Research Essay Example essay for CSN

Beals 1 Wesley Beals Instructor Robyn Rohde English 102 12 October 2022 A Black Plague among Teens: Pornography Teenagers today have lots of issues that society is aware of; many of these known and talked about issues are issues such as: educational success, drug use, and social media-induced loneliness. Each of these challenges have people and resources for teens to use so they can avoid and overcome each of these issues. One issue that almost all teens deal with, that society does not seem to recognize as an issue, is the increased access and indulgence in pornography and sexually explicit content. In the instant information age of the modern world, pornography’s prevalence, use, and anonymity has exploded and has been causing many issues among teens (Trumps). Pornography use is starting at a younger and younger age because of the internet; while the numbers slightly vary, most studies agree that the average age of exposure or intentional use of pornography starts at 11 years old which is becoming a normal part of teen life and culture (Trumps; Goldhill). The issues associated with porn-use affect the present and future relationships of these teens and can be damaging to not only them, their families, and friends but society as a whole (Goldhill). Pornography has become such an issue and yet, there are little resources available to help teens understand the effects of pornography and how to overcome it, for those who are already ensnared in bad habits or addiction. More resources and awareness should be given to this problem among youth, above many other issues that teens face, because of the addictive nature of porn, the destruction of budding healthy sexuality and relationships, and the distinct lack of resources and awareness of the issue by society. Beals 2 More resources need to be dedicated to solve this issue because of the addictive capacity pornography has on teens specifically. Pornography preys on the reward pathway in the brain like many harmful drugs like heroin (“How Porn Can”). When the brain sees the sexualized media the brain’s reward pathway triggers the release of dopamine and that rush of dopamine causes the user to feel good (How Porn Can”). The brain remembers this good feeling so that when it is stressed, it can find the easiest way to get that good feeling and it is a self-reinforcing cycle (How Porn Can”). Over time as the user, teen or adult, seeks out and uses pornography, the brain rewires itself and forms a habit; that habit can quickly can spiral into addiction (Goldhill). With the addiction or even the habit comes effects such as, reduced impulse control, reduced healthy sexual response, and a biological need (How Porn Can”). Despite the research, some argue that porn is not as addictive as people claim it to be (Javed; McKee). Some look at pornography as a way for teens and others to experience sexual pleasure without the risks associated with sex such as teen pregnancy and STD’s (McKee). For these people, porn helps teens learn about their bodies, own sexual response, and increase the enjoyment in an intimate relationship (McKee).The problem with that argument is that it disregards the fact that pornography use especially among teens can quickly spiral into bad habits and addiction just like with any addictive drug or behavior (Goldhill). In addition while it does not happen to everyone who views or are exposed to porn, the chances are high especially among teens who have impressionable minds which can lead to a deeper, more-lasting effect (Malamuth). Pornography can even lead to these effects whether it is intentional use or accidental exposure (Goldhill). Pornography use among teens requires more awareness and resources because of the high possibility of developing addiction. Beals 3 Pornography addiction is not the only concern for why awareness and resources need to be dedicated to teen porn-use; porn also destroys teenagers’ capacity for healthy sexuality, relationship, and view on sex. Ashley Trumps, from Texas State University, succinctly stated that pornography, “negatively affects its viewers' sexuality by framing violent sex as normal and enjoyable.” Teens with their impressionable minds, through pornography, come to accept sexual violence and mistreatment as normal and constantly seeing these graphic depictions of sex, they are more and more inclined to mimic the actions depicted in porn (Trumps; Javed). Overall, porn desensitizes the user to sexual violence (Malamuth). While pornography usually is associated with this increase in relationship and sexual violence, it also can cause teens to isolate themselves and induce feelings of fear and anxiety about interacting with the opposite sex (Goldhill). This isolation and anxiety comes from teens wanting to hide their pornography use (Goldhill). This is detrimental to their future success in relationship which leads to more loneliness which further feeds into the pornography habit and addiction (Goldhill). Lastly is the unrealistic expectations for sex that porn creates. In porn everything is staged to be perfect and exciting and when teens see that before they have sex, it can create unrealistic expectations of what sex is and what it is supposed to be (Scrivener). Even with all of these effects, some argue that teens using porn is not anything new; the increases in