The Relationship Between Religiosity and Internet Pornography Use | springermedicine.com

Springer Medicine

Top

Journal of Religion and Health

Published in:

01-04-2015 | Original Paper

The Relationship Between Religiosity and Internet Pornography Use

Authors: Mary B. Short, Thomas E. Kasper, Chad T. Wetterneck

Published in: Journal of Religion and Health | Issue 2/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Internet pornography (IP) consumption has increased, resulting in functioning and psychological problems. Thus, understanding what variables affect IP uses is needed. One of the variables may be religion. College students (N = 223) completed questions on IP use and religion. About 64 % ever viewed IP and 26 % currently viewed IP, at a rate of 74 min per week. IP use interfered with their relationship with God and spirituality. Religious individuals were less likely to ever or currently view IP. Intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and alignment of spiritual values were associated with ever use. Results suggest that religiosity matters in IP use and further research is needed.

Abell, J. W., Steenbergh, T. A., & Boivin, M. J. (2006). Cyberporn use in the context of religiosity. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 34(2), 165–171.

Adams, M. S., Oye, J., & Parker, S. T. (2003). Sexuality of older adults and the internet: From sex education to cybersex. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18(3), 405–414.CrossRef

Baltazar, A., Helm, H. W, Jr., McBride, D., Hopkins, G., & Stevens, J. V, Jr. (2010). Internet pornography use in the context of external and internal religiosity. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 38(1), 32–40.

Bridges, A. J., Bergner, R. M., & Hesson-McInnis, M. (2003). Romantic partners’ use of pornography: Its significance for women. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 29(1), 1–14.PubMed

Buzzell, T. (2005). The effects of sophistication, access and monitoring on use of pornography in three technological contexts. Deviant Behavior, 26(2), 109–132.CrossRef

Carroll, J. S., Padilla-Walker, L. M., Nelson, L. J., Olson, C. D., Barry, C. M., & Madsen, S. (2008). Generation XXX: Pornography acceptance and use among emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 23, 6–30.CrossRef

Cooper, A., Scherer, C. R., Boies, S. C., & Gordon, B. L. (1999). Sexuality on the internet: From sexual exploration to pathological expression. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 30(2), 154–164.CrossRef

Cooper, A., Delmonico, D. L., & Burg, R. (2000a). Cybersex users, abusers, and compulsives: New findings and implications. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 7(1–2), 5–29.CrossRef

Cooper, A., Boies, S., Maheu, M., & Greenfield, D. (2000b). Sexuality and the internet: The next sexual revolution. In L. T. Szuchman, F. Muscarella, L. T. Szuchman, & F. Muscarella (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on human sexuality (pp. 519–545). Hoboken, NJ US: Wiley.

Cooper, A., Morahan-Martin, J., Mathy, R. M., & Maheu, M. (2002). Toward an increased understanding of user demographics in online sexual activities. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 28(2), 105–129.PubMedCrossRef

Davies, M. (2003). Clergy sexual addiction: A systemic preventative model. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 10(2–3), 99–109.CrossRef

DeHaan, L. G., Yonker, J. E., & Affholter, C. (2011). More than enjoying the sunset: Conceptualization and measurement of religiosity for adolescents and emerging adults and its implications for developmental inquiry. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 30(3), 184–195.

Durkin, K. F., & Bryant, C. D. (1995). ‘Log on to sex’: Some notes on the carnal computer and erotic cyberspace as an emerging research frontier. Deviant Behavior, 16(3), 179–200.CrossRef

Gardner, C. J. (2001). Tangled in the worst of the web: What internet porn did to one pastor, his wife, his ministry, their lives. Christianity Today, 45(4), 42–50.

Goodson, P., McCormick, D., & Evans, A. (2000). Sex on the internet: College students’ emotional arousal when viewing sexually explicit materials on-line. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 25(4), 252–260.

Gorsuch, R. L., & McPherson, S. E. (1989). Intrinsic/extrinsic measurement: I/E-Revised and single-item scales. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 28(3), 348–354.CrossRef

Hayes, B. C. (1995). Religious identification and moral attitudes: The British case. British Journal of Sociology, 46(3), 457–674.CrossRef

Huson, J. D. (2005). The experience of male undergraduate christian college students with pornography: How it disrupts the educational process and spiritual formation. Doctoral dissertation, School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University.

