Pornography and its Influence on Important Social Relationships
The pornography has estimated annual revenue of $10 to $14 billion dollars which is more than the NBA, NFL and MLB combined (Picker & Sun, 2008). Through frequent production and vast consumption, it is one industry that truly stands above the rest. Despite that, we believe the porn industry does more harm than good to the average viewer. Frequently viewing pornography often distorts peoples’ ideas and concepts of sexuality, as well as causes them to objectify certain relations among other things. Not only does this affect an individual’s mind, emotions and physical well-being, it threatens some of the most important relations a person can have. Relationships with significant others, family members, children, and members of a community are all weakened by this. We will discuss the negative effects pornography can have on a person and their reception of this media based on Kellner’s multiperspectival approaches to studying media (Dines & Humez, 1995). Also, how it affects their relationships to create a better understanding of it in regards to gender, race, class, and sexual orientation.
Because of mainstream media and the Internet, pornography is no longer an off-limits topic. While you can watch conversations about pornography on a Friday night comedy show, the introduction of the Internet has made pornography more easily accessible than ever before. All ages are now being exposed to different types of pornography and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to escape from it. Mary Anne Layden, co-director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cognitive Therapy said, "The internet is a perfect drug delivery system because you are anonymous, aroused and have role models for these behaviors. To have drug pumped into your house 24/7, free, and children know how to use it better than grown-ups know how to use it -- it's a perfect delivery system if we want to have a whole generation of young addicts who will never have the drug out of their mind” (Singel, 2004).
Being exposed to pornography at a younger age has very harmful effects on the child and their views on human sexuality. Children usually get exposed by their own parents whether it is on accident or on purpose. The most crucial point in a child’s life is when they grow to be an adolescent and are going through a transformation phase with their sexuality. When pornography is brought into the picture, this makes it especially difficult for the adolescent to form their own opinion on human sexuality. This phase in their lives is when distortion is most dangerous because they are vulnerable and are learning how to handle sexuality to stay within their beliefs and morals. Viewing pornography at this age causes adolescents to have lower self-esteem, low self-confidence, negative views on marriage and spouses and also causes them to support sexual experimentation (Fagan, 2009). Not only could it alter their perceptions of sexual orientation, but their outlooks on race as well. Most adult films are very stereotypical in regards to race. For example; certain titles which pertain to the women’s race in the film doesn’t give off a great image to adolescents. All of these feelings and emotions they can experience, roll over to when they are an adult. The use of pornography has dramatically affected marriage and families in the recent years. These problems stem from being exposed at a crucial transformation stage in a person’s life.
Pornography use undermines marriage and all that it’s about. It has been reported by husbands that after viewing porn, they are less attracted to their wives and their sexual relationship with their spouse. This type of rejection causes many harmful effects on not only the marriage itself but it inflicts harmful, deep wounds on the wives. They experience feelings of betrayal, loss, and anger toward their husbands (Fagan, 2009). They then start to look at the women that have taken their “spot” in the husband’s lives and realize they are not measured up to any of these fantasy women. In their minds they can’t rationalize that these women are just on the screen and not realistic because to them, they are causing just as much harm as if they were there.
It’s been reported that the use of internet porn is just as damaging on relationships as actual infidelity. The men start to view marriage in all negative ways instead of the positive ways that it should be viewed in. Marriage has actually been referred to as a “sexual confine” which causes men serious anger and resentment to their wives and their marriage. Most times when it hits this stage, the marriage has failed and forced into divorce. One study reported that 68 percent of divorces were due to one spouse meeting someone over the internet, 56 percent showed one spouse being obsessed with internet pornographic material, 47 percent spending too much time on the computer, and 33 percent spent too much time in online chat rooms (Fagan, 2009). Another study done back in the 80’s done by Dolf Zillman and Jennings Bryant showed participants feeling less satisfaction with their intimate partner, specifically with their partner’s affection, physical appearance, sexual curiosity, and sexual performance (Zillmann, 1989).
The most important relationship is the relationship with one’s self. Pornography use causes serious problems on a person’s mind, body and heart. Their minds tend to have distorted feelings on sex and become more sexually aggressive toward their partners. Pornography is a form of a drug due to its addictive nature. “Psychologist Dr. Victor Cline's findings suggest that memories of experiences that occurred at times of emotional arousal (which could include sexual arousal) are imprinted on the brain by epinephrine, an adrenal gland hormone, and are difficult to erase” (Hughes, 1998). The hormone being released creates a pathway to the pleasure centers of the brain which causes the person to desire that feeling more. This puts their body in danger because of the way they risk themselves of getting an STD. Among putting their bodies into danger, their heart starts to go on an emotional rollercoaster which can lead people into serious psychological depression. There is no sexual satisfaction with their current sexual relationships and causes their relationships with others to fall apart due to their lack of emotional connection.
The problems with people and pornography often start out at a young age. With the invention of the Internet, more and more adolescents are unintentionally being exposed to pornographic images as they surf the web. While it’s reported that adolescents first feel disgusted and embarrassed, the feeling tends to gravitate towards enjoyment after multiple views (Fagan, 2009). This is where the relationship between pornography and gender come in. Boys tend to seek pornography initially because they are curious or want sexual arousal, while girls tend first to go to non-pornographic but sexually oriented sites for sexual health or relationship-related information. This is something that directly correlates to adolescents and sexual intercourse. Young teens who watched the highest level of sexual content on television doubled the likelihood they would initiate intercourse themselves. When adolescents grow up, there still is a difference between men and women and the reasons for viewing it. Men view and are six times more likely to view pornography than women (Witty, 2003). Men think viewing pornography is acceptable while in a relationship, while women see it is a type of infidelity. In regards to pornography, most men and women will never be able to see it eye to eye.
As discussed, the emotional and physical hurt that pornography causes does not only affect the viewer but important relationships the viewer has with those around him. Porn has been said to be the "most concerning thing to psychological health that I know of existing today” (Singel, 2004). The earlier people are exposed, the more concerning it is for their minds. Pornography alters a person’s views on gender, race and sexual orientation undoubtedly.
References:
Fagan, Patrick.(December 2009). The effects of pornography on individuals, marriage, family, and community.
Picker, Miguel & Sun, Chyng. (2008). The price of pleasure.
Whitty, Monica Therese. (2003). “Pushing the wrong buttons: men’s and women’s attitudes toward online and offline infidelity,” CyberPsychology & behavior 6.
Dines, G., & Humez, J. M. (1995). Gender, race and class in media. (pp. 229-318). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/11/65772
Zillmann, Dolf (1989). Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography in Zillmann, Dolf & Bryant, Jennings (Eds.), Pornography: Research advances and policy considerations (pg.127-149). Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Carol, Avedon. (1995). The harm of porn: Just another excuse to censor. The Law. Retrieved from http://www.fiawol.demon.co.uk/FAC/harm.htm
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