NCJ Number
141099
Date Published
1990
Length
104 pages
Annotation
First published in 1988, this paper reviews the social science evidence on the effects of pornography. The paper was updated in 1990 by a second author.
Abstract
The introductory section presents different definitions of pornography, outlines causal models for the effects of pornography, summarizes theories of how the effects are generated, discusses research methods for studying the effects of pornography, and lists criteria for evaluating the research evidence. The second section explores various potential effects of nonviolent pornography through an examination of laboratory and nonlaboratory research on behavior and attitudes. A similar review is conducted relevant to the effects of violent pornography. The final section discusses the research evidence on the effects of sexual versus violent components of pornography. The second half of this report updates social science studies on pornography, discussing the conceptual background to the issue, summarizing the previous review, and highlighting new research and developments in the study of pornography. 2 tables and 4 appendixes