Aesthetic Norms
In today's society, people are more open to expressing their sexual preferences and desires through various platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, Reddit, etc. These platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives where we can explore different types of content including erotic ones that portray various aspects of human sexuality. The popularity of these platforms has grown so much that they have started to set new standards for what is considered acceptable and beautiful when it comes to erotic content. This paper will discuss how this trend is shaping relational expectation, cognitive-emotional habituation, and moral reflection.
Relational Expectation
The emergence of social media has brought about a change in relational expectations between individuals who are involved in sexual interactions. People nowadays tend to have high expectations when it comes to intimate relationships due to the exposure to various forms of erotic content on social media. They want their partners or potential partners to meet the same level of beauty as those displayed on social media. This leads them to feel dissatisfied if their partner does not match up to the beauty standards set by social media influencers who promote themselves through such content. As a result, there is pressure on both parties to maintain certain looks and behaviors which may lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
Some women feel pressured to get cosmetic surgery done just to look attractive enough for their male counterparts on dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
Cognitive-Emotional Habituation
With regular exposure to erotic social media content, people have developed unrealistic ideas about sexual encounters. These images often depict idealized versions of sex that are far from reality, leading to an emotional response wherein people become accustomed to thinking that all sexual experiences should be perfect. When this becomes ingrained into one's psyche, they may develop expectations that do not align with reality and end up feeling disappointed if things do not go according to plan during actual encounters.
There may also be an increased likelihood of engaging in risky behavior since these platforms provide easy access to information on pornography. This can lead to emotional problems such as addiction or compulsive behaviors resulting from seeking out more extreme forms of pleasure than what would normally occur naturally.
Moral Reflection
Social media has also influenced moral reflection when it comes to intimacy and relationships. People tend to compare their own experiences against those presented online, making them question whether they are doing something wrong if they don't meet certain standards set by society or culture. This could create moral dilemmas regarding what is acceptable behavior within a relationship or how much control someone should exercise over another person's body without consent.
Some might even begin questioning traditional gender roles due to the prevalence of alternative lifestyles being portrayed through these platforms which challenge existing norms around masculinity and femininity.
Aesthetic norms in erotic social media shape relational expectation, cognitive-emotional habituation, and moral reflection among individuals involved in sexual interactions. These platforms have created unrealistic beauty standards, skewed perceptions about sex, increased risk-taking behavior for pleasure, and challenged traditional gender roles. It is crucial that we understand how these trends impact our lives so that we can make informed decisions about our relationships and take necessary steps towards self-care and education.
To what extent do aesthetic norms in erotic social media shape relational expectation, cognitive-emotional habituation, and moral reflection?
Aesthetic norms that are presented through erotic social media can have significant effects on relational expectations, cognitive-emotional habituation, and moral reflections of users. Relational expectations refer to the way individuals perceive their relationships with others based on the standards they see portrayed on these platforms.