Relationship Between Atypical Sexual Fantasies, Behavior, and Pornography Consumption

Paraphilia is a condition in which the sexual excitement relies on fantasizing and/or participating in unusual sexual behaviors although the line between “normal” and “abnormal” has been disputed. The project aimed to explore which sexual fantasies and behaviors are common and uncommon in the general population. Furthermore, the relationship between sexual fantasies, sexual behaviors, and problematic pornography consumption was examined. Finally, the impact of gender was assessed. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 139 participants. Correlations were found between fantasies, behaviors, and problematic pornography consumption. Furthermore, gender differences were found for both sexual fantasies and problematic pornography consumption. Finally, multiple regression revealed that age, gender [Men], fantasies, and behaviors were significant predictor of problematic pornography consumption. Those findings are in-line with previous studies which highlighted that the threshold to consider a sexual practice as being abnormal needs to be reconsidered on the basis of self-reported fantasies and behaviors in the general population.