Misrepresentation and Bias in Sexuality Research
A list (and to be updated) on research regarding sexuality and instances of it being misrepresented in different mediums.
I regularly read papers on sexuality, often trying to see if I can find other similar papers or possible criticisms I should be aware of. However, one thing I’ve — unfortunately — started consistently noticing was a misrepresentation of cited sources and bias in citations (e.g., not making notes of conflicting findings, lying by omission). Thus, I’ve decided to organize this list and hopefully will remember to update it.
Keep in mind: I am defining “sexuality research” as broad enough to include things like research on contraceptives, human anatomy (but still regarding sexuality), etc etc. Here’s what I plan on doing so far:
I. General Sex Research
II. Pornography Research
III. Contraceptive History
IV. Sex Work
I. General Sex Research
The relationship between multiple sex partners and anxiety, depression, and substance dependence disorders: a cohort study: 10.1007/s10508-012-0053-1
In this study, the authors found a correlation between multiple sexual partners and anxiety and depression (i.e., an increase in multiple sexual partners is correlated with an increase in lower psychological well-being), confirming prior suspicions on the issue. However, once adjusting for prior mental well-being, there was no causal relationship between multiple sexual partners and lower mental well-being, making the found correlation spurious. However, despite the lack of causation, some commentators continue to cite this paper as evidence of a relationship rather than evidence of a spurious one, as in…
“Research finds that the more sexual partners one has, the greater the risk of developing mental difficulties…” (Dyer 2016).
II. Pornography Research
Adult Social Bonds and Use of Internet Pornography: 10.1111/j.0038-4941.2004.08501006.x
The authors ran a multivariate regression finding that adultery predicts pornography use, though they did not see if the reverse is true. However, some cite this study and claim that it shows that pornography use predicts adultery, but this is not what their regression displays. Another study has accurately represented this paper but others have not (Poulsen, Busby, Galovan 2012: see page 74). As in…
“Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%” (in Marripedia, Webster 2022, McNamara 2015).
III. Contraceptive History
IV. Sex Work
Reconnecting Pornography, Prostitution, and Trafficking: "The experience of being in porn was like being destroyed, run over, again and again": ISSN-e 2530-2736
Farley and Donevan — both anti-sex work activists — claim “Compared to women who were not in the sex trade, Grudzen and colleagues (2011) found that women in porn had significantly worse mental health and more severe depression.” However, no mention is made of other studies finding similar or better well-being, and the fact that Grudzen and colleagues did not find actor status (whether someone is a porn actor or not) to be associated with well-being.
Griffith, J. D., Mitchell, S., Hammond, B., Gu, L. L., & Hart, C. L. (2012). A comparison of sexual behaviors and attitudes, self-esteem, quality of life, and drug use among pornography actors and a matched sample. International Journal of Sexual Health, 24(4), 254–266. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2012.710183
Griffith, J. D., Hammond, B., Mitchell, S., & Hart, C. L. (2013). Sexual behaviors and attitudes, quality of life, and drug use: A comparison between bisexual and heterosexual pornography actresses. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(1), 4–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2013.755729
Griffith, J. D., Mitchell, S., Hart, C. L., Adams, L. T., & Gu, L. L. (2013). Pornography actresses: an assessment of the damaged goods hypothesis. Journal of sex research, 50(7), 621–632. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.719168