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A Content Analysis of Pornographic Feature Films, 1972-1985 University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Dissertations (ASC) Annenberg School for Communication 1987 Power, Pain, and Pleasure in Pornography: A Content Analysis of Pornographic Feature Films, 1972-1985 Stephen Robert Prince University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations_asc Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, and the Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons Recommended Citation Prince, Stephen Robert, "Power, Pain, and Pleasure in Pornography: A Content Analysis of Pornographic Feature Films, 1972-1985" (1987). Dissertations (ASC). 4. https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations_asc/4 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations_asc/4 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Power, Pain, and Pleasure in Pornography: A Content Analysis of Pornographic Feature Films, 1972-1985 Abstract Within the last decade, a view has emerged in governmental publications, the popular press, and research conducted in the fields of communications and film studies whichegar r ds pornography as being typified by material which is violent or which exhibits unequal relations of power between the sexes. This dissertation employs content analysis to investigate the portrayal of male and female characters and relationships in pornographic films. The investigation empirically operationalizes certain broadly defined concepts that are often used in conjunction with pornography, concepts of unequal power relations and of the subordination or de-humanization of characters. Specifically, certain observable components of unequal power relations have been postulated and investigated throughout the range of films sampled. In addition, communication patterns, demonstrations of affection and of sexual pleasure are analyzed, as well as rates of violent and abusive behavior. Three units of analysis are employed: characters, sex scenes, and violent acts. Although the violent-acts unit of analysis made provisions for the coding of violent behavior, the sex-scene unit of analysis was defined so that it, oo,t would contain variable categories permitting the coding of abusive or violent acts. The sample is 32 "classic" or top-selling pornographic feature films, covering the years 1972-1985. Each film was coded by a male and a female coder. On a variety of measures, male and female characters were found to be portrayed in relatively equivalent terms. The average number of violent acts per film was 1.4. 21 percent of all sex scenes contained abuse. The hypothesis that rates of violence have been increasing in pornography in recent years was not supported. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department Communication First Advisor Paul Messaris Subject Categories Communication | Film and Media Studies | Mass Communication | Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations_asc/4 POWER, PAIN, AND PLEASURE in PORNOGRAPHY: A Content Analysis of Pornographic Feature Films, 1972-1985 Stephen Robert Prince A DISSERTATION in communications Presented to the Faculties of the Universit¥ of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requlrements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1987 • Supervisor of Dissertation Graduate Group Chairperson PC? 7 Page 184 of Power, Pain, and Pleasure in Pornography (1972-1985) by Stephen Robert Prince is missing from the hard copy. COPYRIGHT STEPHEN ROBERT PRINCE 1987 ,< .. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been completed without the generous assistance of many people. I would like to thank my advisor, Paul Messaris, who contributed many hours to consideration of the issues studied here and who helped shape to a significant degree the methodology of the study. He was an active participant on this study in every sense, and his suggestions and assistance were both thorough and relevant. His generous support of my endeavors is greatly appreciated. Larry Gross and Joseph Turow, members of the faculty committee, contributed much to the conceptualization of this project. Their helpful insights and suggestions pointed out the importance of this particular area of research and how best it might be pursued. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Gail Chalef, Leslie Galan, Ian Gale, Eva Goldfarb, the team of coders who helped generate data for this study. Their patience and good spirits helped lighten the otherwise mechanical task of data collection. Thanks also extend to Amy Jordan, who helped code several films during the test film coding phase. ABSTRACT POWER, PAIN, ~~D PLEASURE IN PORNOGRAPHY: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF PORNOGRAPHIC FEATURE FILMS, 1972-1985 -Stephen Prince Paul Messaris (supervisor) within the last decade, a view has emerged in governmental publications, the popular press, and research conducted in the fields of communications and film studies which regards pornography as being typified by material which is violent or which exhibits unequal relations of power between the sexes. This dissertation employs content analysis to investigate the portrayal of male and female characters and relationships in pornographic films. The investigation empirically operationalizes certain broadly defined concepts that are often used in conjunction with pornography, concepts of unequal power relations and of the subordination or de-humanization of characters. Specifically, certain observable components of unequal power relations have been postulated and investigated throughout the range of films sampled. In addition, communication patterns, demonstrations of affection and of sexual pleasure are analyzed, as well as rates of violent and abusive behavior. iv Three units of analysis are employed: characters, sex scenes, and violent acts. Although the violent-acts unit of analysis made provisions for the coding of violent behavior, the sex-scene unit of analysis was defined so that it, too, would contain variable categories permitting the coding of abusive or violent acts. The sample is 32 "classic" or top-selling pornographic feature films, covering the years 1972-1985. Each film was coded by a male and a female coder. On a variety of measures, male and female characters were found to be portrayed in relatively equivalent terms. The average number of violent acts per film was 1.4. 21 percent of all sex scenes contained abuse. The hypothesis that rates of violence have been increasing in pornography in recent years was not supported. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page LIST OF TABLES ....•................•............. VI I I 1. INTRODUCTION •...........................•.......... 1 2. PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE •..........•........ 13 The Feminist Anti-Pornography position ........... 16 Accounts in the Mass Media ..........•............ 29 Content Analyses of Pornography .................. 33 Empirical Research on the Effects of Violent Pornography ............................ 38 Post-commission Studies .............•............ 43 Summary of Empirical Findings .................... 63 3. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDy ........................... 67 Design ...................................................................................... 67 Sample ...................................................................................... 69 Procedure .•...................................... 71 Instrument .............................................................................. 73 Analysis •••...•.................................. 108 4. ANALYSIS OF DATA .............•..................... 119 Characters in the Pornographic Feature Film ................................... 121 Lethal and Non-Lethal Violence in the Films ................•.....••.•........ 136 Violence and Abuse as Part of the Sex Scene .....•........................ 142 Comparison of Abusive and Non-Abusive Sex Scenes .......................•............ 159 Reciprocity of Relations Among Male and Female Characters .................... 170 5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION .................................................. 190 vi APPENDIX I: LIST OF FILMS IN THE SAMPLE 216 APPENDIX II: FREQUENCIES AND RELIABILITY FIGURES FOR ALL VARIABLES .......•...............••••. 218 APPENDIX III: THE CODING FORMS ....................... 257 REFERENCES .•.•..•...•••...............••.•.....•..... 294 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. CHARACTERISTICS OF PORTRAYALS OF MALE AND FEMALE CHARACTERS ...•....••....•.......•....•..... 12 7 2. DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES OF LETHAL AND NON-LETHAL VIOLENCE IN THREE TIME PERIODS AS PERCENTAGES OF FILMS IN WHICH THEY OCCUR .•....•••.........••.. 140 3. DISTRIBUTION OF ABUSE VARIABLES AS PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL SEX SCENES IN THREE TIME PERIODS ....•...•... 156 4. DISTRIBUTION OF VARIABLES PERTAINING TO AGGRESSIVENESS, PLEASURE, COMMUNICATION, AND AFFECTION AS PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL SEX SCENES IN THREE TIME PERIODS ••...•...•.........••...•..••... 185 viii 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Issues relating to gender representation and the portrayal of sexuality in films have, very often, been addressed within the field of film studies, where qualitative, psychoanalytically-derived models have been employed (Ellis, 1980; Johnston, 1985; Mulvey, 1975; Neale, 1983; Pajaczkowska, 1981; willeman, 1980). The application of Freudian categories to film study is an old tradition. It has incorporated as one of its basic models the notion of film-as-dream. Freudian dream analysis was primarily
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