behavior.

That's what she said! Perceived mate value of clean and dirty humor displays

Humor is considered a valuable trait when evaluating potential mates, and women demonstrate a preference for men's ability to produce humor. Humor displays as a male mating strategy appear context-dependent, which suggests that women's preferences for certain humor may be contingent on their mating goals. One dimension of humor variability that could approximate men's long- (LTM) or short-term (STM) mating goals is communication of humor that is categorically clean or dirty, respectively, which could influence the humorists' desirability to women. Such displays may differentially signal sexual receptivity. Two studies tasked women with indicating interest in men who generated either clean or dirty humor. Across both studies clean humor producers were preferred when evaluating both the long- and short-term desirability of men, although this preference was larger for LTM evaluations. Study 2 also demonstrated that sociosexually unrestricted women (i.e., those with more permissive sexual attitudes) self-reported greater behavioral attraction toward dirty humorists, a preference mediated by their perceptions of dirty jokes as funnier. Dirty humor production in men and appreciation in women may facilitate respective STM goals. Results of this research provide further evidence that the specific mating context determines the appropriateness of humor use when used as a relational display.

Buffer or Brake? The Role of Sexuality-Specific Parenting in Adolescents\u2019 Sexualized Media Consumption and Sexual Development

One main source of sexual socialization lies within family interactions. Especially sexuality-specific parenting may determine adolescents’ sexual development—adolescents’ sexual behavior and sexual risk behavior, sexualized media consumption and permissive sexual attitudes—to a significant extent, but different ideas exist about how this works. In this longitudinal study, we examined two hypotheses on how sexuality-specific parenting—parenting aimed specifically at children’s sexual attitudes and behaviors—relates to adolescents’ sexual development. A first buffer hypothesis states that parents’ instructive media discussions with their children—called instructive mediation—buffers the effect of sexualized media consumption on adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behavior and, vice versa, the effect of adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behavior on sexualized media consumption. A second brake hypothesis states that parents, by communicating love-and-respect oriented sexual norms, slow down adolescents’ development toward increased sexualized media use, permissive sexual attitudes, and sexual behavior and sexual risk behavior. Using four-wave longitudinal data from 514 Dutch adolescents aged 13–16 years (49.8% female), we found evidence to support a brake effect. More frequent parental communication of love-and-respect oriented sexual norms was associated with less permissive sexual attitudes and, for boys, with less advanced sexual behavior and a less rapid increase in sexual risk behavior. Parents’ instructive mediation regarding adolescents’ sexualized media consumption was associated with less permissive sexual attitudes at baseline, but only for girls. No systematic evidence emerged for a buffer effect of parents’ instructive mediation. In conclusion, although our data seem to suggest that parent–child communication about sex is oftentimes “after the fact”, we also find that more directive parental communication that conveys love-and-respect oriented sexual norms brake adolescents’ move toward sexual maturity.

“Say something instead of nothing”: Adolescents’ perceptions of memorable conversations about sex-related topics with their parents

ABSTRACTThis study examined adolescents’ (n = 389) perceptions of parent–adolescent communication about sex, including what their parents say about sex, what types of conversations adolescents report as memorable, the degree to which messages are perceived as effective, and how parental messages predict adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behaviors. Six conversation types emerged: underdeveloped, safety, comprehensive talk, warning/threat, wait, and no talk. When adolescents were asked to report how those could have been improved, five types emerged from the analysis of their responses: no change, be more specific/provide guidance, talk to me, appropriateness, and collaborate. Comprehensive talk and safety were perceived as significantly more effective than all other types of conversations. Safety conversations predicted the lowest levels of permissive sexual attitudes and risk-taking.

Longitudinal Links between Pornography Use, Marital Importance, and Permissive Sexuality During Emerging Adulthood

ABSTRACTLimited research exists concerning pornography’s influence on emerging adult’s relationship trajectories, with no research examining how pornography use predicts emerging adults’ beliefs about marriage. The study includes cross-sectional results of 568 emerging adults and longitudinal results of 142 participants who were followed from the original sample. Regression analyses found that pornography use was cross sectionally associated with a higher importance placed on sexual readiness before getting married and more permissive sexual attitudes. Longitudinal regression analyses showed that pornography use predicted lower marital centrality and more permissive sexual attitudes. These results suggest that pornography use is linked not only to emerging adults’ sexual scripts but also may be influencing broader relationship scripts.