Porn Consumption, Personality, and Attitudes Towards Sexual Violence

The aim of this working paper is to examine how the consumption of violent pornography leads to the development of attitudes towards sexual violence. Drawing from Gerbner’s cultivation theory, this paper proposes a micro-level analysis of the individual. Through the analysis of the theory, this paper investigates how the act of sexual violence is a learned social behavior, often facilitated through media sources such as pornography, and how it is reinforced in society through the normalization and constant performance of such practices. Further, this paper explores the moderating role of three personal dispositions: sub-clinical psychopathy, aggression, and social desirability.