Pornography Use Among Adults in Britain: A Qualitative Study of Patterns of Use, Motivations, and Stigma Management Strategies

Pornography use is common but stigmatized. In this study, we present a qualitative analysis of the patterns of, and motivations for, using pornography and how the stigma of using pornography manifests in participants’ accounts. We draw on Meisenbach’s (2010) theory of stigma management communication (SMC) to deepen our understanding of how participants managed potential stigma. Data come from 40 semistructured interviews with a diverse sample of adults from across Britain (aged 18–64 years) on the role of digital technologies in their sexual lives. Despite not being a criterion for recruitment, all participants except six women had used pornography and 18 were regular users at time of interview. Pornography was used primarily to facilitate arousal during solo masturbation, and also for mood control, “me time,” or exploration of one’s sexual identity. Some participants also used pornography with a partner to facilitate arousal and experimentation. An understanding of pornography use as stigmatized was evident in participants’ accounts. In terms of SMC theory, “avoiding” strategies were most commonly employed including: hiding pornography use from others; distancing oneself from the stigma of pornography use; and making favorable comparisons between oneself and other users. Other less frequently employed strategies included: “denying” the existence of stigma, reducing the stigma’s offensiveness through “minimization” (emphasizing that one’s pornography use does not harm others), and “transcendence” (highlighting that pornography use can be a means to a valuable end). The stigma surrounding pornography use may act as a barrier to education interventions addressing pornography and seeking help for problematic use.