Pornography has a history of relying on stereotypes to deliver sexual pleasure to viewers. From the ‘MILF’ to the ‘Slutty Schoolgirl’ and the ‘BBC,’ women are often depicted as submissive to men, men are portrayed with insatiable libidos, and Black men are frequently depicted with exaggeratedly large genitals.
In the PORN-TYPES project, we develop a cutting-edge interdisciplinary multi-methods approach to understand why people from diverse social backgrounds enjoy watching stereotypes in online porn. Is it because they want to dominate or learn about sexual others? Or do they enjoy these stereotypes because they reveal something about themselves? Is the pleasure derived from pornographic stereotypes the same for everyone? And how do we prevent their harmful effects, especially among young consumers?
This project is driven by profound academic curiosity about the social side of sex, free from religious or political motivations. We see stereotypes in pornography not as isolated phenomena but as reflections and amplifications of broader societal stereotypes, many with deep historical roots in gender inequality or colonial legacies. We consider pornography a strategic case for studying the social organization of sexual attraction, an area that remains underexplored in scientific research.
Learn more? Listen to one of the podcasts below with dr. Samira van Bohemen (in Dutch) or see the video of our 2024 lecture night ‘Let’s Talk About Porn!’ (in English)
The PORN-TYPES project exemplifies interdisciplinary ‘team science’ by merging theoretical insights from cultural sociology with methods from psychology, neuroscience, and classical psychobiology, all while integrating the latest trends in machine learning.
Who said academic research can’t be fun? Through interactive projects, participants are invited to engage in an enjoyable and insightful exploration of pornographic stereotypes. The data collected and the outcomes derived from these methods address serious public health issues and drive significant scientific innovations.
At the PORN-TYPES project, we are committed to the principles of open science. This means we strive to make our research process and outcomes transparent and accessible to colleagues and interested parties alike. Our commitment to open science is demonstrated through several key practices:
Visit our ‘NEWS & BLOG’ page for the latest media appearances, upcoming events, and insights and results from our studies.
Want to collaborate? You can contact us via the information provided on the ‘CONTACT’ page.
Students can join the project through an internship, but please note that we receive requests almost weekly and cannot accommodate everyone.