“Perception of Female Dormitory Residents on the Causes and Consequences of Watching Pornographic Content (A Qualitative Study: Girls’ Dormitories of Isfahan Universities)”

“The ever-expanding cyber space and unlimited access to digital content have transformed the phenomenon of online sexual content consumption into a serious ethical and behavioral challenge among youth. This research aims to explore the perceptions of female dormitory residents regarding the causes and consequences of viewing such content. Employing a qualitative approach and thematic analysis method, the study investigates this phenomenon. The research population comprised 35 female students from one of Isfahan’s universities, selected through snowball sampling and engaged in semi-structured interviews. Findings reveal that the inclination for consumption is shaped by two categories: ‘individual factors’ (including curiosity, the need for sexual information, and negative emotional states like anxiety and depression) and ‘environmental factors’ (such as peer influence, easy access within the dormitory environment, anonymity of cyberspace, and cultural taboos). The consequences of this consumption were analyzed on three levels: individual (reduced self-confidence, increased guilt, and psycho-physical harm), familial (weakening of parent-child relationships and reduced quality of marriage), and social (objectification of women and erosion of traditional values). The results indicate that content consumption is the outcome of a complex interaction between individual agency and environmental structures, potentially leading to the creation of a ‘sexual hyperreality’ and altering perceptions of real relationships. By offering a comprehensive understanding of the roots and repercussions of online sexual content consumption within the specific context of student dormitories, this study underscores the necessity of considering the psychological and social dimensions of this phenomenon in designing educational and supportive interventions.”