Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T09:03:12.115Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

8 - The Sexy Side of the Internet: An Examination of Sexual Activities and Materials in Cyberspace

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

By
Monica T. Whitty  and
William A. Fisher
Edited by
Azy Barak
Monica T. Whitty
Affiliation:
Nottingham Trent University
William A. Fisher
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Azy Barak
Affiliation:
University of Haifa, Israel
Get access

Summary

“Every technological innovation creates deviant as well as respectable possibilities” (Edgley & Kiser, 1981, p. 59). Edgley and Kiser (1981) were referring to “Polaroid sex,” that is, instant photography methods used to create homemade pornography. A quarter of a century later, this statement may equally be applied to the Internet. Ever since the beginnings of the World Wide Web, people have engaged in online sexual activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, cybersex, hot chatting, locating others to have sex with offline, seeking information or advice about sexual health, romance and relationships, downloading pornography, and purchasing erotic materials.

In this chapter, we explore the many types of available online sexual activities and the types of people who engage in these activities. We also examine the pros and cons of the sexy side of the Internet. On the one hand, we argue that the Internet can be used to explore one's sexuality, but on the other, some people become too obsessed with engaging in online sexual activities. Importantly, the Internet can also be used to educate both adolescents and adults about sexual issues. Finally, this chapter turns to examine the future of online sexual activities.

The Beginnings of Internet Sex

People have been engaging in Internet sexual activities since its inception. Although at first individuals were limited to textual exchanges, many found no difficulties with talking “dirty” online and reconstructing the body online.

