Pornography usage during adolescence: Does it lead to risky sexual behavior?

Abstract

Are youths who consume pornography more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors? Using longitudinal data from the National Study of Youth and Religion and an individual fixed effects strategy, this paper investigates the relationship between pornography use among 13- to 23-year-olds and a range of subsequent risky sexual behaviors. It also estimates a lagged dependent variable model where risky sexual behavior of the previous wave is included as a control. The findings suggest that moderate and frequent pornography use increases the likelihood of engaging in acts such as unprotected sex and having multiple sexual partners. Finally, a heterogeneity analysis by gender reveals that males and females behave differently in response to exposure to pornography, but that is true for only a few indicators of risky sex. The paper's findings provide critical information on determinants of risky sexual behavior and meaningful evidence for the policy debate on government censoring and monitoring online behavior.