Victim reactions in aggressive erotic films as a factor in violence against women

The present study was designed to investigate whether the behavioral characteristics of the people in erotic films and the nature of the targets available for aggression afterward can affect subsequent aggression. In Experiment 1, male subjects were angered by a male or female confederate. They were then shown a neutral film or one of three erotic films. The erotic films differed in terms of their aggressive content (two were aggressive and one was nonaggressive) and the reactions of the female victim in the two aggressive films (positive vs. negative). Subjects were then allowed to aggress against the confederate via electric shock. Results indicated that films had no effect on male targets whereas both types of aggressive erotic films increased aggression toward the female. In Experiment 2, the effects of the above films on nonangry viewers were investigated with only female confederates. Results indicated that angered male subjects were more aggressive toward the female after viewing either aggressive erotic film but that only the positive-outcome aggressive film increased aggression in nonangered subjects. Both the theoretical and applied aspects of aggressive and nonaggressive erotica are discussed.