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Pornography and the Impact on Adolescents

Savannah Ard

Department of Child Development, BYU-Idaho

CHILD 320: Adolescent Development

Sherry Cowen

December 12, 2020

Pornography and the Impact on Adolescents

Introduction

In the past few decades digital media has progressed rapidly. While there may be

benefits from this progression there are many dangers too. There are many questions regarding

the effects of pornography and how it impacts boys and girls especially those in adolescence.

Viewing pornography has a negative impact on adolescents especially within their psychosocial

development, physiological development and cognitive development.

Summary Article 1

Researchers have found that pornography increases aggressive behavior (Landripet et

al., 2019). The start of pornography viewing usually begins in adolescence and impacts

socializing. Landripet and his colleagues (2019) hypothesizes that the amount of pornography

use and the amount of violent pornography use would have a positive correlation because they

will become desensitized to violence. Landripet and his associates (2019) examined 248 male

adolescents throughout a 24-month time period. The participants took an online survey and

rated their results with a point scale.

The results show that the amount of pornography viewing decreased at the start of the

study and then increased later (Landripet, Buško, & Štulhofer, 2019). The viewing of intense

violent pornography was negative, although those who viewed pornography more viewed

slightly more violent content (Landripet et al., 2019). This and other studies have also portrayed

the many negative outcomes that come from viewing pornography such as, sexual

objectification, low body self-esteem, low sexual satisfaction, and sexual risk taking (Landripet

et al., 2019).
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Summary Article 2

A study was conducted by Borgogna and his associates (2018) to understand the

negative impacts that woman experience as they view pornography. Around 31-41% of woman

view pornography intentionally (Borgogna et al., 2018) Pornography also impacts adolescence

body image and what they think is the ideal women’s body.

The hypothesis of the study by Borgogna and his associates are that the more woman

view pornography the less their body image and relationship satisfaction will be. The other

hypothesis is that if women are viewing to cope with negative emotions, they will also have

lower body image and relationship satisfaction (Borgogna et al., 2018). The participants of the

study were 1,014 women gathered through different media postings. They completed a survey

that included questions about frequency of pornography, and body and relationship satisfaction

(Borgogna et al., 2018). The results were that viewing more frequently did not result in negative

body image or relationship satisfaction (Borgogna et al., 2018). The other hypothesis was

partially supported, because when women viewed to escape negative emotions such as sadness

or loneliness it did result in decreased body image and relationship satisfaction (Borgogna et al.,

2018).

Physiological and brain development

There are many physiological factors during adolescence such as “an immature

prefrontal cortex and over-responsive limbic and striatal circuits, heightened period for

neuroplasticity, overactive dopamine system, a pronounced HPA axis, augmented levels of

testosterone, and the unique impact of steroid hormones” (Brown & Wisco, 2019, para. 3)

According to Brown and Wilsco (2019) adolescence brains are more sensitive to pornography
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compared to other stages of life due to these brain and hormone changes. This explains why

adolescence view pornography and another reason is due to the rapid increase of dopamine

levels in their brain. They are seeking sensations to release dopamine which is released during

pleasurable behaviors, so it becomes a behavior reward and reinforcer (Wallis, 2004).

Therefore, as adolescents view pornography dopamine is released which makes them feel good

so they learn to do it again or to copy those behaviors even though they do not know the harm

it can also be causing their brain.

The harm pornography causes is social maladjustment, changes in decision making and

“delay discounting, or an individual's tendency to discount future outcomes in favor of

immediate rewards” (Brown & Wisco, 2019, para.10). Viewing pornography may be also lead

to neuroplasticity although it could be a condition before the viewing begins (Brown & Wisco,

2019). Another harm may include increased aggression because of the increased release of

testosterone when viewing pornography (Brown & Wisco, 2019). Adolescence may be led to

view pornography because it feels good or because “everyone is doing it” but what they do not

realize is the effect it is having on their brain and behaviors.

Psychosocial and socialization

Adolescents are impacted by the socializing influences of frequent media use (Arnett,

2017, pg. 370). The media is focused on money and they are aware of the change’s adolescence

are experiencing that lead them to sexually explicit material. Many adolescences have media

platforms in their secluded room which increases the likelihood of viewing pornography

(Arnett, 2017, pg. 367). As adolescence view media they are being socialized so what they view

on a screen will impact how they behave. Arnett explains that there is a correlation between
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risk behaviors and pornography, especially sexual risk behaviors (Arnett, 2017, pg. 275).

Children are found to be more aggressive after viewing violent media and it still impacts

adolescents (Arnett, 2017, pg. 372). They may learn that it is acceptable to be aggressive in

sexual behavior, or how an “ideal body” should look because of medias portrayal of it.

Cognitive development and self-esteem

Adolescence is a time when teenagers are trying to gain an understanding of who they

are and their own personalities. They develop their own self-concept and self-esteem which is

impacted by things around them in their environment including sexual content (Arnett, 2017,

p.164). Adolescents are able to grasp these concepts because their cognitive abilities have

developed further. Bringing pornography into this development can impact the way

adolescents view their body image and their concept of who they are (Borgogna et al., 2018).

Pornography during adolescence can have a negative effect on an individual’s self-esteem

which will impact their thinking and choices throughout their life.

Conclusion

Pornography impacts an adolescence psychosocial development, physiological

development, and cognitive development in negative ways. Research studies have been done

regarding women and pornography and the impact it has on their self-esteem and on their

relationship satisfaction. Research has also concluded that pornography can lead to more

aggression in boys. Pornography impacts the brain and has socialization effects on adolescence.

Finally, pornography leads to a negative view of adolescence self-concept and self-esteem.

Adolescents and their families need to be aware of the dangers that will only continue to come

as media progresses faster and faster.

References

Arnett J.J. (2017). Adolescence and emerging adulthood (6th ed.). Pearson.

Borgogna, N. C., Lathan, E. C., & Mitchell, A. (2018). Is Women's Problematic Pornography

Viewing Related to Body Image or Relationship Satisfaction? Sexual Addiction &

Compulsivity, 25(4), 345-366. 10.1080/10720162.2018.1532360

Brown, J. A., & Wisco, J. J. (2019). The components of the adolescent brain and its unique

sensitivity to sexually explicit material. Journal of Adolescence, 72, 10-13.

10.1016/j.adolescence.2019.01.006

Landripet, I., Buško, V., & Štulhofer, A. (2019). Testing the content progression thesis: A

longitudinal assessment of pornography use and preference for coercive and violent

content among male adolescents. Social Science Research, 81, 32-41.

10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.03.003

Wallis, C. (2004). What Makes Teens Tick. Time, Inc.