Publisher's Synopsis
Research has indicated a positive correlation between pornography use and loneliness; however,
with only six published studies to date, more research is required. This study used the extant
literature on the relationship between internet use and loneliness to inform the current study since
internet use and pornography use are similar constructs, especially in individuals' use of both to
avoid negative emotions and social interactions. Further, social anxiety has been shown in the
internet use literature to be a confounder in the relationship between internet use and loneliness,
making social anxiety a major variable to consider in the relationship between pornography use
and loneliness. This study sought to support the current literature by exploring the relationship
between social anxiety and internet use and the relationship between pornography use and
loneliness and extend the literature by investigating whether internet use mediates the
relationship between social anxiety and loneliness. Additionally, as the relationship between
social anxiety and pornography use has not be researched to date, the current study explored this
relationship including whether pornography use mediated the relationship between social anxiety
and loneliness. Lastly, this study measured whether avoidance moderated the relationship
between social anxiety and pornography use. The results indicated that, as hypothesized, social
anxiety and internet use were positively correlated, but that internet use did not mediate the
relationship between social anxiety and loneliness. The results also showed, as hypothesized, that
social anxiety and pornography use were positively correlated and pornography use and
loneliness were positive correlated. Finally, the results indicated that pornography use weakly
mediated the relationship between social anxiety and loneliness. The moderated mediation
analysis was not significant for avoidance.