Type
Chapter
Information
Psychological Aspects of Cyberspace
Theory, Research, Applications
 , pp. 185 - 208
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abel, G. G., Becker, J. V., & Mittleman, M. S. (1985). Sex offenders. Paper presented at the 11th annual meeting of the International Academy of Sex Research, Seattle, WA.Google Scholar
Acker, L. E., Goldwater, B. C., & Dyson, W. H. (1992). AIDS proofing your kids: A step-by-step guide. Pickering, Ontario: Mattacchione.Google Scholar
Alexander, J. (2002). Homo-pages and queer sites: Studying the construction and representation of queer identities on the World-Wide Web. International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, 7, 85–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Altice, F. L., Mostashari, F., & Friedland, G. H. (2001). Trust and the acceptance of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 28, 47–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barak, A., & Fisher, W. A. (1997). Effects of interactive computer erotica on men's attitudes and behavior toward women: An experimental study. Computers in Human Behavior, 13, 353–369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barak, A., & Fisher, W. A. (2001). Towards an Internet-based, theoretically driven, innovative approach to sexuality education. Journal of Sex Research, 38, 324–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barak, A., & Fisher, W. A. (2002). The future of Internet sexuality. In Cooper, A. (Ed.), Sex and the Internet: A guide for clinicians (pp. 263–280). New York: Bruner-Routledge.Google Scholar
Barak, A., & Fisher, W. A. (2003). Experience with an Internet-based, theoretically grounded educational resource for the promotion of sexual and reproductive health. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18, 293–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barak, A., Fisher, W. A., Belfry, S., & Lashambe, D. R. (1999). Sex, guys, and cyberspace. Effects of Internet pornography and individual differences on men's attitudes toward women. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 11, 63–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Basson, R., Berman, J., Burnett, A, Derogatis, L., Ferguson, D., Fourcroy, J.. (2000). Report of the international consensus development conference on female sexual dysfunction: Definitions and classifications. Journal of Urology, 163, 888–893.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Basson, R., Leiblum, S., Brotto, L., Derogatis, L., Fourcroy, J., Fugl-Meyer, K.. (2004). Revised definitions of women's sexual dysfunction. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 1, 40–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bay-Cheng, L. Y. (2001). SexEd.Com: Values and norms in Web-based sexuality education. Journal of Sex Research, 38, 241–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, J., & Stein, R. M. (1991). Is sexual erotica associated with sexual deviance in adolescent males? International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 14, 85–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benotsch, E. G., Kalichman, S., & Cage, M. (2004). Men who have met sex partners via the Internet: Prevalence, predictors, and implications for HIV prevention. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31, 173–188.Google Scholar
Black, A., Francoeur, D., & Rowe, T. (2004a). Canadian contraception consensus: Part 1. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 143, 143–156.Google Scholar
Black, A., Francoeur, D., & Rowe, T. (2004b). Canadian contraception consensus: Part 2. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 43, 219–236.Google Scholar
Black, A., Francoeur, D., & Rowe, T. (2004c). Canadian contraception consensus: Part 3. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 143, 347–387.Google Scholar
Bogaert, A. F. (1993). The sexual media: The role of individual differences. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.Google Scholar
Bogaert, A. F. (2001). Personality, individual differences, and preferences for the sexual media. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 30, 29–53.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Byrne, D., Kelley, K., & Fisher, W. A. (1993). Unwanted teenage pregnancies: Incidence, interpretation, intervention. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 2, 101–113.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chiasson, M. A., Parsons, J. T., Tesoriero, J. M., Carballo-Dieguez, A., Hirshfield, S., & Remien, R. H. (2006). HIV behavioral research online. Journal of Urban Health, 83, 73–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, A. (1998). Sexuality and the Internet surfing into the new millennium. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1, 187–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, A. (2000). Cybersex and sexual compulsivity: The dark side of the force. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 7, 1–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, A., Delmonico, D. L., & Burg, R. (2000). Cybersex users, abusers, and compulsives: New findings and implications. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 7, 5–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, A., Scherer, C. R., Bois, S. C., & Gordon, B. I. (1999). Sexuality on the Internet: From sexual exploration to pathological expression. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 30, 154–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, A., Scherer, C., & Marcus, I. D. (2002). Harnessing the power of the Internet to improve sexual relationships. In Cooper, A. (Ed.), Sex & the Internet: A guidebook for clinicians (pp. 209–230). New York: Brunner-Routledge.Google Scholar
Dahlquist, J. P., & Vigilant, L. G. (2004). Way better than real: Manga sex to tentacle hentai. In Waskul, D. D. (Ed.), Net.sex: Readings on sex, pornography, and the Internet (pp. 91–103). New York: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
D'Amato, A. (2006). Porn up, rape down. Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 913013. Retrieved June 15, 2007, from http://ssrn.com/abstract=913013.
Daneback, K., Ross, M. K., & Månsson, S.-A. (2006). Characteristics and behaviors of sexual compulsives who use the Internet for sexual purposes. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 13, 53–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dybul, M., Fauci, A. S., Bartlett, J. G., Kaplan, J. E., & Pau, A. K. (2002). Guidelines for using antiretroviral agents among HIV-infected adults and adolescents. Annals of Internal Medicine, 137, 381–433.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Edgley, C., & Kiser, K. (1981). Polaroid sex: Deviant possibilities in a technological age. Journal of American Culture, 5, 59–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elmer-Dewitt, P. (1995). On a screen near you: Cyberporn. Time, 146, 1.Google Scholar
