Pornography Consumption, Body Image, and Sexual Schemas Among Incel and Non-Incel Men

Pornography functions as a sexual outlet and source of sexual knowledge for men. However, previous work has found it can have detrimental impacts on body image and self-esteem. Although involuntary celibates (incels) place great importance on physical appearance and lack avenues for real-world sexual contact, pornography use among incel men remains unexplored. This exploratory study therefore examined the relationships between pornography, masturbatory behaviors, sexual schemas, and body and genital image issues among incel (n = 45) and non-incel (n = 76) men. Participants completed questionnaires measuring pornography consumption, perceived realism, sexual expectations, masturbatory coping, body and genital image satisfaction, and loneliness. Results indicated that, as expected, incels consumed more pornography, viewed it as more realistic, engaged in more masturbatory coping, and believed that future partners would expect them to look and perform like male pornographic actors. This belief was associated with higher levels of body and genital image dissatisfaction among incels. These findings emphasize the contexts and mechanisms by which pornography can have a deleterious effect on the well-being of men and hold important implications for the development of targeted educational interventions, particularly for incels.