A study conducted by the University of Bucharest in Romania posed the open-ended question to 267 students: Why do you watch porn? Compiling the responses, the researchers generalized them under a single explanation: People watch porn as a substitute for sex.1 This fits with the popular conception of pornography. Nowadays, it’s widely available and provides an easy fix when people can’t get the real thing.
But is this the whole story? The students’ responses reveal a more varied—and interesting—picture. While sexual gratification is the most common reason for viewing porn, people’s reasons for watching often go much deeper than this. There were 78 different answers ranging from “for entertainment” to “because it caused addiction from the first views.”
Let’s take a closer look at the available research to better understand the reasons people watch porn.
Sexual Pleasure or Release
Most studies agree that sexual enjoyment is the main reason people watch porn. Along with our Romanian university research, a 2020 study by Beáta Bőth published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors found sexual pleasure to be the most frequently reported motivation for viewing pornography.2
A 2016 survey from Barna found that 57% of women and 66% of men watched porn for “personal arousal.”3 And a Covenant Eyes-conducted survey of 471 women found that 82% consumed pornography for pleasure or relief.
Curiosity and Exploration
Researchers agree that curiosity motivates a significant number of porn users. Responses to the Romanian survey included these reasons:
“To have a broader perspective on sex.”
“Because I find out new information.”
“For self-education.”
Beáta Bőth likewise found curiosity and learning about sex as common reasons for watching.
Harmless Entertainment and Fantasy
In The Porn Trap, therapists Wendy and Larry Maltz say that most people became involved with pornography “because it seemed simply to promise a harmless good time.”4 Likewise, in the Romanian study, respondents said they watched porn for “entertainment,” “because I like to develop fantasies based on porn,” and “it’s just fun.” Porn seems to offer a safe outlet for unmet fantasy and self-exploration.
Everyone knows that sexual relationships are fraught with risk. What safer way to explore sexual pleasure than through porn? Some have even argued that porn reduces the amount of sexual violence and unsafe sex.
But the data doesn’t bear this out. Pornography is deeply unhealthy and is connected with sexual violence.
Habit / Addiction
One answer to the question was, “Because it caused addiction.” Too often, researchers easily gloss over the many people who identify as porn addicts.
In reality, many people struggle to overcome pornography. Porn is highly addictive. According to one survey from 2019, 11% of men and 3% of women identified as porn addicts.5 At Covenant Eyes, we talk to thousands of men and women who are struggling to break free from pornography.
Boredom
Many people report watching porn to cope with boredom. Covenant Eyes author Lisa Eldred writes, “One survey of a Catholic high school found that 90% of the young men admitted to viewing pornography at least occasionally … and for 48% of them, boredom was the biggest trigger.”
The University of Bucharest students included boredom among their reasons, and Bőth’s study also found boredom to be a motivating factor for both men and women. When life seems dull and it feels like there’s nothing better to do, porn is only a click away.
Relationship or Peer Pressure
Students surveyed reported peer pressure as a reason for watching porn:
“All my friends are watching.”
“Commenting on scenes with friends.”
At Covenant Eyes, we often hear of people, particularly young boys and girls, who are shown pornography by a friend. Porn in high school is so common that few students graduate without being exposed to it.
Often, the pressure to view porn comes not from peers, but from relationship partners. We have received many messages from those whose romantic partners pressure them into watching pornography or imitating pornographic scenes. The Romanian university students included “as a couple activity” and “it shows me what one partner wants from the other” as reasons for watching.
Loneliness
“Because of loneliness.”
“Due to the absence of a romantic relationship.”
According to recent research, more than half of Americans feel lonely.6 A 2022 study of 340 participants found loneliness to be a significant motivating factor for porn consumption, particularly among those whose porn use had gotten out of control.7
Mood Regulation
When people engage in sexual activity, their brains release mood-altering chemicals that leave them feeling relaxed and happy. Something similar happens with porn. Many people turn to porn as a coping mechanism for emotional and psychological needs. Here are some of the responses from the Romanian students:
“To alleviate emotional problems.”
“Sometimes I feel this need when I am sad.”
“To calm me down.”
This can be very dangerous, as it easily leads to addiction. Porn can seriously affect mental health. Here are just a few more examples of ways that porn is used to cope.
