Psychology Commons^™

Does Pornography Consumption Increase Participation In Friends With Benefits Relationships?, Scott R. Braithwaite, Sean C. Aaron, Krista Joy Dowdle, Kersti A. Spjut, Frank D. Fincham

Faculty Publications

Friends with benefits (FWB) relationships integrate two types of relationships—friendship and a relationship that includes sexual intimacy but without an expectation of commitment. These relationships are often seen as less risky than other casual sexual behaviors, but they still pose a high risk of contracting an STI. Pornography consumption has been connected to increases in risky sexual behavior in other types of casual sex. In two studies (Study 1 N = 850; Study 2 N = 992), we examined the hypothesis that pornography use influences FWB behaviors, specifically through the mechanism of sexual scripts. Our results demonstrate that more frequent …