Do individual perceptions matter in pornography effects? How perceived general acceptance and perceived influence of pornography may impact agreement with sex-role attitudes

Significant relationships between pornography use and less progressive sex-role attitudes, such as agreement with the sexual double standard, belief in the concept of female token resistance, and the perception of women as sex objects, are documented, but the process by which these relationships occur is still largely unexamined. The present study was conducted to examine how perceived acceptance and influence of pornography use may play a role in the relationship between pornography consumption and sex-role attitudes. Results from a survey questionnaire with 313 young adults (M = 20.76, SD = 1.56) revealed that pornography consumption was associated with perceived general acceptance and influence of pornography and agreement with less progressive sex roles. Believing that pornography can have positive effects on most people, however, was negatively associated with agreement with less progressive sex-role attitudes.