Characteristics of Pornography Film Actors: Self-Report versus Perceptions of College Students

Abstract

The assumed characteristics of individuals in the adult entertainment industry have been used to advocate positions for and against pornography. Although prior studies have investigated perceptions of porn actors, no data on the actual characteristics of this group exist. The present study compared the self-reports of 105 male and 177 female porn actors to the perceptions of 399 college students on childhood sexual abuse (CSA), self-esteem, work and non-work sexual behaviors, and safe sex issues. College students were asked to identify the characteristics associated with either a male or female porn star. College students provided underestimates for both female and male porn actors on self-esteem, age of first intercourse, lifetime number of partners outside of work, ideal experience in a romantic partner, concerns regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), enjoyment of sex, and condom use during a first time sexual encounter, but overestimated earnings. Additional differences among male porn stars included an underestimate of the number of partners at work. For female porn stars, college students underestimated their enjoyment of work, the probability of catching an STD, and having unprotected sex. Although there were no significant differences on perceived rates of childhood abuse of porn actors, the incidence of CSA among the porn actor participants were within the ranges of the general population. The majority of college student stereotypes were not supported regarding the perceptions of porn actors. These findings were discussed within the context of attributing unfounded characteristics of individuals to an entire industry.

Trust, Sexual Trust, and Sexual Health: An Interrogative Review

“…Understanding of sexual trust in erotic film actors-in terms of on-screen partners, off-screen partners, and romantic partners-has some basis in popular culture literature and autobiographical stories of performers. Despite some literature to address issues of mental health and sexual well-being among performers (Griffith, Hayworth, Adams, Mitchell, & Hart, 2013;Griffith, Mitchell, Hart, Adams, & Gu, 2013), none address sexual and dyadic trust in ways comparable to that based on other categories of sex worker. Occupational safety regulations to require condom use in erotic films raises other questions about how sexual trust interacts with professional and nonprofessional condomless sex, lending practical significance to the topic (McKee, 2016).…”

Profil sociodémographique et psychosexuel des acteur.trices dans les films pornographiques : Un examen de la portée.

“…Presque toutes les études ont documenté l’orientation sexuelle de leurs participant.es. Dans la moitié de ces études, la grande majorité des acteur.trices étaient hétérosexuel.les (Coyne et al, 2009; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2012; Grudzen et al, 2009; Hill et al, 2009; King & Evans, 2020) alors que dans les autres, la majorité des acteur.trices étaient bisexuel.les (Griffith, Adams, Hart, & Mitchell, 2012; Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2013). Toutefois, ces dernières études ont toutes été menées auprès de la même population d’acteur.trices.…”

“…Dans cinq études, la grande majorité des acteur.trices étaient hétérosexuel.es (92 % à 97 %; Coyne et al, 2009; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2012; Grudzen et al, 2009; Hill et al, 2009; King & Evans, 2020). Dans quatre autres études, la majorité des actrices étaient bisexuelles (66 %; Griffith, Adams, Hart, & Mitchell, 2012; Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2013). Au sein d’une étude chez les actrices trans, la majorité était pansexuelle (Role, 2017).…”

“…Six études ont rapporté des données quant aux traumas subis par les acteur.trices pornographiques (Dennis, 2007; Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2013; Grudzen et al, 2009, 2011). Environ 37 % des actrices et 11 % des acteurs ont rapporté avoir subi des agressions sexuelles pendant l’enfance ou l’adolescence (Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2013; Grudzen et al, 2011).…”

“…Treize études ont documenté les comportements sexuels adoptés par les acteur.trices pornographiques (Coyne et al, 2009; Goldstein et al, 2011; Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2012, 2013; Grudzen et al, 2009, 2011, 2013; Hill et al, 2009; Javanbakht et al, 2017; King et Evans, 2020; Rodriguez-Hart et al, 2012). Les acteur.trices pornographiques de ces études ont rapporté avoir eu des relations sexuelles à un âge significativement plus jeune que les non-acteur.trices (Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013; Griffith, Hayworth, et al, 2013; Griffith, Mitchell, et al, 2012, 2013; Grudzen et al, 2011, 2013). En comparant les actrices hétérosexuelles à celles bisexuelles, ces dernières ont rapporté avoir eu des relations sexuelles à un âge significativement plus jeune ( M = 15 ans vs. M = 16 ans; Griffith, Hammond, et al, 2013).…”