The Relation Between Norm Accessibility, Pornography Use, and Parental Mediation Among Emerging Adults

• In Event: Cutting Edge Research on Parental Mediation of their Children's Media Use

Abstract

Widespread access to and acceptance of pornography has led to concern about effects of exposure to pornography on emerging adults. Because salient social norms can influence subsequent behavior, this study explored the relationship between salient pornography-related norms and pornography use among emerging adults, as well as the relationship between parental mediation of pornography during adolescence and emerging adults’ salient pornography-related norms. Results revealed that accessible close peer descriptive and injunctive peer norms are associated with emerging adults’ pornography use. Results showed that accessible parental injunctive norms attenuate the relationship between accessible peer injunctive norms and pornography use, and accessible parental injunctive norms mediate the relationship between restrictive mediation and pornography use. These findings suggest that peer norms about pornography use may be an important predictor of emerging adults’ pornography use, and parental mediation may be an effective method of transmitting parental norms to adolescents that can persist into emerging adulthood.

Authors

• Eric E Rasmussen, Texas Tech University

• Nancy Rhodes, Ohio State University

• Rebecca R. Ortiz, Texas Tech U

• Shawna R White, Texas Tech U