Coping With Stress
“It helps me drive away from [sic] my stressful thoughts.”
Stress frequently motivates porn use. We see this frequently as we help people break free from a porn habit. Often, a stressful situation can trigger a relapse.
Coping With Anxiety
Many people struggle with anxiety. For some, porn seems like a good form of medication. The sexologist Dr. Eli Coleman considers compulsive porn use to be “driven by the need to reduce some type of anxiety, not by sexual desire.”8 Anxiety is a frequent withdrawal symptom experienced by those trying to quit porn.
Research also shows that watching porn may itself contribute to anxiety. This creates a cycle of increased anxiety when they try to quit porn, making recovery extremely challenging.
Coping With Depression
Along with anxiety, depression is another big factor for many people who turn to porn. Because it’s so readily accessible, it’s an attractive option for people too depressed to seek out healthier options. While real relationships, counseling, and therapy are much better options long term, porn is much easier to find in the short term.
Unfortunately, when porn is used for mood regulation like this, it can lead to further depression. One therapist recounts this experience of a depressed patient dealing with porn addiction:
“At this point, it was clear to me, based on evolving research and years of clinical experience, that Roberto’s porn use, which he engaged in more for emotional regulation than sexual pleasure, was a likely driver of his sexual dysfunction, his relationship struggles, and his depression.”
How to Help Someone Stop Watching Porn
These reasons for watching porn can make quitting seem hopeless. If someone you love is trapped by porn, it may seem like nothing will change their desire for it. But don’t lose heart; at Covenant Eyes, we talk with people every day who decide to confront their reasons for looking at porn and start the journey toward quitting for good. Here are a few steps to help someone stop watching porn.
Educate on the Dangers of Porn
At Covenant Eyes, we’ve spent a lot of time creating free resources to help raise awareness about the problem of porn. Here are just a few that you can share:
- Your Brain on Porn: This ebook looks at five ways porn warps your brain, as well as the Bible’s teaching on how to break free.
- Porn Stats: This compilation of carefully researched statistics identifies the dangers of porn and the impact it’s having on our culture.
- The Benefits of Quitting Porn. This blog post is a helpful summary of the benefits of quitting porn.
Equip With Resources for Quitting Porn
Once you’ve convinced someone that porn is bad, you don’t want to leave them feeling trapped and discouraged! We’ve also put together ebooks, email challenges, and video content that goes through the recovery process. Here is an article summarizing our resources.
1 Vlad Burtăverde, Peter K Jonason, Cezar Giosan, Cristina Ene, “Why Do People Watch Porn? An Evolutionary Perspective on the Reasons for Pornography Consumption,” Evolutionary psychology: an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior, 19 (2021): 14747049211028798. https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049211028798
2 Beáta Bőthe, István Tóth-Király, Nóra Bella, Marc N Potenza, Zsolt Demetrovics, Gábor Orosz, “Why do people watch pornography? The motivational basis of pornography use,” Psychology of addictive behaviors: journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 35 (2021):172–186. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000603
3 The Barna Group, The Porn Phenomenon: The Impact of Pornography in the Digital Age (Ventura, CA: Josh McDowell Ministry, 2016), 43.
4 Wendy and Larry Maltz, The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography (New York: Harper Collins, 2010) 12.
5 Joshua B. Grubbs, Shane W. Kraus, & Samuel L. Perry, “Self-reported addiction to pornography in a nationally representative sample: The roles of use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence,” Journal of behavioral addictions, 8 (2019): 88–93. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.134
6 Jorge Cardoso, Catarina Ramos, José Brito, Telma C. Almeida, “Predictors of Pornography Use: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Loneliness,” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 19 (2022): 620-628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.01.005
7 Cigna Newsworthy, “The Loneliness Epidemic Persists: A Post-Pandemic Look at the State of Loneliness among U.S. Adults,” accessed on October 5, 2022 at https://newsroom.cigna.com/loneliness-epidemic-persists-post-pandemic-look
8 Referenced in Rubén de Alarcón, Javier I. de la Iglesia, Nerea M. Casado, and Angel L. Montejo, “Online Porn Addiction: What We Know and What We Don’t—A Systematic Review,” Journal of clinical medicine, 8 (2019): 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8010091