Koenig, H. G., & Bussin, A. (2010). The Duke University Religion Index (DUREL): A five-item measure for use in epidemiological studies. Religions, 1, 78–85.CrossRef

Koenig, H. G., Meador, K., & Parkerson, G. (1997). Religion index for psychiatric research: A 5-item measure for use in health outcome studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 885–886.PubMed

Laaser, M. R., & Gregoire, L. J. (2003). Pastors and cybersex addiction. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18(3), 395–406.CrossRef

Lefkowitz, S. E., Meghan, G. M., Shearer, C. L., & Boone, T. L. (2004). Religiosity, sexual behaviors, and sexual attitudes during emerging adulthood. The Journal of Sex Research, 41(2), 150–159.CrossRef

Leiblum, S. (1997). Sex and the net: Clinical implications. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 22(1), 21–27.

Levert, N. (2007). A comparison of christian and non-christian males, authoritarianism, and their relationship to internet pornography addiction/compulsion. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 14(2), 145–166.CrossRef

McNair, B. (2002). Review of ‘striptease culture: Sex, media and the democratisation of desire’. Sexualities, 5(4), 503–504.CrossRef

Nelson, E. A., Abramowitz, J. S., Whiteside, S. P., & Deacon, B. J. (2006). Scrupulosity in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder: Relationship to clinical and cognitive phenomena. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 20(8), 1071–1086.PubMedCrossRef

Nelson, L. J., Padilla-Walker, L. M., & Carroll, J. S. (2010). “I believe it is wrong but I still do it”: A comparison of religious young men who do versus do not use pornography. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 2(3), 136–147.CrossRef

Newman, B. (1997). The use of online services to encourage exploration of ego-dystonic sexual interests. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 22(1), 45–48.

Patterson, R., & Price, J. (2012). Pornography, religion, and the happiness gap: Does pornography impact the actively religious differently? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 51(1), 79–89.PubMedCrossRef

Peek, C., Witt, D., & Gay, D. (1982). Pornography: Important political symbol or limited political issue? Sociological Focus, 15, 41–51.CrossRef

Ragan, P. W., & Martin, P. R. (2000). The psychobiology of sexual addiction. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 7(3), 161–175.CrossRef

Reid, R. C., Li, D. S., Gilliland, R., Stein, J. A., Karim, R., & Fong, T. (2011). Reliability, validity, and psychometric development of the pornography consumption inventory in a sample of hypersexual men. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 37(5), 359–385.PubMedCrossRef

Ropelato, J. (2012). Topten reviews. Retrieved from http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html.

Sabina, C., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2008). The nature and dynamics of internet pornography exposure for youth. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 11(6), 691–693.PubMedCrossRef

Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1990). Crime and deviance over the life course: The salience of adult social bonds. American Sociological Review, 55(5), 609–627.CrossRef

Sherkat, D. E., & Ellison, C. G. (1997). The cognitive structure of a moral crusade: Conservative Protestantism and opposition to pornography. Social Forces, 75(3), 957–980.CrossRef

Stack, S., Wasserman, I., & Kern, R. (2004). Adult social bonds and use of internet pornography. Social Science Quarterly, 85(1), 75–88.CrossRef

Stayton, W. R., & Pillai-Friedman, S. (2009). Oh, God: The moral and scriptural implications of sexuality education and religion. In E. Schroeder, J. Kuriansky, E. Schroeder, & J. Kuriansky (Eds.), Sexuality education: Past, present, and future (Vol. 1, pp. 228–246)., History and foundations Westport, CT US: Praeger Publishers/Greenwood Publishing Group.

The Leadership Survey. (2001). Pastors viewing internet pornography. Leadership Journal, 89, 1–2.

Wilson, K. G., Sandoz, E. K., Kitchens, J., & Roberts, M. (2010). The valued living questionnaire: Defining and measuring valued action within a behavioral framework. The Psychological Record, 60(2), 249–272.

Yoder, V. C., Virden, T. B., & Amin, K. A. (2005). Internet pornography and loneliness: An association? Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 12(1), 19–44.CrossRef

Young, K. S. (2008). Internet sex addiction risk factors, stages of development and treatment. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(1), 21–37.CrossRef

Title: The Relationship Between Religiosity and Internet Pornography Use
Authors: Mary B. Short
Thomas E. Kasper
Chad T. Wetterneck
Publication date: 01-04-2015
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Religion and Health / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 0022-4197
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6571
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9849-8

Home
Congress Coverage
Clinical Collections
- Advances in Alzheimer’s
About Springer Medicine
Key Specialties