Below are the highlights of this survey's results, along with the total number of respondents. The survey participants were viewers of "American Porn" and/or visitors to the Web site who answered the questions over the first few months following the original February 2002 broadcast.
10453
respondents
Sex of the respondents
male 80% (8454)
female 17% (1792)
Age group of the respondents
18 - 20 years 11% (1161)
21 - 30 years 31% (3281)
31 - 40 years 29% (3081)
41 - 50 years 15% (1619)
51 - 60 years 7% (756)
61 - 70 years 2% (227)
71 or older 1% (118)
How often have you viewed sexual images in the past month?
Not once, and I have never before 3% (315)
Not once, but I have in the past 20% (2119)
One or two times 16% (1768)
Once a week 10% (1138)
A few times a week 27% (2851)
Once a day 9% (953)
Several times a day 10% (1126)
If you use pornography, how much time per week did you spend on it during the past month?
I did not use porn during the past month 11% (1195)
Less than one hour 18% (1968)
1-5 hours 37% (3889)
6-15 hours 16% (1708)
16-25 hours 6% (690)
26-50 hours 3% (395)
More than 50 hours 3% (337)
· The top five feelings expressed about porn
86%
It can educate people
72%
It offers a harmless outlet for unconventional or other private fantasies
68%
It can lead to more open attitudes about (one's own) sexuality
55%
It can improve relationships
49%
It is offensive and degrading
· Why do you use porn? (top five answers)
72%
To masturbate/for physical release
69%
To sexually arouse myself and/or others
54%
Out of curiosity
43%
Because I can fantasize about things I would not necessarily want in real life
38%
To distract myself
· Why do you think other people use porn? (top five answers)
87%
Out of curiosity
83%
To masturbate/for physical release
82%
To sexually arouse themselves and/or others
77%
To entertain themselves
65%
Because they don't have a sexual partner
· If you used porn, how do you feel about this?
80%
I am fine with my porn use
30%
I feel bad while I'm using porn
19%
I am fine with it, but my partner doesn't (or would not) like me using porn
16%
I feel bad after using porn
9%
I have tried to stop using it but I can't
· If you used pornography in the past, but not anymore, why do you not use it anymore? (top five answers)
4%
Other reasons
4%
I got bored with it
2%
Change in life circumstances (new job, new relationship, children)
2%
It led from bad to worse (e.g., I became "addicted")
1%
It was starting to affect my relationships with others, my work, or other activities
· If you have never used pornography, why not? (top five answers)
3%
It is offensive and degrading
2%
I am not interested in it
2%
It goes against my values
1%
It violates my religious principles
1%
It confirms stereotypes of men, women, and/or of what sex really is about
Why do you think people use porn? Is porn something bad, something good, or can it be both? The following survey asked readers of this "American Porn" site about these issues. In addition, if they were willing to, readers could answer a few questions about whether they used porn themselves, and why or why not.
Click here to read the results of the survey which was conducted over a two month period following FRONTLINE's first broadcast of "American Porn" in February 2002.
This survey was prepared by researchers at The Kinsey Institute, an international leader in scholarship, teaching and service in sexuality, gender and reproduction. The results of the survey will help inform the scientific community and policymakers about the opinions and attitudes of the American people regarding the use of porn.
Please note, by the word "porn" we mean all depictions of erotic behavior or materials with an explicit sexual theme (for example, pictures, movies, or stories).
