Pornography, Masculinity, and Sexual Aggression on College Campuses

Abstract

Past research has indicated that there is a relationship between pornography consumption and sexually aggressive behavior. This study sought to expand an understanding of that relationship by examining measures of masculinity among a sample of undergraduate heterosexual males ( N = 152) along with pornography consumption variables to assess the predictive value that both pornography consumption and varying levels of masculinity have on sexual aggression. Linear regression analyses indicate that males who had higher scores on the Likelihood of Sexual Force (LSF) measure consumed pornography more often and were more likely to watch male-dominant pornography. In addition, males who had higher scores on LSF exhibited higher masculinity scores on two scales. Results are discussed in the context of the complexities of masculinity and pornography consumption and the implications for prevention programs on college campuses.