Emmers-Sommer, T. M., & Burns, R. J. (2005). The relationship between exposure to Internet pornography and sexual attitudes toward women. Journal of Online Behavior, 1(4). Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.behavior.net/JOB/v1n4/emmers-sommer.html.Google Scholar
Eysenck, H. J. (1978). Sex and personality. London: Sphere.Google Scholar
Fisher, J. D., & Fisher, W. A. (1992). Changing AIDS risk behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 455–474.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fisher, J. D., & Fisher, W. A. (2000). Theoretical approaches to individual level change in HIV risk behavior. In Peteson, J., & DiClemente, R. (Eds.), Handbook of HIV prevention (pp. 3–55). New York: Plenum.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, J. D., Fisher, W. A., Amico, K. R., & Harman, J. J. (2006). An information-motivation-behavioral skills model of adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Health Psychology, 25, 462–473.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fisher, W. A., & Barak, A. (1991). Pornography, erotica, and behaviour: More questions than answers. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 14, 65–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fisher, W. A., & Barak, A. (2001). Internet pornography: A social psychological perspective on Internet sexuality. Journal of Sex Research, 38, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, W. A., & Boroditsky, R. (2000). Sexual activity, contraceptive choice, and reproductive health risk among single Canadian women aged 15–19: additional findings from the Canadian contraceptive study. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 9(2), 79–93.Google Scholar
Fisher, W. A., Boroditsky, R. B., & Morris, B. (2004a). Canadian contraception study 2002: Part II. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 26, 646–656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, W. A., Boroditsky, R. B., & Morris, B. (2004b). The 2002 Canadian contraception study: Part I. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 26, 580–590.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, W. A., & Byrne, D. (1978). Individual differences in affective, evaluative, and behavioral responses to an erotic film. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 8, 355–365.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, W. A., & Fisher, J. D. (1993). A general social psychological model for changing AIDS risk behavior. In Pryor, J. & Reeder, G. (Eds.), The social psychology of HIV infection (pp. 127–153). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Fisher, W. A., & Fisher, J. D. (1999). Understanding and promoting sexual and reproductive health behavior. In Rosen, R., Davis, C., & Ruppel, H. (Eds.), Annual review of sex research (Vol. 9, pp. 39–76). Mason City, IA: Society for the Scientific Study of Sex.Google Scholar
Fisher, W. A., Sand, M., Lewis, W., & Boroditsky, R. (2000). Canadian Menopause Study: I. Understanding women's intentions to utilize hormone replacement therapy. Maturitas, 37, 1–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freeman-Longo, R. E. (2000). Children, teens, and sex on the Internet. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 7, 75–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fulda, J. S. (2002). Do Internet stings directed at pedophiles capture offenders or create offenders? And allied questions. Sexuality & Culture, 6, 73–100.Google Scholar
Goldstein, M. J., & Kant, H. S. (1973). Pornography and sexual deviance. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Griffiths, M. (2004). Sex addiction on the Internet. Janus Head, 7(1). Retrieved February 27, 2007, from http://www.janushead.org/7–1/Griffiths.pdf.Google Scholar
Grove, C. (2006). Barebacking websites: Electronic environments for reducing or inducing HIV risk. AIDS Care, 18, 990–997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Health Canada. (2003). Canadian guidelines for sexual health education. Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services.
Heinz, B., Gu, L., Inuzuka, A., & Zender, R. (2002). Under the rainbow flag: Webnetting global gay identities. International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, 7, 107–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holzmer, W. L., Henry, S. B., Portillo, C. J., & Miramontes, H. (2000). The client adherence profiling intervention tailoring (CAP-IT) intervention for enhancing adherence to HIV/AIDS medications: A pilot study. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 11, 36–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Isaacs, C. R., & Fisher, W. A. (in press). A computer-based educational intervention to address potential negative effects of Internet pornography. Communication Studies, 59(1).Google Scholar
Jacobs, K. (2004). Pornography in small places and other spaces. Cultural Studies, 18, 67–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langevin, R., Lang, R. A., Wright, P., Handy, L., Frenzel, R. R., & Black, E. L. (1988). Pornography and sexual offences. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research & Treatment, 1, 335–362.Google Scholar
Laumann, E. O., Paik, A., & Rosen, R. C. (1999). Sexual dysfunction in the United States: Prevalence and predictors. Journal of the American Medical Association, 281, 537–544.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liau, A., Millett, G., & Marks, G. (2006). Meta-analytic examination of online sex-seeking and sexual risk behavior among men who have sex with men. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 33, 576–584.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lou, C., Zhao, Q., Gao, E., & Shah, I. H. (2006). Can the Internet be used effectively to provide sex education to young people in China? Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 720–728.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malamuth, N. M. (1989a). The Attraction to Sexual Aggression Scale: Part 1. Journal of Sex Research, 26, 26–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malamuth, N. M. (1989b). The Attraction to Sexual Aggression Scale: Part 2. Journal of Sex Research, 26, 324–354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malamuth, N. M., Addison, T., & Koss, M. (2001). Pornography and sexual aggression: Are there reliable effects and can we understand them? Annual review of sex research. Vol. 11. Mason City, IA: Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.Google Scholar
