Shane W. Kraus and Kris Gunawan (both Psychology) along with UNLV professor emeritus (Sociology) Barbara Brents, coauthored a new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine examining generational and gender differences in pornography use.

Led by former UNLV doctoral student Bailey Way, now an assistant professor at Southern Utah University, the research analyzed survey data from 1,284 U.S. adults who reported recent pornography use. Findings revealed that younger generations reported earlier exposure to pornography, more frequent and longer viewing, and higher levels of problematic pornography use compared to older generations.

Notably, among Generation Z participants, researchers found no statistically significant gender differences in the age of first pornography exposure or the age when regular viewing began, suggesting a narrowing historical gender gap in pornography exposure.

The findings highlight changing patterns of pornography consumption and underscore the importance of developmentally appropriate sexual health education, media literacy, and prevention efforts.