title: Implicit associations in cybersex addiction: Adaption of an Implicit Association Test with pornographic pictures.
abstract: Recent studies show similarities between cybersex addiction and substance dependencies and argue to classify cybersex addiction as a behavioral addiction. In substance dependency, implicit associations are known to play a crucial role, and such implicit associations have not been studied in cybersex addiction, so far. In this experimental study, 128 heterosexual male participants completed an Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) modified with pornographic pictures. Further, problematic sexual behavior, sensitivity towards sexual excitation, tendencies towards cybersex addiction, and subjective craving due to watching pornographic pictures were assessed. Results show positive relationships between implicit associations of pornographic pictures with positive emotions and tendencies towards cybersex addiction, problematic sexual behavior, sensitivity towards sexual excitation as well as subjective craving. Moreover, a moderated regression analysis revealed that individuals who reported high subjective craving and showed positive implicit associations of pornographic pictures with positive emotions, particularly tended towards cybersex addiction. The findings suggest a potential role of positive implicit associations with pornographic pictures in the development and maintenance of cybersex addiction. Moreover, the results of the current study are comparable to findings from substance dependency research and emphasize analogies between cybersex addiction and substance dependencies or other behavioral addictions.
authors.affiliation: General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snagowski
authors.affiliation: General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wegmann
authors.affiliation: General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jaro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pekal
authors.affiliation: General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laier
authors.affiliation: General Psychology: Cognition, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Essen, Germany. Electronic address: matthias.brand@uni-due.de.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001244:Association; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D004882:Erotica / Q000523:psychology*; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cybersex addiction; Implicit Association Test; Internet addiction; Sexual arousal