Monday, 10 September 2012
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Does Porn Cause Violence or Do Violent People Prefer Porn?
I am working on my psychology degree and this was one of the questions in class today. Do violent people prefer to watch porn or does violent porn cause people to become violent? Or simply, does porn cause a higher rate of violence against women.We discussed this at length and I heard lots of different opinions on the subject. Some of them came straight from Law & Order SVU. I love that show and my ears perked up when I heard a direct quote from an episode that dealt with this exact subject.
So my question to everyone here is:
Do you think there's an increase in violence against women because of the violent porn that is widely available now, or do you think that violent people will commit violent acts against women regardless?
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- From: seriously_meredith@xanga
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Comments (62)
I think violent people will perform violent acts against whoever their violence is aimed at. If that is women, then regardless of what porn they watch or if they watch porn, it will be aimed at women.
Let me put this into perspective.
There are statistics out there which state that "rape" (read as: consensual "rape") is the number one fantasy of women. Personally, I wouldn't say that I'm violent because I watch porn. That's dumb, and if anyone says otherwise they have been mislead. Also, I'm a woman, and I enjoy watching rough porn. It depends on what you consider "rough", of course. It also depends on what you consider "violent". I think I would differentiate between "rough" and "violent" with an understanding that violence is an action with malicious intent.
I wouldn't say porn is the cause of violence against women. Just because a murderer watches porn doesn't mean porn creates homicidal minds; correlation does not always equate causation. Violence really has no specific target and happens for various reasons: anger, sadness, control, self defense. Like @wildchildofthebluemoon@xanga said, you have to "differentiate between 'rough' and 'violent' with an understanding that violence is an action with malicious intent."
Watching just about anything can influence a person.
I am sure that those who watch porn are affected by it , otherwise they will not view it. Does it lead some to increase violent behavior against women--some of them no doubt. Hard to say if it affects everyone that way--I doubt it.
Porn is debated--legally via free speech, morally via philosophy and religion, but as for me, I try to avoid it.
people that continuously piss me off might cause me to have violent thoughts, which doesn't necessarily mean they will be carried out. I haven't beat anyone up because I'd be fired. I don't know about violence against women, but I understand why some people go "postal" and might seek vengeance at their place of work. it doesn't justify their murder spree or other violence, but sometimes when I hear about specific situations, I feel a sense of vigilante justice for them if I can relate to it. or when I watch those CSI or other shows, I might feel for either side; not just the victim but even the perpetrator depending on the individual situation. I'm not just talking about just violence but other crime scenarios. I don't condone the acts, I just don't feel that bad nor good. I simply relate. I don't really watch porn. it isn't the sole or only reason. different people react and/or do things differently. violence can both be predictable yet unpredictable.
Lots of different people like porn. There are violent people in the world that like violent things, and thus they would like violent porn. The fact that there's enough of them that its an issue is a tad unnerving, but I don't think porn is the problem here. *shrugs* Just saying what makes sense to me.
I've heard the argument that porn provides an outlet for violent fantasies, thus reducing the likelihood that someone with those fantasies will actually act on them.
Does anyone have any data either way? A quick search of studies seems to suggest that watching violent porn is linked with violent sexual behavior, but most of them also seem to be questionnaires about activities that don't give a clear cause-and-effect (are sexually violent people more likely to seek out violent porn, or does violent porn make people more likely to be sexually violent?) One study even claims there's not solid evidence for the latter option... I tend to think it's more of the former than the latter, but that's conjecture.
I know that in my experience, people who seek out violent porn tend to self-identify as BDSM dominants, switches, and/or sadists. That's hardly representative, but I think it's worth mentioning in context.
hahaha, when i saw the title to this, the first thing that popped into mind was "great, let's ask a bunch of self-proclaimed experts who took psych 101 what their professional opinions are." i suppose i can't make such a jackass remark if the question was inspired by your class in the first place. what does your lecturer suggest the answer is? don't you think that's a somewhat more reliable source?
i think it's silly to believe that porn alone would cause someone to be violent. unless you started watching violent porn at a young age, i guess? i suppose ultimately it's one of those nature vs nurture questions that psychobabblists love to endlessly debate.
but what do i know, i'm not a psychologist--i think it's a bullshit study all based on faulty research and haphazard statistical methods. ask me when you need answers to your math homework, cause like...i do that shit in my sleep. (not that i necessarily want to dream about math after doing it 10 hours a day.)
