Pornography and sex may be more addictive and rewarding than gaming or gambling for healthy adult men, new research has revealed. Published in Human Brain Mapping, the study shows a human brain becomes conditioned to internet-related stimuli, focusing on three prevalent internet-based addictions - pornography, gambling and video gaming. This conditioning occurs even in a healthy and non-pathological context.
The study involved 31 male participants, all right-handed, aged 19 to 38, who chose between pornographic images, video game screenshots, and pictures of money. Each choice was paired with a small cash reward to ensure genuine interest.
The experiment used 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 goal was to see how the brain learns to link neutral stimuli with rewards.
To measure responses, the researchers used three methods. First, they collected subjective ratings from participants to gauge the pleasantness and arousal of each stimulus before and after the conditioning process. Participants provided their own assessments of how each stimulus made them feel, giving the researchers insight into the subjective experience of the stimuli.
Second, they recorded skin conductance responses (SCR) to measure physiological arousal by tracking changes in sweat gland activity. This method gave an objective measure of the participants' autonomic nervous system responses. By monitoring these changes, the researchers determined how physically aroused the participants were in response to each stimulus.
Finally, they used functional MRI (fMRI) scans to record brain activity and map the neural correlates of reward processing. This technique allowed the researchers to see how different brain regions responded to the stimuli, providing a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the participants' responses. The fMRI scans gave a detailed picture of brain activity, highlighting the areas involved in processing rewards.
Data showed that shapes associated with pornographic images were rated as more pleasant and arousing than those linked to gaming or money.
This study aimed to fill a gap in understanding how the brain processes internet-related rewards in a healthy context. Previous research has identified specific brain areas involved in reward processing, but how these areas respond to internet rewards was unclear.
