Who Seeks Aggression in Pornography? Findings from Interviews with Viewers

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Gender Studies
• Media Studies

Background:

• Limited research exists on pornography viewers' perceptions, especially women's responses to aggression in pornography.
• Existing theories often assume negative responses to aggressive pornography across genders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate women's and men's subjective experiences and arousal patterns when viewing aggressive pornography.
• To explore viewer preferences for aggressive content in mainstream pornography.

Main Methods:

• Conducted quantitative and qualitative interviews with 122 regular pornography viewers (61 women, 60 men, 1 gender-diverse).
• Analyzed data to identify patterns in enjoyment, arousal, and content preferences related to aggression.

Main Results:

• Most participants, both men and women, reported disliking aggressive content.
• Women, more than men, reported arousal from aggression, particularly consensual aggression toward women, perceiving it as pleasurable.
• Women were more likely to actively seek aggressive content and desire its inclusion in mainstream pornography.

Conclusions:

• Findings challenge radical feminist perspectives on viewer preferences regarding sexual aggression in pornography.
• Highlights a nuanced relationship between gender, sexual fantasies, and responses to aggressive content in pornography.
• Suggests women's preferences for aggressive pornography may be more complex than previously understood.