The terrifying effect porn is having on men's sex lives

It often feels like porn is maligned almost as much as it's enjoyed. And a new study isn't about to buck that trend.

Researchers are arguing that the way sex is represented might influence how we perceive and understand it ourselves. They also found evidence that pornography could perpetuate completely unrealistic standards and expectations when it comes to experiencing or achiving an orgasm.

While gathering data for the 'Consuming Ecstasy' study, researchers watched PornHub’s 50 most viewed videos (someone’s got to do it) and analysed them for how many orgasms men and woman had, how they had them, and the visual indicators of the orgasm.

The researchers found that only 10 per cent of women were shown reaching orgasm, compared to 78 per cent of men.

The women in the videos mostly orgasmed through vaginal intercourse – despite research showing that only a quarter of women orgasm in this way.

The study’s corresponding author, Léa J. Séguin of the University of Quebec, told PsyPost:

Women’s orgasms were almost always brought on by vaginal (i.e., internal) or anal stimulation without any additional clitoral stimulation (in the real world, this trend is reversed).

She concluded that:

The main takeaways are 1) that mainstream porn does reflect/perpetuate unrealistic expectations in relation to women’s orgasm and men’s sexual performance, and 2) that the assumption that women are always shown reaching orgasm in porn is only a myth.

The vast majority of the women in the sampled videos were NOT shown reaching orgasm at all (less than 1 out of 5 women were shown reaching orgasm, compared to almost 4 out of 5 men).

The study, which was published in the Journal of Sex Research, also concluded: "As a result, representations of male and female orgasm in mainstream pornography may serve to perpetuate unrealistic beliefs and expectations in relation to female orgasm and male sexual performance."

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