Academic

BYU study about pornography and college students

By Ann Bartow

I’m not entirely comfortable with the way it focuses on women, but here are two excerpts from this overview:

… Researchers at Brigham Young University conducted the study with college students and their parents from six schools across the country. Nearly half of the female students, 49 percent, said viewing pornography is an acceptable way to express one?s sexuality. Only 37 percent of the dads agreed. The study, titled ?Generation XXX: Pornography Acceptance and Use Among Emerging Adults,? will be published in the January issue of Journal of Adolescent Research.

?Even in the absence of personal use, it seems young women?s attitudes are being influenced by the proliferation of pornography,? said the study?s lead researcher Jason Carroll, an associate professor at BYU who studies the transition to adulthood. ?These women are part of a rising generation that is deeming pornography as more acceptable and more mainstream.?

The study found actual use of pornography far more prevalent among male students, with 48 percent of men reporting viewing pornography at least weekly compared to only 3 percent of women. The study also found that one in five young adult men view pornography every day or nearly every day. …

… During the past 12 months, on how many days did you view pornographic material (such as magazines, movies, and/or Internet sites?

Every day or almost every day

• Young men: 21.3%
• Young women: 1.0%

1 or 2 days a week

• Young men: 27.1%
• Young women: 2.2%

2 or 3 days a month

• Young men: 21.0%
• Young women: 7.1%

Once a month or less

• Young men: 16.8%
• Young women: 20.7%

None

• Young men: 13.9%
• Young women: 69.0%

Full post as published by Feminist Law Professors on January 24, 2008 (boomark / email).