The perceptions of young adult males regarding the impact of pornography on their lives

Abstract

Rapid technological development has lead to an increase in the accessibility of pornography. Some professionals have labelled pornography as a social issue due to the increase in accessibility and exposure to pornography. In the past, extensive research has been conducted regarding the possible impact of pornography on adolescents as well as on adults. However, there is discrepancy among professionals with regard to the impact of pornography, as it seems as if there is little agreement on what effects or impact regular pornography consumption may have on the consumer. Some researchers regard pornography as a social issue with severe ramifications for the consumer. Other researchers view pornography as harmless time-consuming activities. Therefore, it seems that inadequate research was previously done to investigate what impact regular exposure to or consumption of pornography may have on the consumer’s life. Young adulthood is considered a crucial phase in human development. Critical developmental tasks such as reaching emotional and financial independence, defining morals, values and principles, establishing intimacy and dedication, choosing a life partner and having children and raise them, are prevalent during this life phase. There is little existing research regarding the impact of pornography on males in this life phase. The hypothesis was made that: should pornography consumption lead to any hindrance in the acquisition of any developmental tasks during this specific life phase, that it may have an effect on the person in a later life phase. The researcher thus endeavoured to address the gap by looking specifically at the possible impact of pornography on young adult males, but the researcher also attempted to contribute to the existing scholarly debate regarding the impact of pornography consumption on the consumer in general. The rationale for this study emanated from the researcher’s desire to add to the existing knowledge base, and to inform professionals in the therapeutic setting about the impact of pornography. The researcher undertook a qualitative, applied research study which enabled her to explore the perceptions of young adult males who have had prolonged experience to pornography consumption. Fifteen (15) young adult male participants were purposefully selected. Snowball sampling was applied as a sampling method to identify possible participants. The researcher utilised in-depth interviewing which is also known as unstructured interviewing as data collection method. One (1) openended question was directed to the participants and it was formulated as follows: “What are your perceptions as a young adult male, with regard to the impact of pornography on young adult males’ lives?” The researcher did a pilot test in order to ensure that this open-ended question provided adequate opportunity for the participants to respond unreservedly. The researcher followed the following steps during the process of data analysis: <ul> <li> Planning for the recording of data by means of audio recordings</li> <li> Managing and organising data by means of detailed transcripts and filing it in folders</li> <li> Reading and writing memos</li> <li> Generating categories, themes and patterns</li> <li> Representing, visualising and displaying the data by means of a complete research report.</li></ul> The research study revealed that pornography consumption may have a significant impact on the lives of young adult males. The following areas of the life of the young adult male were identified which may be affected by pornography consumption: <ul> <li> Self-value</li> <li> The development of a gender-identity (masculinity)</li> <li> Moral and Spiritual development</li> <li> Cognitive development</li> <li> Addiction</li> <li> Career development</li> <li> Sexual development in terms of sexual knowledge, sexual attitude and sexual behaviour</li> <li> Development of interpersonal relationships</li> <li> Development of mentors in society.