SEEING MASCULINE MEN, SEXY WOMEN, AND GENDER DIFFERENCES - EXPOSURE TO PORNOGRAPHY AND COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTIONS OF GENDER

This article examines the relation between men's exposure to pornograp hy and their beliefs about men and women. Study 1 presents an individu al difference measure for assessing exposure to pornography that was t hen used in six subsequent studies. In Study 2, high exposure scores p redicted being male, having a sexual partner, and the reasons for view ing sexual materials. In Studies 3 and 4, high exposure men were more likely than low exposure men to think that most men perform masculine behaviors. In Studies 5 and 6, high exposure men were also more likely to generate sexual descriptions of women spontaneously. Finally, in S tudy 7, high exposure men perceived the most gender differences after viewing sexual or sexual/violent music videos; low exposure men percei ved the most differences after viewing sexual or romantic ones. These studies suggest that exposure to pornography is related to broad and f undamental ways of understanding men, women, and gender relations.