Mann, J., Sidman, J., & Starr, S. (1973). Evaluating social consequences of erotic films: An experimental approach. Journal of Social Issues, 29, 113–131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, W. L. (1988). The use of sexually explicit stimuli by rapists, child molesters, and nonoffenders. Journal of Sex Research, 25, 267–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mathy, R. M. (2007). Sexual orientation moderates online sexual activities. In Whitty, M. T., Baker, A. J., Inman, J. A. (Eds.), Online matchmaking (pp. 159–177). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McFarlane, M., Bull, S. S., & Rietmeijer, C. A. (2000). The Internet as a newly emerging risk environment for sexually transmitted diseases. Journal of the American Medical Association, 284, 443–446.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Montessori, V., Heath, K. V., Yipp, B., Hogg, R. S., O'Shaughnessy, M. V., & Montaner, S. G. (2000, February). Predictors of adherence with triple combination antiretroviral therapy. Paper presented at the 7th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Mosher, D. L. (1980). Three dimensions of depth of involvement in human sexual response. Journal of Sex Research, 16, 1–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mosher, D. L. (1988). Pornography defined: Sexual involvement theory, narrative context, “goodness of fit.”Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 1, 67–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munt, S. R., Bassett, E. H., & O'Riordan, K. (2002). Virtually belonging: Risk, connectivity, and coming out on-line. International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, 7, 127–137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, C. (1997). The joy of cybersex: Confessions of an internet addict. Kew, Australia: Reed Books.Google Scholar
Parker, T. S., & Wampler, K. S. (2003). How bad is it? Perceptions of the relationship impact of different types of Internet sexual activities. Contemporary Family Therapy, 25, 415–429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paterson, D. L., Swindells, S., Mohr, J., Brester, M., Vergis, E. N., Squier, C., Wagener, M. M., & Singh, N. (2000). Adherence to protease inhibitor therapy and outcomes in patients with HIV infection. Annals of Internal Medicine, 133, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pendergrass, S., Nosek, M. A., & Holcomb, J. D. (2001). Design and evaluation of an Internet site to educate women with disabilities on reproductive health care. Sexuality & Disability, 19, 71–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pequegnat, W., Rosser, Simon B. R., Bowen, A. M., Bull, S. S., DiClemente, R. J., Bockting, W. O., Elford, J., Fishbein, M., Gurak, L., Horvath, K., Konstan, J., Noar, S. M., Ross, M. W., Sherr, L., Spiegel, D., & Zimmerman, R. (2007). Conducting Internet-based HIV/STD prevention survey research: Considerations in design and evaluation. AIDS and Behavior, 11, 505–521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rigsby, M. O., Rosen, M. I., Beauvais, J. E., Cramer, J. A., Rainey, P. M., O'Malley, S. S., Dieckhaus, K. D., & Rounsaville, B. J. (2000). Cue-dose training with monetary reinforcement: Pilot study of an antiretroviral adherence intervention. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15, 841–847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rimm, M. (1995). Marketing pornography on the information superhighway: A survey of 917,410 images, descriptions, short stories, and animations downloaded 8.5 million times by consumers in over 2000 cities in forty countries, provinces, and territories. Georgetown Law Review, 83, 1849–1934.Google Scholar
Schneider, J. P. (2000). Effects of cybersex addiction on the family: Results of a survey. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 7, 31–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M., Gertz, E., Alvarez, S., & Lurie, P. (2000). The content and accessibility of sex education information on the Internet. Health Education & Behavior, 27, 684–694.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snyder, M., & Ickes, W. (1985). Personality and social psychology. In Lindsey, G. and Aronson, E. (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (Vol. II, 3rd ed., pp. 883–943), New York: Random House.Google Scholar
Spector Soft, Inc. (n.d.). Stop infidelity with Spector. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.spywaredirectory.com/spector_win.asp.
Sprenger, P. (1999, September 30). The porn pioneers. The Guardian [Online]. Retrieved June 15, 2007, from http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,,255578,00.html.Google Scholar
Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the Internet. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.Google Scholar
Whitty, M. T. (2003a). Cyber-flirting: Playing at love on the internet. Theory and Psychology, 13, 339–357.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitty, M. T. (2003b). Pushing the wrong buttons: Men's and women's attitudes towards online and offline infidelity. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 6, 569–579.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitty, M. T. (2004). Cyber-flirting: An examination of men's and women's flirting behaviour both offline and on the Internet. Behaviour Change, 21, 115–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitty, M. T. (2005). The “realness” of cyber-cheating: Men and women's representations of unfaithful Internet relationships. Social Science Computer Review, 23, 57–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitty, M. T. (2007). Manipulation of self in cyberspace. In Spitzberg, B. H., & Cupach, W. R.. The dark side of interpersonal communication (2nd ed., pp. 93–120). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Whitty, M. T., & Carr, A. N. (2005). Taking the good with the bad: Applying Klein's work to further our understandings of cyber-cheating. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 4(2/3), 103–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitty, M. T., & Carr, A. N. (2006). Cyberspace romance: The psychology of online relationships. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Health Organization. (2000). Use of the Internet as a public health intervention tool for an outbreak of syphilis. Retrieved June 15, 2007, from http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0042-96862000001000016%script=sci_arttext.
Writing Group for the Women's Health Initiative Investigators. (2002). Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results from the Women's Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 321–333.CrossRef
Wysocki, D. K. (1998). Let your fingers to do the talking: Sex on an adult chat-line. Sexualities, 1, 425–452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wysocki, D. K., & Thalken, J. (2007). Whips and chains? Fact or fiction? Content analysis of sadomasochism in Internet personal advertisements. In Whitty, M. T., Baker, A. J., & Inman, J. A.. (Eds.), Online matchmaking (pp. 178–196). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zilbergeld, B. (1992). The new male sexuality. Bantam: New York.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×