New research has revealed that pornography and sex may be more addictive and rewarding than gaming or gambling for healthy adult men. Published in Human Brain Mapping, the study demonstrates how the human brain becomes conditioned to internet-related stimuli, focusing on three common internet-based addictions: pornography, gambling, and video gaming.
This conditioning occurs even in healthy and non-pathological contexts.
The study involved 31 right-handed male participants aged 19 to 38. They chose between pornographic images, video game screenshots, and pictures of money, each paired with a small cash reward to ensure genuine interest.
Using a classical conditioning approach inside an MRI scanner, geometric figures (neutral stimuli) were paired with rewarding images (porn, gaming, or money) to create an association. This was done repeatedly over 68 trials, with the neutral stimulus sometimes followed by the reward. The aim was to observe how the brain learns to link neutral stimuli with rewards.
The researchers employed three methods to measure responses. First, they collected subjective ratings from participants to assess the pleasantness and arousal of each stimulus before and after the conditioning process. Participants provided their assessments, offering insight into their subjective experiences.
Second, skin conductance responses (SCR) were recorded to measure physiological arousal by tracking changes in sweat gland activity, providing an objective measure of the participants' autonomic nervous system responses.
Finally, functional MRI (fMRI) scans were used to record brain activity and map the neural correlates of reward processing. This technique allowed the researchers to observe how different brain regions responded to the stimuli, offering a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms behind the participants' responses.
Data revealed that shapes associated with pornographic images were rated as more pleasant and arousing than those linked to gaming or money.
The study aimed to enhance understanding of how the brain processes internet-related rewards in a healthy context. While previous research identified specific brain areas involved in reward processing, this study clarifies how these areas respond to internet rewards.