Transgression as Addiction: Religiosity and Moral Disapproval as Predictors of Perceived Addiction to Pornography

Perceived addiction to Internet pornography is increasingly a focus of empirical attention. The present study examined the role that religious belief and moral disapproval of pornography use play in the experience of perceived addiction to Internet pornography. Results from two studies in undergradu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of sexual behavior 2015-01, Vol.44 (1), p.125-136
Main Authors: Grubbs, Joshua B., Exline, Julie J., Pargament, Kenneth I., Hook, Joshua N., Carlisle, Robert D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addiction
Addictions
Adolescent
Adult
Behavior, Addictive - ethnology
Behavior, Addictive - psychology
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Consumers
Cross-Sectional Studies
Data Collection
Erotica - psychology
Ethics
Female
Humans
Internet
Male
Morality
Morals
Neuroticism
Original Paper
Pornography
Pornography & obscenity
Prediction
Psychology
Public Health
Religion
Religiosity
Religious Beliefs
Sexual Behavior
Sexuality
Social Sciences
Students - psychology
United States
Universities
Young Adult
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Summary:Perceived addiction to Internet pornography is increasingly a focus of empirical attention. The present study examined the role that religious belief and moral disapproval of pornography use play in the experience of perceived addiction to Internet pornography. Results from two studies in undergraduate samples (Study 1, N  = 331; Study 2, N  = 97) indicated that there was a robust positive relationship between religiosity and perceived addiction to pornography and that this relationship was mediated by moral disapproval of pornography use. These results persisted even when actual use of pornography was controlled. Furthermore, although religiosity was negatively predictive of acknowledging any pornography use, among pornography users, religiosity was unrelated to actual levels of use. A structural equation model from a web-based sample of adults (Study 3, N  = 208) revealed similar results. Specifically, religiosity was robustly predictive of perceived addiction, even when relevant covariates (e.g., trait self-control, socially desirable responding, neuroticism, use of pornography) were held constant. In sum, the present study indicated that religiosity and moral disapproval of pornography use were robust predictors of perceived addiction to Internet pornography while being unrelated to actual levels of use among pornography consumers.
ISSN:0004-0002
1573-2800
DOI:10.1007/s10508-013-0257-z