Violent pornography viewers show higher rates of sexual aggression, sexism, and psychopathy | The findings help clarify the relationship between different types of pornography and sexual aggression, a topic that has sparked debate in recent years.

From the article: A recent study published in [Psychology of Violence](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-67583-001) has shed light on the connection between pornography consumption and sexual aggression among men in the United States. The researchers identified three distinct patterns of pornography use, with one group—those who viewed violent pornography—showing higher rates of sexual aggression, acceptance of harmful myths about rape, hostility toward women, casual sex, psychopathy, and emotional regulation difficulties. The findings help clarify the relationship between different types of pornography and sexual aggression, a topic that has sparked debate in recent years.

Concerns about the potential link between pornography and sexual aggression have been a longstanding issue. The rise of internet pornography has given users easy access to violent and degrading content, which some fear may influence harmful behaviors. Previous studies have produced inconsistent results regarding the connection between pornography exposure and sexual aggression, with some research finding strong correlations and others finding only weak or no associations.

The inconsistency may be due to the fact that most research has examined pornography use as a single, general category, rather than distinguishing between types of content. For example, some studies have found that violent pornography is more strongly linked to sexual aggression than nonviolent pornography. To resolve these discrepancies, the present study aimed to use a more nuanced approach. The researchers sought to examine patterns of pornography consumption across different types of content and determine how those patterns were related to sexual aggression and its risk factors.