What is the effect of porn on relationships?
Modern studies have shown that the effect of pornography on relationships is not necessarily negative and that various factors are involved, which can vary its effect.
A recent study investigated whether a man’s honesty about porn use plays a positive or negative role in a woman’s relationship satisfaction.
Women who said their partners were honest with them about their pornography use reported significantly higher relationship satisfaction than women who said their partners were dishonest.
However, it appeared that women were not only satisfied with their relationship because their partner was honest about their porn use, but because honest couples have other characteristics (e.g., good general communication, spending time together, etc.) that increase satisfaction.
Ultimately, does honesty about pornography use increase or decrease relationship satisfaction?
What is interesting about the new study is that as the man’s honesty about his porn use increased, the women’s reported relationship satisfaction decreased.
This fact may be explained by findings from other studies that show differences between the sexes in porn use.
Women use pornographic material at lower frequencies and quantities than men. Additionally, women often feel that their partner uses pornography because they themselves are sexually inadequate.
It appears that being honest about one’s personal use of pornography can convey information that creates resentment. Perhaps mutual understanding is more beneficial.
Resch MN, Alderson KG (2014) Female partners of men who use pornography: are honesty and mutual use associated with relationship satisfaction? J Sex Marital Ther 40:410-424.