Heterosexual men rate partners less favorably after pornography exposure

A new study published in Sexuality & Culture provides experimental evidence that exposure to pornography can influence how people think about their partners and relationships. Heterosexual men who watched a sexually explicit film rated their romantic partners less favorably than men who viewed non-sexual content. The results indicate that different types of media may have distinct effects on psychological and relational perceptions, with pornography potentially diminishing partner evaluations in some viewers.

Pornography is a widely consumed form of media. National estimates indicate that around 94 percent of men and 87 percent of women will view it at some point in their lives. Despite its prevalence, research on the psychological and relational effects of pornography has produced mixed and sometimes contradictory results. Some studies link it to outcomes like relationship dissatisfaction or permissive sexual attitudes, while others find no effect or even suggest potential benefits in certain contexts, such as enhanced communication in couples who watch together.

One reason for the inconsistency may lie in the design of prior studies. Most research on this topic has been correlational, meaning it tracks associations without manipulating variables. This approach makes it difficult to determine whether pornography causes changes in perception or whether people with certain relationship tendencies are more likely to consume pornography. Additionally, earlier studies have often overlooked the importance of content differences, arousal levels, or participants’ pre-existing beliefs and attitudes.

To address these concerns, psychologist Alicia McLean of the University of Central Oklahoma designed a controlled experiment to directly test whether different types of media—ranging from explicit to non-sexual—affect how people view their romantic partners, relationships, and sexual attitudes. McLean’s goal was to isolate the effects of pornography while including comparison conditions that matched for theme (pirates) and general arousal (action sequences) but lacked explicit sexual content.

The study recruited 144 adults who were currently in romantic relationships. Participants were between 18 and 57 years old, with a mean age of 29. About two-thirds identified as female, and over half identified as exclusively heterosexual. Participants were randomly assigned to watch one of three 30-minute film clips. The key variable was the type of content:

• One group watched a pornographic segment from Pirates (2005), an X-rated film featuring heterosexual and lesbian sex scenes, including traditional dominance and submissiveness themes.
• A second group watched the final half hour of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), a PG-13 action film.
• A third group viewed the same-length clip from The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012), a PG-rated animated film.

All films had a pirate theme to ensure similar visual aesthetics and narrative framing across conditions. Participants needed to watch at least 20 minutes of the assigned film to be included in the final analysis.

After watching their assigned clip, participants completed a broad battery of questionnaires assessing how they viewed their partner (e.g., attractiveness and desirability), the quality and stability of their relationship (e.g., satisfaction, uncertainty, attachment styles), and their sexual beliefs and attitudes (e.g., fantasies, desires, sexual permissiveness, and views on relationship growth).

Surprisingly, the pornographic film did not appear to affect sexuality-related outcomes like sexual desire, fantasy, or permissiveness. Participants across all three groups reported similar scores on these dimensions, suggesting that short-term exposure to sexually explicit material may not shift people’s broader sexual attitudes or behaviors—at least in a single session.

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The most pronounced effects were observed among heterosexual men. In this subgroup, those who watched the pornographic clip rated their romantic partners as less attractive and desirable than those who watched the action or animated films. This finding provides support for what researchers call the “contrast hypothesis”—the idea that viewing idealized sexual content leads to unfavorable comparisons with real-life partners. Among heterosexual men, such comparisons may be especially impactful given cultural norms around sexual desirability and gender roles.

This specific effect was not found in women or in other sexual orientation groups, suggesting that heterosexual men may be particularly sensitive to this kind of downward comparison.

While the study offers experimental evidence linking pornography exposure to partner perceptions—especially among heterosexual men—it is not without limitations. The sample was recruited online and may not reflect the broader population. Participants may have been more open to viewing explicit content or more likely to engage with studies about sex and relationships, which could limit generalizability.

The study also relied exclusively on self-report measures, which may be affected by participants’ willingness to disclose sensitive information or by social desirability bias. While anonymity was preserved, the nature of the questions—many involving personal and sexual beliefs—could still lead some participants to respond in ways they believed were more acceptable.

The study, “Shiver Me Timbers! Effects of Pornography Viewing on Partner, Relationship, and Sexuality Outcomes,” was published June 14, 2025.