“Is Internet Pornography Causing Sexual Dysfunctions? A Review with Clinical Reports” – Excerpt analyzing Prause et al., 2015

Excerpt analyzing Prause et al., 2015


A 2015 EEG study by Prause et al. compared frequent viewers of Internet pornography (mean 3.8 h/week) who were distressed about their viewing to controls (mean 0.6 h/week) as they viewed sexual images (1.0 s exposure) [130]. In a finding that parallels Kühn and Gallinat, frequent Internet pornography viewers exhibited less neural activation (LPP) to sexual images than controls [130]. The results of both studies suggest that frequent viewers of Internet pornography require greater visual stimulation to evoke brain responses when compared with healthy controls or moderate Internet pornography users [167,168]. In addition, Kühn and Gallinat reported that higher Internet pornography use correlated with lower functional connectivity between the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. Dysfunction in this circuitry has been related to inappropriate behavioral choices regardless of potential negative outcome [169]. In line with Kühn and Gallinat, neuropsychological studies report that subjects with higher tendency towards cybersex addiction have reduced executive control function when confronted with pornographic material [53,114].

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  1. […] repeatedly discredited in the peer-reviewed literature (2013: 1, 2, 3, 4. 5.; 2015: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, […]

  2. […] Prause’s findings also align with Banca et al. 2015 which is #6 above. Moreover, another EEG study found that greater porn use in women correlated with less brain activation to porn. Lower EEG readings mean that subjects are paying less attention to the pictures. Put simply, frequent porn users were desensitized to static images of vanilla porn. They were bored (habituated or desensitized). Five peer-reviewed papers agree with this extensive critique that this study actually found desensitization/habituation in frequent porn users: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. […]

  3. […] 13) Modulation of Late Positive Potentials by Sexual Images in Problem Users and Controls Inconsistent with “Porn Addiction” (2015) – Another SPAN Lab EEG study comparing the 2013 subjects from the above study to an actual control group. The results: compared to controls “compulsive porn users” had less response to photos of vanilla porn. Ignoring all the other studies on this page, lead author Nicole Prause, boldly claims that her results “debunked porn addiction”. What legitimate scientist would claim that their lone anomalous study has debunked an entire field of study?  In reality, the findings of Prause et al. 2015 align perfectly with Kühn & Gallinat (2014), which found that more porn use correlated with less brain activation in response to pictures of vanilla porn. Prause’s findings also align with Banca et al. 2015 which is #4 in this list. Moreover, another EEG study found that greater porn use in women correlated with less brain activation to porn. Lower EEG readings mean that subjects are paying less attention to the pictures. Put simply, frequent porn users were desensitized to static images of vanilla porn. They were bored. Read an extensive critique here. Five peer-reviewed papers have stated that this study actually found desensitization or habituation in frequent porn users – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. […]

  4. […] 13) Modulation of Late Positive Potentials by Sexual Images in Problem Users and Controls Inconsistent with “Porn Addiction” (2015) – Another SPAN Lab EEG study comparing the 2013 subjects from the above study to an actual control group. The results: compared to controls “compulsive porn users” had less response to photos of vanilla porn. Ignoring all the other studies on this page, lead author Nicole Prause, boldly claims that her results “debunked porn addiction”. What legitimate scientist would claim that their lone anomalous study has debunked an entire field of study?  In reality, the findings of Prause et al. 2015 align perfectly with Kühn & Gallinat (2014), which found that more porn use correlated with less brain activation in response to pictures of vanilla porn. Prause’s findings also align with Banca et al. 2015 which is #4 in this list. Moreover, another EEG study found that greater porn use in women correlated with less brain activation to porn. Lower EEG readings mean that subjects are paying less attention to the pictures. Put simply, frequent porn users were desensitized to static images of vanilla porn. They were bored. Read an extensive critique here. Five peer-reviewed papers agree with this critique of the study – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. […]

  5. […] “Is Internet Pornography Causing Sexual Dysfunctions? A Review with Clinical Reports” – Ex… […]

  6. […] become aroused. Five peer-reviewed papers agree with this analysis of the study – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Read an extensive critique […]

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