Alexandria Digital Research Library

Filthy movies and filthy germs : the link between pathogens and tolerance towards pornography

Author:
Seaman, Christopher Scott
Degree Grantor:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Communication
Degree Supervisor:
Daniel G. Linz
Place of Publication:
[Santa Barbara, Calif.]
Publisher:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Creation Date:
2014
Issued Date:
2014
Topics:
Psychology, Social, Speech Communication, and Psychology, Experimental
Keywords:
Pornography
Evolutionary psychology
Censorship
Pathogens
Communication
Genres:
Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
Dissertation:
Ph.D.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2014
Description:

Censorship has been a heavily investigated topic within the field of Communication, and explanations of why individuals support the censorship of media, particularly pornography, have traditionally relied upon either the third-person effect, or theories of personality, such as authoritarianism. However, recent research within the field of evolutionary psychology has suggested that the generation of particular cultural values have arisen because they indirectly influenced pathogen avoidance. Based upon the parasite model of democratization developed by Thornhill, Fincher and Aran (2009), it was tested whether the reduction of pathogens in decreases authoritarianism and restrictiveness of sexuality, which subsequently decreases support for the censorship of pornography. An analysis of country-level data was undertaken to test whether the historical prevalence of pathogens in a country is related to the legal status of pornography. In addition, an online experiment was administered, in which participants were exposed to either a pathogen prime, a threatening gun prime, or a control. While results did not show a clear link between pathogens and censorship, some interesting results were found.

Physical Description:
1 online resource (123 pages)
Format:
Text
Collection(s):
UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
ARK:
ark:/48907/f3c24tkz
ISBN:
9781321350098
Catalog System Number:
990045117590203776
Rights:
Inc.icon only.dark In Copyright
Copyright Holder:
Christopher Seaman
File Description
Access: Public access
Seaman_ucsb_0035D_12232.pdf pdf (Portable Document Format)