Effects of interactive computer erotica on men's attitudes and behavior toward women: An experimental study

The purpose of this study was to examine antiwomen attitudes and behaviors in men as a function of the use of interactive erotica, moderated by the men's initial affective disposition toward sexuality. A total of 100 first year university men were exposed to either (a) neutral, noninteractive (control) stimuli, (b) erotic, noninteractive stimuli, (c) erotic, moderately interactive stimuli, or (d) erotic, highly interactive stimuli on a personal computer. Prior to this manipulation, participants' levels of erotophobia-erotophilia were assessed. After exposure to the manipulation, participants' attitudes toward women, rape myth acceptance, and level of aggressive behavior in response to a female confederate's provocation were assessed. In addition, participants' keyboard activity and self-reported levels of sexual arousal were recorded and analyzed. Results showed that the erotic stimuli resulted in much interactive activity and in significant amounts of sexual arousal, but use of computer pornography by participants did not affect any of the measures of attitudes or behavior toward women in comparison with the control condition and regardless of participants' affective orientation to sexuality. Implications for theory and research on computer-mediated exposure to pornography are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.