The current paper will provide an insight into how social comparisons between users on sexually oriented websites affect the user's sexual self-esteem, performance anxiety, and relationship happiness. It is no secret that individuals often compare themselves to others when it comes to their appearance, achievements, financial status, personality traits, and sexual prowess. With the advent of technology, these comparisons have become easier than ever before due to the proliferation of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, etc. The internet has also made it possible for people to find like-minded individuals who share similar interests online; this includes those interested in sexual topics such as pornography, dating apps, and erotica.
While social comparison can be beneficial in certain contexts, such as motivating oneself to improve or achieve goals, it can also have detrimental effects on one's psychological well-being. This study intends to explore how social comparisons made on sexually explicit websites negatively impact individuals by reducing their confidence in bed, increasing anxiety levels during intercourse, and leading to dissatisfaction with their partner's sexual performance.
Let's first define what social comparison means. Social comparison refers to the act of comparing oneself to others to evaluate personal attributes, abilities, skills, beliefs, behaviors, or experiences. It can involve direct comparison where individuals physically interact with each other or indirect comparison where they observe others from a distance (online). According to researchers, there are three types of social comparisons - upward, downward, and horizontal. In upward social comparison, an individual compares themselves to someone they perceive as better off than themself. Downward comparison is when an individual compares themselves to someone they believe is worse off than them. Horizontal comparison involves comparing oneself to someone at the same level as themself.
In the realm of sexuality, upward comparisons between users on online platforms can lead to feelings of inferiority and self-doubt about one's own sexual prowess.
If an individual sees another user who has more followers or likes on pornographic content, they may feel that their own videos aren't good enough, which could lead to reduced confidence during sex. Similarly, if someone sees a profile on a dating app that boasts about their sexual achievements or virility, it might make them feel insecure about their own performance. These negative emotions can then translate into anxiety during sexual encounters, making it difficult for the person to perform well and enjoy the experience fully. This phenomenon is known as performance anxiety.
Downward comparisons also have negative consequences on relationship satisfaction. If an individual notices that their partner isn't as experienced or skilled in bed as others they see online, it can create friction and dissatisfaction. They may start to question why their partner doesn't satisfy them like other people do or doubt whether they truly love them if they don't live up to what they saw online.
This can lead to resentment, distrust, and even infidelity. It is therefore crucial for couples to communicate openly about their expectations and desires to avoid falling into these traps.
Horizontal comparisons are less harmful than upwards and downward ones but still carry some risks. When individuals compare themselves to peers who seem equally matched, it can create competition and pressure to outdo each other. This can result in unhealthy behaviors such as excessive masturbation, oversharing of intimate details, and even online harassment of other users. To mitigate this risk, it is essential for individuals to set healthy boundaries and practice self-control when interacting with other users online.
Social comparison processes in sexualized online environments can be detrimental to one's sexual confidence, performance anxiety, and relational satisfaction. By understanding the mechanisms behind these effects, we can develop strategies to help individuals navigate these challenges and maintain healthy relationships both offline and online.
How do social comparison processes in sexualized online environments affect sexual confidence, performance anxiety, and relational satisfaction?
The process of comparing one's self with others is known as social comparisons, which are part of human nature and can have both positive and negative effects on an individual's life. In the context of sexualized online environments, social comparisons may impact sexual confidence, performance anxiety, and relational satisfaction. Sexual confidence refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform sexually well, while performance anxiety refers to fear of failure during sexual encounters.