Over 100 quick stats and findings from an ever-growing body of research that details the effects of porn for individuals, relationships, and society.
Research shows that even individuals who are accepting of pornography tend to experience psychological distress when their own partners consume pornography.
Increased pornography consumption is linked to men’s enjoyment of degrading, uncommon, or aggressive sexual behaviors.
Research consistently shows that porn consumers are twice as likely to later experience a divorce or breakup —even after controlling for marital happiness, sexual satisfaction, and other relevant factors.
According to a 2021 study, only 5.94% of porn-consuming respondents said that they watched porn because of a "lack of sexual satisfaction." In other words, the vast majority of porn consumers are watching porn for reasons other than their partner not being "enough."
Porn consumption is linked to poorer relationship quality.
One study shows that approximately 45% of teens who consumed porn did so in part to learn about sex.
Porn consumption is linked to increased loneliness.
Even quitting porn for a short time can lessen its negative effects and have positive effects on consumers' lives and relationships.
According to a 2016 study, people who view porn regularly are less likely to get married than those who do not. Researchers suggest this may be because consumers see porn as a substitute for sexual gratification in a relationship.
Research shows that those with an interest in extreme or degrading porn are more likely to reenact porn scenes during sex with a partner.
Over half of 11 to 16-year-old boys (53%) and over a third of 11 to 16-year-old girls (39%) reported believing that pornography was a realistic depiction of sex, according to a 2016 report.
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