No Consensus Among American Public on the Effects of Pornography on Adults or Children or What Government Should Do About It, According to Harris Poll

No Consensus Among American Public on the Effects of Pornography on Adults or Children or What Government Should Do About It, According to Harris Poll

Majority of Women, But Not of Men, Favors Government Regulations

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A Harris Poll finds that the public is divided on the subject of pornography and what, if anything should be done about it. The poll also shows that women are generally much more critical of pornography than men. As a result, a small majority of women, but not of men, favors government regulation of pornography on the Internet (if that were possible).

These are the results of a Harris Interactive(R) survey of 2,555 U.S. adults conducted online between September 20 and 26, 2004.

Among the more interesting findings of this research are:

* About half of all adults believe that pornography "raises men's expectation of how women should look" (51%) and that it "changes men's expectations of how women should behave" (48%). However, women are much more likely than men to believe these (62% vs. 40% and 58% vs. 37%, respectively).

* Two out of five adults (40%) believe that pornography "harms relationships between men and women" with this view also held by a higher percentage of women (47%) than men (33%).

* Almost half of all adults (48%) believe that "pornography is demeaning towards women" but this view is more widely held by women (57%) than by men (38%).

* There is no consensus on the impact of pornography on children but most people, including both men and women, think the effects are mainly negative. When asked which one phrase best describes their beliefs about the impact of pornography on "children who see a lot of it," 30 percent of adults say "it distorts boys' expectation and understanding of women and sex," 25 percent say "it makes kids more likely to have sex earlier" and another seven percent say "it distorts girls' body images and ideas about sex." Very few people say that "it helps kids better understand sexuality" (2%).

What Government Should Do

When it comes to the role of government, the most widely endorsed position is that the government should "regulate Internet pornography specifically so that children cannot access X-rated material online" (42%). Whether this would be possible is debatable, but it is the preferred policy of 53 percent of women and 30 percent of men.

The remainder are divided between the following:

* Twenty-three percent believe "whether one likes it or not people should have full access to pornography under the Constitution's First Amendment."

* Thirteen percent believe "the government should regulate pornography in a similar way to how cigarettes are regulated -- with warning labels and restrictions so that harm is minimized."

* Ten percent think "the government has no role with regard to pornography."

* Only one percent says their preferred policy would be for "government to fully legalize all forms of pornography."

TABLE 1 SOME AFFECTS OF PORNOGRAPHY

"Do you agree or disagree that pornography has any of the following affects on the people who look at it?"

Base: All Adults Total

Agree Disagree Not sure/Refused

Raises men's % expectations 51 26 22 of how women should look

Changes % men's expectations 48 29 23 of how women should behave

Harms % relationship 40 33 27 between men and women

Improves the % sex life of 22 36 42 people who look at it

Men

Agree Disagree Not sure/Refused

Raises men's % expectations 40 38 21 of how women should look

Changes % men's expectations 37 41 22 of how women should behave

Harms % relationship 33 43 25 between men and women

Improves the % sex life of 28 29 42 people who look at it

Women

Agree Disagree Not sure/Refused

Raises men's % expectations 62 15 23 of how women should look

Changes % men's expectations 58 17 24 of how women should behave

Harms % relationship 47 24 29 between men and women

Improves the % sex life of 17 43 40 people who look at it

Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 2 THOSE WHO AGREE WITH TWO STATEMENTS

"How much do you agree with the following statements?" Percent saying they strongly or somewhat disagree

Base: All Adults Gender Total Male Female

All men look at pornography % 47 46 48

Pornography is demeaning towards women % 27 34 20

TABLE 3 IMPACT OF PORNOGRAPHY ON CHILDREN WHO SEE IT A LOT

"Which one of the following statements best describes your opinion about the impact of pornography on children who see a lot of it?"

Base: All Adults

Gender Total Male Female % % %

It distorts boys' expectations 30 27 34 and understanding of women and sex

It makes kids more likely to 25 24 26 have sex earlier than they might otherwise

It distorts girls' body images 7 4 9 and ideas about sex

It makes kids more likely to 6 8 4 look at pornography when they are adults

It helps kids better understand 2 3 1 sexuality

None of these 9 10 7

Not sure / refused 21 24 19

Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 4 WHAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO

"Which one of the following statements best reflects your opinion about what the government should do about pornography?"

Base: All Adults

Gender Total Male Female % % % The government needs to regulate Internet pornography specifically so 42 30 53 that children cannot access X-rated material.

Whether one likes it or not, people should have full access to pornography 23 32 14 under the Constitution's First Amendment.

The government should regulate pornography in a similar way to how cigarettes are regulated -- 13 12 13 with warning labels and restrictions so that harm is minimized.

The government has no role 10 11 8 with regard to pornography.

The government should fully legalize all forms of 1 1 * pornography.

Not sure / refused 12 13 12

Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

Methodology

The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between September 20 and 26, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 2,555 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

In theory, with probability samples of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.

Note: Harris Interactive was not commissioned to conduct this survey. However, in developing the questions we worked with Pamela Paul, an author who has written a book about the subject.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

J22091 Q550, Q555, Q560, Q565, Q570

About Harris Interactive(R)

Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/) is the 13th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, perhaps best known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering and engineering Internet-based research methods. The Rochester, New York-based global research company blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application, conducting proprietary and public research globally to help clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

Blending science and art, Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital and one of the world's largest online panels of respondents, with premier Internet survey technology and sophisticated research methods to market leadership through its U.S., Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe) and Asia offices, its wholly owned subsidiary, Novatris in Paris (http://www.novatris.com/), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, go to http://www.harrispollonline.com/.

Contacts:

Nancy Wong Harris Interactive 585-214-7316

Kelly Gullo Harris Interactive 585-214-7172

Harris Interactive Inc. 10/05

The Harris Poll(R) #76, October 7, 2005 By Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive.

Source: Harris Interactive

CONTACT: Nancy Wong, +1-585-214-7316, or Kelly Gullo, +1-585-214-7172, both of Harris Interactive

Web site: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe http://www.novatris.com/

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