Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of and attitudes among young people toward pornography and their sources of information about sexuality. Eight hundred and seventy-six young people ages 15–25 years (555 females and 321 males) who visited a youth center in Sweden for a period of 1 year answered a questionnaire about their use of pornography, their attitudes toward pornography, and sources of information about sexuality. Although most had seen pornographic movies, the youngest boys reported viewing the most pornography. The male participants reported that the most common reason they viewed pornography was to get aroused and to masturbate, whereas the female participants stated that they viewed pornography out of curiosity. The most frequent source of information about sexuality was peers. These results illustrate the importance of sex education to give factual information about sexuality and to counteract the messages about sexuality presented in pornography.
INTRODUCTION
The availability of pornography has increased during recent years. Today almost every household has access to the Internet and cable television, where pornography is readily available (Mitchell, Finkelhor, & Wolak, 2005). Pornographic Websites are the most frequently visited sites. Even those who do not actively search for pornography often are exposed to it (Cooper, 1998; Kanuga & Rosenfeld, 2004; Tyden & Rogala, 2004). The content and nature of pornography changes continuously, and its influence is a frequent topic of discussion.
Adolescence and early adulthood is a time for exploring and discovering sexuality, both alone and with others. There is, however, a fear that young people do not have the opportunity to do this in a manner that is comfortable and developmentally appropriate for them. Because of the widespread availability of pornography in the media, youths are exposed to violent or bizarre sexual activities long before they have had any personal sexual experiences. Pornography often is produced for and consumed by men. Heterosexual pornography often portrays women’s sexual ecstasy and men’s dominance (Cline, 1994; Kanuga & Rosenfeld, 2004; Zillman, 2003).
In 1975, the Swedish abortion law was changed to allow free abortion during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Counseling on contraception became free, and information about the prevention of unwanted pregnancies improved. Youth clinics were established all over the country to prevent unwanted pregnancies among youth, to support development of a sexual identity, and to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and psychosocial disorders, as well as the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Sex education is an important part of the work of the youth centers. Knowledge about the body and sexuality can increase self-confidence, as well as counteract the commercial images of sexuality and gender stereotypes. To develop relevant sex education, it is important to know the sources of youth’s information about sexuality (Ballard & Morris, 1998). The purpose of this study was to investigate young people’s use of and attitudes toward pornography and their sources of information about sexuality.
METHODS
Young people visiting the youth center in Lerum, Sweden, between November 1999 and November 2000 were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Lerum is a county with 35,000 inhabitants, 20 km (12.5 miles) east of Göteborg, Sweden (Figure 1). The youth center is available to those 15–25 years of age. Attendance was compulsory for 15- and 16-year-olds and was part of the curriculum for the 9th-graders. Individuals attending were predominantly girls (88%), making it necessary to prolong the study to include a sufficient number of boys. Verbal and written information on the study was provided, and visitors were informed that participation was voluntary and anonymous. They were encouraged to respond individually even if they came as a group. The ethical committee of Göteborg University approved the study.
Approximately 1,000 youths were asked to fill in the questionnaire, and 876 (females, n = 555; and males, n = 321) responded. Nonresponders (n = 124) refused to respond to the questionnaire because they did not want to or they were too busy at the time with other activities at the center.
Questionnaire
The questionnaire consisted of 29 items (15 multiple choice and 14 yes/no questions), which took approximately 10 minutes to complete. Participants were asked if they viewed pornography in movies, on cable television, on the Internet, or in magazines. They also were asked about viewing frequency and if they were alone or in the company of others at the time. Attitudes toward pornography and the reasons for viewing pornography were examined. Participants then were asked about their sources of information about sexuality.
Statistical Analysis
Data analyses were conducted using Statistical Analysis System (SAS) 8.2, (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Chi-square was used for dichotomous variables such as gender and differences in age. All p values less than .05 were considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
Nearly all of the participants had viewed pornographic movies (among those 15 years of age, 98.9% of boys and 73.5% of girls). Figure 2 shows frequency of viewing pornography for the different media and genders. Overall, females reported a lower viewing frequency than males did. Among males, it was common to view pornography on the Internet and cable television. Females were more likely to watch pornography on cable television. Pornographic magazines were not a major source of pornography used by this group.
Viewing of pornographic movies increased with age, 14.7% females and 61.2% males among the youngest as compared to 32.5% females and 85.7% males in the oldest age group.
Nearly all of the participants had viewed pornographic movies (among those 15 years of age, 98.9% of boys and 73.5% of girls).
The most common source was borrowing movies from friends. Only 13.2% of males and 5.7% of females reported renting pornographic movies from a video store. Among males, it was more common to rent a movie with friends (18.3%) or together with a girlfriend or boyfriend (6.2%). Among females, it was more common to rent with a boyfriend or girlfriend than together with friends (2.9%). Males watched pornographic movies alone more frequently (78.4%) than did females (29.2%). In the group of 15-year-olds, girls (80.5%) were more likely than boys (65.9%) to watch pornographic movies with friends. The older the females, the more common it was to watch pornographic movies with a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Cable Television
For males, there was no significant difference among the various age groups, whereas for females, watching pornography on cable television was higher in the oldest group. Among the youngest respondents, 84.3% of boys and 47.7% of girls reported watching pornography on cable television. Figure 3 shows frequency of viewing pornography on cable television for all age groups and gender. “Often” (between 1 and 2 times a month and daily) viewing of pornography on cable was more common among males. There was no significant gender difference in 15-year-olds or 20-to 25-year-olds among those who reported watching “seldom” (less than once a month).
