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Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867614068272005120 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Theron, Shirah |
| author2 | Palk, Andrea |
| author_browse | Palk, Andrea Theron, Shirah |
| author_facet | Palk, Andrea Theron, Shirah |
| author_sort | Theron, Shirah |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126919 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:09.042Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126919 Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance Theron, Shirah Palk, Andrea Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. Pornography -- Social aspects Compulsive behavior Substance abuse Sex -- Philosophy Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the dawn of the internet, pornography has effectively become ubiquitous, pervasive, and increasingly normalised. Study findings show remarkable similarities in how the brain reacts to pornography, and other known addictive substances, and indicate that consuming pornography is comparable to consuming other known addictive substances. Moreover, two of the biggest risk factors for addiction are the substance’s availability and its easy accessibility, particularly in the case of younger persons. To date, pornography addiction has been conceptualised as a behavioural addiction. However, the body of research data on pornography addiction does not provide conclusive support for behavioural addiction. The aim of this thesis is to put forward the idea that pornography can, and should, be conceptualised as an addictive substance, and, that when pornography is consumed, an addictive substance is consumed. In order to support this claim, there are many factors that must be addressed. I first clarify what pornography entails by exploring how it is conceptualised, what pornography ‘does’, and what it means to be a pornography consumer. Secondly, I examine the conceptualisations of substances, substance consumption and addiction, respectively, as well as the subsequent difference between substance and behavioural addiction. Thirdly, I give an inclusive overview of pornography addiction by not only examining the most recent perspectives of researchers, but also of pornography consumers. I conclude by suggesting how we should go about conceptualising pornography addiction, and then propose how the set of diagnostic criteria for pornography use disorder should be formulated for a future iteration of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. I argue that, given the abundance of academic research on substance addiction, compared to the scarcity of research on behavioural addiction, conceptualising pornography as an addictive substance is more likely to create a sense of urgency for the future research of pornography addiction than would be the case if it is considered a potential behavioural addiction. Furthermore, I argue that the classification of pornography as an addictive substance, and the inclusion of pornography use disorder in a future iteration of the DSM, will raise awareness of the potential adverse effects of pornography consumption and, therefore, the harmful consequences of pornography use disorder. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die ontstaan van die internet is pornografie in effek alomteenwoordig en deurdringend, en word toenemend genormaliseer. Studiebevindings toon merkwaardige ooreenkomste tussen breinreaksies op pornografie en ander bekende verslawende middels en dui daarop dat die verbruik van pornografie vergelykbaar is met die verbruik van ander bekende verslawende middels. Boonop is twee van die grootste risikofaktore vir verslawing die beskikbaarheid en die maklike toegang tot die middel, veral in die geval van jonger persone. Tot op hede is pornografieverslawing gekonseptualiseer as ‘n gedragsverslawing. Die navorsingsdata oor pornografieverslawing bied egter nie onomstootlike ondersteuning vir pornografie as gedragsverslawing nie. Hierdie tesis het ten doel om voor te stel dat pornografie as ‘n verslawende middel gekonseptualiseer kan en behoort te word en dat wanneer pornografie verbruik word, ‘n verslawende middel verbruik word. Om hierdie bewering te staaf, is daar verskeie faktore wat aangespreek moet word. Ek verduidelik eers wat pornografie behels deur toe te lig hoe dit gekonseptualiseer word, wat pornografie ‘doen’ en wat dit beteken om ‘n pornografieverbruiker te wees. Tweedens ondersoek ek die konseptualisering van middels, middelverbruik en verslawing onderskeidelik, asook die gevolglike verskil tussen middel- en gedragsverslawing. Derdens gee ek ‘n inklusiewe oorsig van pornografieverslawing deur nie net die mees onlangse perspektiewe van navorsers te bestudeer nie, maar ook dié van pornografieverbruikers. Ter afsluiting doen ek voorstelle aan die hand vir die konseptualisering van pornografieverslawing en die formulering vir die diagnostiese kriteria vir pornografiegebruiksversteuring vir toekomstige uitgawes van die Amerikaanse Psigiatriese Vereniging se Diagnostiese en Statistiese Handleiding van Geestesversteurings. Gegewe die oorvloed van akademiese navorsing oor middelverslawing, in vergelyking met die skrale navorsing oor gedragsverslawing, argumenteer ek dat die konseptualisering van pornografie as ‘n verslawende middel ‘n sterker gevoel van dringendheid vir die toekomstige navorsing van pornografieverslawing kan skep, in teenstelling met wanneer dit as ‘n potensiële gedragsverslawing geklassifiseer word. Verder kan die oorweging van pornografie as ‘n verslawende middel, asook die insluiting van pornografiegebruiksversteuring in toekomstige uitgawes van die Diagnostiese en Statistiese Handleiding, bewustheid van die potensiële nadelige gevolge van pornografieverbruik aanwakker. Masters 2023-01-24T22:14:23Z 2023-05-18T06:55:49Z 2023-01-24T22:14:23Z 2023-05-18T06:55:49Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126919 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University 85 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Pornography -- Social aspects Compulsive behavior Substance abuse Sex -- Philosophy Theron, Shirah Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title | Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title_full | Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title_fullStr | Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title_short | Pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| title_sort | pornography conceptualised as an addictive substance |
| topic | Pornography -- Social aspects Compulsive behavior Substance abuse Sex -- Philosophy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126919 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT theronshirah pornographyconceptualisedasanaddictivesubstance |