sexual violence is due to other factors; and that porn can be one of the few resources that teens get about sexual education (“Nothing So New”; Javed). Some even say that porn is sexually empowering men and women (“Nothing So New”). With how pervasive and more violent porn is becoming, researchers are finding correlations with internet porn and relationship violence especially among teens (McKee). In addition, even though more and more teens are looking to porn as their source of sexual education, more research is showing that porn is sexual miseducation rather than constructive Beals 4 education (Trumps). Porn takes sex out of the context of a human relationships and turns something that is about creating intimate connections into being about selfish self-gratification and according to Trumps, “promotes a mindset where people are seen as sexual objects rather than human beings.” Porn is not creating healthy, sexually-mature teens as advocates for porn claim; it is creating lustful, sexually-ignorant teens (Trumps). Pornography needs more awareness and resources for teens because of porn’s destruction on healthy sexuality and relationships. Teen pornography use needs more resources and awareness because there are insufficient resources and awareness on the issue of teen pornography use. This lack of resources and awareness stems from a lack of research on the topic. Teenage pornography usage research is extremely limited (Konner). Konner shared this, “We all worry about how internet pornography and other sexualizing influences affect children. But good research on the causes and consequences of that exposure is hard to come by.” Experimental research is hard to preform due to the sensitive nature of the subject as well as obvious and understandable ethical concern (Konner). That leaves researchers with only doing studies which are helpful for noticing patterns and correlations, but not proving definitive relationships (Konner). With only patterns and not definitive relationships, researchers can only offer speculative conclusions as to the full extent of the effects of porn use on teens. With the limits on the research and the lack of completely definitive conclusions, many people draw different conclusions about the effects of pornography on teens and thus, these varying conclusions prevent more resources being dedicated to helping teens against porn (Malamuth). Teens’ sexual education is also not covering pornography and its effects; this distinct lack of education does not help teens understand how to avoid porn and how to overcome it when they do come across it (Pitman). Most importantly is Beals 5 the lack of parental involvement and teaching about porn or sexual education. Teens through studies have said that at least 57 percent have been exposed to or use pornography on a daily basis but when parents were asked if they thought that teens were exposed or use pornography and only 16 percent said yes (Scrivener). Parents are also not monitoring or knowing what their children and teens are viewing online. According to a study from Sonya Thompson, a graduate student from the University of Alberta and trainer of sex-ed instructors, “only 16 percent of the teens reported any monitoring of their Internet use (Pitman). With parents oblivious of the situation with their teens and what they face, this limits the most valuable resource that teens have to overcome and learn about porn and what it does. Parents, in multiple studies, were one of the massive helpers in lowering a teens chance for engaging in teenage sex but that same tread also applies to teen’s interest in pornography (Pitman). With the lack of resources and mentors, teens are often blindsided and unprepared to deal with pornography and the accompanying sexual response when it comes before them and porn eventually becomes what teens use for their sexual education and relationship advice (Goldhill). That is dangerous. More resources and awareness must be given to teens to fight pornography because the lack of those things for them. Teenage pornography use needs more awareness and resources to fight against it because of pornography’s addictive capacity, pornography’s destruction of healthy human sexuality and relationships, and the lack of resources available to help teens. Pornography can easily entrap a teen in addiction because it hijacks the reward pathway in the brain and makes a deep mark on the impressionable young mind. Pornography often depicts sexual violence and when it does not, it set unrealistic expectations for sex and relationship that can normalize sexual violence for teens or cause them to retreat from the prospects of relationships. Finally, with limits in the research, lack of sexual education on the topic, and lack of parental involvement, teens are not Beals 6 properly equipped to deal with the sexually-saturated world that the world has become and easily puts them at a disadvantage when fighting pornography. Society needs to better prepare the teens of today for their future relationships and helping them develop a healthy attitude of sexuality. As society better equips teens for the issues associated with pornography, teens will be a force for good for themselves, their families now and in the future, and society as a whole. The future can be brighter as we prepare teens for the darkness of pornography earlier in life.