</li> </ul> It was recommended that there should be improved service delivery for young adult males who are experiencing some of these effects of pornography consumption. Training for professionals and further research regarding this phenomenon will make this recommendation possible. AFRIKAANS : Snelle tegnologiese vooruitgang het ‘n verhoging in die toeganklikheid van pornografiese materiaal tot gevolg. Sekere kenners bestempel pornografie as ‘n maatskaplike probleem, juis as gevolg van die verhoging tot die blootstelling aan en toeganklikheid van hierdie materiaal. Bestaande navorsing oor hierdie fenomeen is grootliks uitgevoer met betrekking tot die moontlike impak van pornografie op adolessente en volwassenes. Dit blyk asof daar verskil in bevindinge en opinies onder professionele persone is met betrekking tot die impak van gereelde pornografiese blootstelling op die verbruiker. Sekere navorsers bestempel pornografie as ‘n maatskaplike probleem wat erge negatiewe gevolge vir die verbruiker mag inhou. Ander navorsers bestempel pornografie as onskuldige tydverdryf. Daarom blyk dit asof onvoldoende navorsing voorheen uitgevoer is om te ondersoek watter impak blootstelling aan, of verbruiking van pornografie op die verbruiker se lewe mag hê. Jong volwassenheid word as ‘n essensiële fase in menslike ontwikkeling bestempel. Kritieke ontwikkelingstake sluit onder andere die volgende in: om emosionele en finansiële onafhanklikheid te bereik, om morele waardes en beginsels te definieer, om intimiteit en toegewydheid te vestig en om ‘n lewensmaat te kies, kinders te baar en op te voed. Daar is min bestaande navorsing uitgevoer aangaande die impak van pornografie op mans in hierdie lewensfase. Die hipotese was soos volg geformuleer: sou pornografie tot enige obstruksie in die bereiking van enige van die ontwikkelingstake gedurende hierdie spesifieke lewensfase lei, dit ‘n effek op ‘n persoon in ‘n latere lewensfase mag hê. Die navorser het dus gepoog, om die gaping in bestaande navorsing oor die moontlike impak van pornografie op die jong volwassse man aan te spreek, maar die navorser het ook gepoog om ‘n bydrae tot die bestaande akademiese debat, met betrekking tot die impak van pornografie op die verbruiker in die algemeen, te lewer. Die motivering vir hierdie studie het uit die navorser se begeerte om ‘n bydrae tot die bestaande kennisbasis te lewer en om professionele persone in die terapeutiese omgewing rakende die impak van pornografie in te lig, ontstaan. Die navorser het ‘n kwalitatiewe, toegepaste navorsingstudie onderneem, wat haar in staat gestel het om die persepsies van jong volwasse mans wat ervaring met langdurige verbruik van pornografie het, te verken. Vyftien (15) jong volwasse mans was doelgerig vir deelname aan die studie geselekteer. Sneeubal-steekproef is as steekproefmetode toegepas om moontlike deelnemers aan die studie te identifiseer. Die navorser het van in-diepte onderhoudvoering, wat ook bekend staan as ongestruktureerde onderhoudvoering, as data insamelingsmetode gebruik gemaak. Een (1) oop vraag is soos volg aan die deelnemers gestel: “Wat is jou persepsies as jong volwasse man met berekking tot die impak van pornografie op jong volwasse mans?” Die navorser het ‘n voorondersoek uitgevoer om te verseker dat hierdie oop vraag voldoende geleentheid vir deelnemers skep om onbeperk te reageer. Die navorser het die volgende stappe tydens die proses van data-analise geneem: <ul> <li> Beplanning vir die opneem van data deur middel van oudio-opnames</li> <li> Bestuur en organisering van data deur middel van gedetaileerde transkripsies en die liasering daarvan in lêers</li> <li> Lees en skryf van memmo’s</li> <li>Generering van kategorieë, temas en patrone</li> <li> Verteenwoordiging, visualisering en voorstelling van data deur middel van ‘n volledige navorsingsverslag.</li></ul> Die navorsingstudie het getoon dat die verbruik van pornografie, ‘n kenmerkende impak op die lewe van jong volwasse mans mag hê. Sekere areas in die lewe van die jong volwasse man wat deur die blootstelling aan pornografie beïnvloed kan word, sluit onder andere die volgende in: <ul> <li> Die self-waarde</li> <li>Die ontwikkeling van ‘n gelsagsrol-identiteit (manlikheid)</li> <li> Morele en spirituele ontwikkeling</li> <li> Kognitiewe ontwikkeling</li> <li> Verslawing</li> <li> Loopbaan ontwikkeling</li> <li> Seksuele ontwikkeling in terme van seksuele kennis, seksuele houding en seksuele gedrag</li> <li> Ontwikkeling van interpersoonlike verhoudings</li> <li> Ontwikkeling van mentors in die samelewing</li> </ul> Aanbevelings, in terme van verbeterde en ingeligte dienslewering aan jong volwasse mans waarvan sommige van hierdie effekte van pornografieverbruik presenteer, was gemaak. Opleiding van professionele persone en verdere navorsing met betrekking tot hierdie fenomeen sal die realisering van die aanbeveling moontlik maak.