Internet
The number of males and females who reported viewing pornography on the Internet was the same regardless of age. When questioned if they viewed pornography alone or with others, 79.0% of males and 51.9% of females reported that they watched it alone. In all age groups, it was more common for females to watch pornography on the Internet with boyfriends than it was for males to watch with girlfriends. Of all respondents, 44.0% of males and 16.3% of females reported they “seldom” watched pornography on the Internet. “Often” viewing of pornography on the Internet was reported more often in male 15-year-olds (38.5%) than for 16- to 19-year-olds (30.2%) or 20- to 25-year-olds (32.1%). Corresponding figures for females were 3.5, 3.6, and 4.5%, respectively. Table 1 shows the reasons for viewing pornography. The most common reason for viewing pornography among males was to become aroused and to masturbate. Among females, “curiosity” was the most common reason. Watching pornography to “vary sex life” increased with age.
Attitudes and Sources of Information About Sexuality
The majority of females (61.0%) portrayed their attitudes about pornography in negative terms compared with males (29.3%); 46.3% of females and 23.3% of males described pornography as “degrading.” The majority of males (62.7%) responded positively toward pornography, describing it as “stimulating” and “cool,” but above all “exciting.”
The majority of females (61.0%) portrayed their attitudes about pornography in negative terms compared with males (29.3%); 46.3% of females and 23.3% of males described pornography as “degrading.”
Figure 4 illustrates by age how females and males felt about pornography. The youngest females were the most negative. Older females reported more positive views, using terms such as “exciting,” “cool,” and “arousing.” The youngest males reported the most positive attitudes. In 16- to 19-year-olds, the positive attitude toward pornography decreased and then increased in the oldest group. There were significant gender differences in all three age groups for attitudes toward pornography. Both females and males reported “friends” as the best sources of information about sexuality. Another frequently mentioned source of information was boyfriends and girlfriends (Table 2).
Both females and males reported “friends” as the best sources of information about sexuality.
DISCUSSION
Most respondents had seen some sort of pornographic movies. Pornographic movies can be rented, borrowed, copied, or recorded from cable television. There is a difference between what cable television and video shops offer, because in Sweden the most violent pornography on cable television is censored. Movie shops rent all sorts of pornographic movies, with the exception of child pornography, which is forbidden by law. Few in this study had read pornographic magazines, possibly due to the cost and easy access to other sources. The primary source of pornography was the Internet and cable television (Häggström-Nordin, Hansson, & Tyden, 2005).
The primary source of pornography was the Internet and cable television.
The most common reason for watching pornography for males was to “get aroused and masturbate.” For females, the most common reason was “curiosity.” This is comparable to other studies (Goodson, McCormick, & Evans, 2000 Goodson, McCormick, & Evans, 2001). Generally, males responded positively to pornography, whereas females responded in negative terms, especially in the youngest group. Young men’s identity is often uncertain. Pornography is fantasy and easier to deal with than reality. In addition, group acceptance is important in forming identity. Watching pornography can be a means of acceptance in a group. Young men also may be concerned with the practical details of sex, whereas young girls may be more love–romance oriented (Traeen & Lundin Kvalem, 1996). Pornography provides detailed anatomical pictures depicting female genitalia, which may be important information for the young boy.
The most common reason for watching pornography for males was to “get aroused and masturbate.” For females, the most common reason was “curiosity.”
Despite increasing availability of pornography in the media, the respondents in this study stated that the best information about sexuality was gained from their peers. This is in agreement with other studies (Ballard & Morris, 1998; Trostle, 2003). However, other questions arise: Where do peers gain their knowledge about sexuality? Do they, in turn, gain information in discussion with their peers? Perhaps it is in this interaction with others that knowledge is gained or magazines, movies, Websites, and sexual experiences are discussed.
The study showed that the youngest males consumed the greatest amount of pornography. The younger the individual, the more impressionable he or she is. The end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence is a vulnerable period. If youths are influenced by pornography before receiving objective sex education, how will this affect their first sexual encounters? Is there time to discover their own sexuality if they already have been exposed to many sexual situations before the age of 15? If boys learn during these formative years that women are sexual objects, only to be used for sexual satisfaction, it may result in unhealthy and unrealistic sex role expectations.
The study included only youth from 15 years of age, but it is reasonable to think that use of pornography is common in younger teens. This highlights the importance of providing sex education at an earlier age. Some youth clinics in Sweden already have begun to provide sex education at the 6th-grade level (11–12 years of age).
Examples for implications for practice are that the Internet could be a source of objective sex education (Barak, Fisher, Belfrey, & Lashambe, 1999; Roffman, Shannon, & Dwyer, 1997) and that youth clinics could have their own Websites where they provide answers to questions in this area.
CONCLUSION
In this study, the majority of the respondents had viewed pornographic films, and the youngest males viewed the greatest amount of pornography. The youths also reported peers as their best source of information about sexuality. These findings have implications for parents and other adults working with children in these age groups. It also illustrates the importance of sex education to give factual information about sexuality to counteract the messages about sexuality presented in pornography.
It also illustrates the importance of sex education to give factual information about sexuality to counteract the messages about sexuality presented in pornography.
Footnotes
Acknowledgments
Financial support for this study was given by Research and Development Unit Primary Health Care, Southern Elfsborg County, Sweden.