Online pornography consumption, risky behaviours, and sexist attitudes in adolescence

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the consumption of pornography among adolescents, examine its relationship with sexist attitudes, and explore how its consumption relates to participation in other risky behaviors. The final sample consisted of 664 Galician (Spain) students aged 12–17 years (M = 14.55; SD = 1.70) who completed a survey including ad hoc items about online and offline risky behavior and the Spanish version of the Social Roles Questionnaire. Almost half of the sample (48.8%) had consumed pornography at least once in their lifetime, with 21.7% having done so in the prior month. These rates were significantly higher among males and older students. Those who had used pornography had a significantly higher mean score on the subscale of traditional sexist attitudes and higher engagement in several other risky behaviors. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed which of these variables best predicted pornography consumption for females and for males. These results indicate the need for a comprehensive or holistic preventive approach to risky sexual behavior and early sexual education and porn literacy, which leads adolescents to reflect on how pornography may impact their attitudes and relationships.