Replicating and Extending the Dependency-Resentment Hypothesis

The Dependency-Resentment Hypothesis (DRH) proposes a novel rationale for the intercorrelations between heterosexual men's pornography use frequency, problematic pornography use, and hostile attitudes toward women. Analyses of four distinct data sets, generated in Greece, the United States, China, and Italy, have yielded results consistent with the DRH. This letter presents replicative results from a fifth distinct data set, collected in Italy. The possibility that rape myth acceptance should be incorporated into the DRH is also explored. We encourage our fellow pornography scholars to subject the DRH to further evaluations and potential expansions. Subsequent studies using data gathered in other countries and additional methods would be of particular value.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
Published
2026-01-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623x.2026.2617372
Primary Topic
Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Replicating and Extending the Dependency-Resentment Hypothesis

Robert S. Tokunaga, Paul J. Wright
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy
Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
article

Replicating and Extending the Dependency-Resentment Hypothesis

Robert S. Tokunaga, Paul J. Wright
article en

Abstract

The Dependency-Resentment Hypothesis (DRH) proposes a novel rationale for the intercorrelations between heterosexual men's pornography use frequency, problematic pornography use, and hostile attitudes toward women. Analyses of four distinct data sets, generated in Greece, the United States, China, and Italy, have yielded results consistent with the DRH. This letter presents replicative results from a fifth distinct data set, collected in Italy. The possibility that rape myth acceptance should be incorporated into the DRH is also explored. We encourage our fellow pornography scholars to subject the DRH to further evaluations and potential expansions. Subsequent studies using data gathered in other countries and additional methods would be of particular value.

Journal of Sex & Marital TherapyVol. 52(2)
Indiana University (US), The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 83%
Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
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