Frequent pornography use does not always indicate a problem, new study suggests

New research published in the International Journal of Sexual Health suggests that the reasons why individuals watch pornography are more predictive of their sexual health than how often they watch it. The study provides evidence that viewing pornography for enjoyment or curiosity is linked to adaptive sexual functioning, while viewing it to cope with stress is associated with problematic use and emotional withdrawal. These findings challenge the common assumption that frequent pornography consumption is inherently harmful.

Pornography use is a widespread activity among adults in the modern digital age. Despite its prevalence, public discourse and clinical assessments often prioritize the frequency of consumption as the primary indicator of potential issues. This focus on quantity can overlook the psychological context of the behavior. The authors of the new study sought to address this gap by investigating the specific functions pornography serves for different individuals.

“A major gap in the literature is that pornography use is often evaluated mainly by how frequently people use it, even though frequency alone tells us very little about whether use is actually harmful,” explained Norbert Meskó, a professor at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Pécs.

“We wanted to understand the psychological function of pornography use — in other words, what people are trying to achieve with it. For example, some people use it out of curiosity or for sexual enjoyment, while others mainly use it to cope with stress, loneliness, or negative emotions. We were interested in whether these different motivations are linked to different patterns of sexual and emotional functioning.”

The study included 890 Hungarian adults. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 64 years, with an average age of approximately 34. The sample consisted of 600 individuals assigned female at birth and 290 individuals assigned male at birth. Regarding gender identity, the majority identified as women or men, with a very small percentage identifying as non-binary or choosing not to disclose.

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Data collection occurred through an anonymous online survey. The researchers utilized several standardized psychological scales to measure the variables of interest. To assess the reasons behind viewership, they used the Pornography Use Motivations Scale. This instrument asks participants to rate how often various reasons apply to their pornography consumption.

The motivations were categorized into two broad types. Positive motivations included reasons such as seeking sexual pleasure, satisfying curiosity, or exploring fantasies. Negative motivations included using pornography to reduce stress, avoid boredom, or distract oneself from negative emotions.

The frequency of pornography use was measured by a single item asking participants to report their viewing habits over the past year. Responses ranged from “never” to “at least once a day.” To assess potential dysfunction, the researchers used the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale. This measure looks for signs of addiction-like symptoms, such as an inability to control use, feelings of distress regarding use, or neglect of other important life activities.

The research team also evaluated the participants’ broader sexual functioning using the Sexual System Functioning Scale. This scale assesses how the sexual system operates, specifically looking for signs of hyperactivation or deactivation. Sexual deactivation is characterized by suppressing sexual needs, avoiding physical intimacy, and feeling emotionally detached during sexual interactions.

Finally, the survey included the Reasons for Having Sex Questionnaire. This measure explores why individuals engage in partnered sexual activity. It distinguishes between seeking personal goals, such as pleasure and intimacy, versus using sex as a coping mechanism to manage problems or emotions.

The results revealed two distinct psychological profiles associated with pornography use. The first profile involved individuals driven by positive motivations. These participants tended to report higher frequencies of pornography consumption. However, this frequent use was not associated with problematic outcomes.

Instead, positive motivations were linked to adaptive sexual regulation. These individuals were more likely to engage in partnered sex for relational reasons and personal goal attainment. Their frequent use of pornography appeared to be a form of sexual exploration or enhancement rather than a symptom of dysfunction.

The second profile involved individuals driven by negative motivations. These participants used pornography primarily as a coping strategy to manage stress or avoid difficult feelings. The data showed a strong association between negative motivations and problematic pornography use.

The researchers found that problematic use served as a bridge between negative motivations and sexual deactivation. Individuals who used pornography to cope were more likely to experience symptoms of problematic use. In turn, high levels of problematic use predicted a tendency to emotionally withdraw from sexual intimacy with partners.

The analysis indicated that frequency alone did not predict these negative outcomes. Frequent use only led to sexual deactivation if the use was also problematic and driven by negative motives. This suggests that high-frequency viewing is not necessarily a sign of emotional withdrawal or relationship issues on its own.

“One somewhat surprising finding was that frequent use, when driven by positive motivations, was linked to less sexual deactivation — meaning less emotional withdrawal from sexuality,” Meskó told PsyPost. “In contrast, only problematic use — not frequent use — was associated with these kinds of disengaged or avoidant sexual patterns.”

Another finding was related to “sex as coping.” The researchers observed that individuals who used pornography to cope with negative emotions were also more likely to use partnered sex for the same purpose. This implies a broader pattern of emotion regulation where sexual activity, whether solitary or partnered, is used to manage distress.

“The effects are moderate in size, which is typical for psychological motivation research, but they are consistent and meaningful,” Meskó said. “Importantly, problematic use showed much stronger links to difficulties in sexual and emotional functioning than simple frequency did. This suggests that from a practical standpoint, it is more useful to look at whether someone feels out of control or distressed by their use than at how often they watch pornography.”

“The main takeaway is that frequent pornography use is not automatically a sign of a problem. What seems to matter much more is why someone is using it. For instance, using pornography as part of sexual exploration or fantasy is psychologically very different from using it primarily to escape distress after a bad day, relationship conflict, or feelings of emptiness.”

There are some limitations that should be considered. The research relied on self-reported data, which can be influenced by memory errors or a desire to present oneself in a favorable light. Additionally, the study was cross-sectional, meaning it captured data at a single point in time.

“We would caution against thinking of pornography as either simply ‘good’ or ‘bad,'” Meskó noted. “Our results suggest that it is better understood as something that can serve very different psychological roles. For some people, it may be part of healthy sexual expression, while for others it may function as a way to avoid emotional problems or relationship difficulties.”

Because the data is not longitudinal, it is not possible to determine causality. The study shows that negative motivations and problematic use are linked, but it cannot prove that one causes the other. It is possible that existing emotional difficulties lead to both avoidance-based pornography use and sexual withdrawal.

“A key next step is to study these processes over time, to see how motivations and sexual regulation influence each other across months or years,” Meskó explained. “We are also interested in how relationship factors, attachment patterns, and psychological flexibility shape whether pornography use becomes a coping strategy or remains a recreational activity. Ultimately, we hope this work can inform clinical approaches that focus more on emotional regulation and personal goals, rather than simply on reducing behavior.”

“One important point is that many people report mixed motives — for example, seeking pleasure but also trying to distract themselves from stress at the same time. This motivational ambivalence may help explain why pornography use can shift from harmless to problematic for some individuals, especially during difficult life periods. Understanding these shifts may be more informative than labeling people based on how often they use pornography.”

The study, “Motivational Pathways Diverge Between Frequent and Problematic Pornography Use,” was authored by Edit Csányi, Martina D. Veszprémi, András N. Zsidó, and Norbert Meskó.