College Men, Their Magazines, and Sex

Relations between reading Lad magazines and pornographic magazines and the beliefs and attitudes that are consistent with their content were explored in two independent surveys of college undergraduate men (n?=?91 and 68, respectively). The impact of reading such magazines on men’s sexual self-schema was also examined. The results indicated a relationship between reading Lad magazines and endorsement of permissive sexual attitudes independent of actual sexual behavior. Reading Lad magazines was also associated with expectations of greater sexual variety and a more aggressive sexual self-schema. Reading pornographic magazines was found to be associated with permissive attitudes. Neither reading pornographic magazines nor reading lad magazines was related to aggressive attitudes.