The use of pornography does not appear to harm most women’s sexual functioning, according to new research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. In fact, the study provides evidence that pornography use among women is associated with several positive outcomes.
“This work emerged from an ongoing project examining the relationship between masturbation and partnered sexual activity in women. For example, do reasons for masturbating and specific activities during masturbation transfer to partnered relationships, or are these distinct domains of sexual expression?” said study author Sean M. McNabney, an adjunct instructor at Valparaiso University.
“In this particular study, we examined whether frequency of pornography use during masturbation can predict sexual response outcomes such as difficulty reaching orgasm, latency to orgasm, and orgasmic pleasure during both masturbation and partnered sex.”
In the study, the researchers had 2,433 women from the United States and Hungary complete an anonymous survey in which they provided demographic information and completed several assessments related to their sex life.
The researchers found that pornography use during masturbation was more common among premenopausal women, women reporting persistent anxiety or depression, non-heterosexual women, women having two or more partners, and American women.
More frequent use of pornography was also related to several positive outcomes during masturbation and partnered sex. For masturbation, more frequent use of pornography was associated with less difficulty becoming aroused, less orgasmic difficulty, greater time to orgasm, greater orgasmic pleasure, and higher percent of time reaching orgasm. For partnered sex, more frequent use of pornography was associated with less difficulty becoming aroused and greater time to orgasm — but was unrelated to the three other variables.
“In our regression models, more frequent pornography use was not associated with lower sexual responsivity. In fact, pornography use during masturbation predicted greater ease becoming aroused during partnered sex,” McNabney told PsyPost.
“We also observed no association between pornography and sexual relationship satisfaction, suggesting that the latter is influenced by other factors. Thus, these findings challenge the common assumption that pornography is consistently harmful to partnered sexual relationships.”
“As a note of caution, our questionnaire did not assess whether some women perceive themselves as dependent upon or addicted to pornography in order to achieve orgasm. Additionally, we did not evaluate attitudes toward pornography among the survey respondents. These factors are relevant because distress resulting from pornography use (whether due to perceived addiction or violation of cultural norms) may independently interfere with the sexual response cycle,” McNabney noted.
The researchers found that some of their other variables were associated with impaired sexual functioning. Lower levels of educational attainment along with anxiety and depression were linked to orgasmic dysfunction. Anxiety and depression were also associated with lower relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction.
“Some readers may be relieved to learn that pornography use is fairly common among women and is unlikely to interfere with sexual functioning during partnered relationships. Other variables such as ongoing anxiety/depression or sexual relationship dissatisfaction appear to more consistently predict sexual problems,” McNabney said.
The study, “Effects of Pornography Use and Demographic Parameters on Sexual Response during Masturbation and Partnered Sex in Women“, was authored by Sean M. McNabney, Krisztina Hevesi, and David L. Rowland.