SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT AND POPULAR CULTURE 2
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT AND POPULAR CULTURE: A SURVEY OF RESEARCH
AND AN APPLICATION TO THE EARLY ADOPTER AUDIENCE
Mention sexually explicit material and the media and one is certain to start a debate. On one
side are those who view sexually explicit material as dangerous, demeaning, and influential, both on
attitudes and behavior. The other side is composed primarily of free speech proponents, who argue
that while they believe such content is not harmful, whether it is or isn’t is not as important as the
right to decide what one watches or reads. One of the problems the two sides have in trying to
discuss the issue is their inability to speak the same language. Most research that has been
conducted on sexually explicit material has been experimental and has taken place in academia,
with students serving as the subjects. But free speech proponents focus primarily on adults,
pointing out that the size of the adult industry demonstrates that a large proportion of the population
consumes both pornography and mainstream material with sexually explicit images.
Looking at these two sides raises some interesting questions. First, why are both sides
looking at two different audiences? Second, who actually consumes sexually explicit material?
And finally, why do consumers turn towards sexually explicit material – both mainstream and
pornography – and why has it become so prevalent in our popular culture?
An answer to these questions may lie in an audience that has been ignored in research but
that nonetheless consists of heavy users of sexual material. Marketing research has shown that
early adopters of new technology consume large quantities of sexual material (Williams, 1998). In
general these early adopters are highly educated, professional, and are the opinion leaders within
their communities. They are also the first to purchase and use new communication media, including
satellite, cable, VHS, laser-disc, and DVD, all of which are notable for featuring high
concentrations of sexually explicit material during their early launch stages (Selvo, 1998).
Convention