@TheNotoriousGOD@xanga - Violent people likes puppies. Therefore, cute, fluffy puppies make you violent. Don't you know that's how the world works?! Forget data and analysis! That's too logical!
Why are you asking us? Shouldn't your professor have a better answer (if there is one)?
Porn doesn't cause people to be violent just like violent video games don't cause children to go out and kill people. There has always been violence in the world and there always will be. Of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't do whatever we can to prevent it and to make sure that people that commit violent acts against women are put in jail.
After a lifetime of violent video games, violent movies and rough porn, I have yet to beat up either a man or a woman.
And I won't feel guilty for what other people do. Guilt-trip someone else.
I don't see people who seek out violent porn becoming violent because of said porn. I think the argument can only be plausible made for unintentional exposure at a young age, which could plant a seed not already there. I apply a similar reasoning to violent video games and movies (or witnessing real-life violence in your neighborhood or home). And other aspects of distorted views when it comes to porn.
Yes, I think violent people will commit violent acts regardless. I'm sure there are plenty of murderous people out there who carry out their intentions on their victims and perhaps have never even watched violent porn in their lives. I think it's more so that violent people are more incline to watching violent porn than the other way of viewing it..that violent porn causes people to be more violent.
violence begets Violence. simple as that.
Refer to sex wars of the 60s to now. Many feminists have tried to answer this question.
@laytexduckie@xanga - you MUST be a psychologist. why didn't you ever tell me??
my friend's about to finish her phd and would fucking shoot me if she knew i held her people in such low esteem, lol.
This is another one of those stupid questions, so it deserves to be answered with another stupid question.
Do you think there's an increase in violence against men because of the violent porn that is widely available now, or do you think that violent people will commit violent acts against men regardless?
human beings will be human beings.
Too many variables to take into account.
However, some people will be more easily influenced than others, so if you want to draw a quick conclusion, it's easy to say that if the only porn accessible was of the softcore variety, there would be fewer men interested in donkey punching their mates.
Keep in mind that, "correlation does not equal causation." Individuals (hence why they're called individuals in the first place) will react differently to media based on a number of variables. You simply can't pin it down that easily.
Law & Order SVU could be considered violent porn since it is so gratuitous in its' portrayals of violence when it comes to women.
Doubt it. I enjoy quite a bit of porn and fap on the regular. The only real change I've obtained through this behavior is an ability to remain objective in the midst of hot and heavy conditions. It would make more sense to consider and study the physiological affects of porn and how changes in body chemistry may correlate to violence.
I'm not really into soft science.
I have heard of a study done where the researchers determined that people who commit violent crimes are more likely to watch violent porn.
I am curious if there is a study which determines the percentage of people who watch violent porn and do not commit any crimes at all.
The only reason I can think for someone to act (more) violently towards women due to watching violent porn would be because in porn videos, women generally seem to be enjoying what's being done to them. No matter what that may be.
I think that when it comes down to it, people may act in a more violent manner sexually because they see it as being acceptable due to the porn they watch making it seem acceptable-IF they are weak-minded/childish in their thinking.
Generally though, I think violent people seek out violent porn and are more likely to commit acts of violence. It doesn't have to be the porn itself for everyone. Some people are already violent.
I don't think there's any doubt at all that some sick individual with violent tendencies will watch some violent porn and then because in his sick mind he sees it on television that he then wants to act it out in person. Of course that happens. Does the porn make his violent? Well, sorta kinda is some way but if he doesn't already have violent tendencies I doubt he will suddenly get them from porn... and certainly someone with violent tendencies will act violently even if they've never seen any t.v.