Interesting Times

Dec 13, 2012 11:08 AM ET | Last Updated: Dec 13, 2012 11:12 AM ET

Violent pornography can add ‘fuel to the fire:’ Psychology expert testifies at trial of Quebec gore filmmaker

"Special effects makeup artist Remy Couture, shows one of his creations at his studio in his home in Montreal on Thursday, October 14, 2010. Couture pleaded not guilty to charges of moral corruption and distribution of obscene material for his short films.

MONTREAL — It is not uncommon for gruesome photos and videos to be exhibited in criminal trials, but usually the author of the violence does not claim credit.

In one 10-minute film played in Quebec Superior Court Wednesday, however, the accused’s name was proudly displayed in the closing credits as director, special-effects artist and “psychopath.”

The director and star, Rémy Couture, is not charged with physically harming anyone in the films and photos that have been shown to the jury. He is a special-effects artist and the images, which he posted online, were a kind of calling card to show off his talents.

"But the fictional violence inflicted by Mr. Couture’s “psychopath” – the torture, mutilation and sexual abuse of naked women – appears so brutal, the Crown is arguing the material is illegal."

"Prof. Malamuth testified Wednesday violent pornography “can add fuel to the fire” when viewed by men who are predisposed to being sexually aggressive toward women.

In a report entered into evidence, he said he has viewed Mr. Couture’s two films, Inner Depravity 1 and 2, as well as many of the hundreds of photos shown to the jury.

“These materials often portray sexual images and acts embedded within or merged with extreme acts of violence, including murder, mutilation and body dismemberment,” he wrote.

The images “portray the man as looking very powerful while completely controlling helpless, suffering, viciously tortured and dismembered women,” he added.

Research “strongly suggests that these types of materials may have negative or harmful effects on consumers,” he concluded. The effects include “greater acceptance of violence against women, emotional desensitization to aggression and increased proclivity to aggress, particularly sexually aggress.”

Prof. Malamuth said the violence depicted by Mr. Couture is more extreme than that found in the pornography he has used in his research."

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/13/violent-pornography-can-add-fuel-to-the-fire-psychology-expert-testifies-at-trial-of-quebec-gore-filmmaker/

Neil Malamuth

http://www.psych.ucla.edu/faculty/faculty_page?id=155&area=8

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/malamuth/pubs.html

Sat, 05/12/2012 - 12:42

Your Brain On Porn

"Evolution has not prepared your brain for today's Internet porn."

"All addictions lead to the same major brain changes

Recent research reveals that behavioral addictions (food addiction, pathological gambling, video gaming, and Internet addiction) and substance addictions involve the same fundamental mechanisms leading to a collection of shared alterations in brain anatomy and chemistry. These brain changes include:

Desensitization ("A numbed pleasure response"): Among other changes, dopamine and dopamine (D2) receptors decline in the brain's reward circuitry, leaving the addict less sensitive to pleasure, and "hungry" for dopamine-raising activities/substances of all kinds. The addict then tends to neglect interests, stimuli, and behaviors that were once of high personal relevance.

Sensitization ("A super memory of pleasure"): Rewired nerve connections cause the reward circuitry to buzz in response to addiction-related cues or thoughts. This Pavlovian memory makes the addiction more compelling than other activities in the addict's life.

Hypofrontality ("Willpower erodes"): Alterations in frontal-lobe gray matter and white matter correlate to reduced impulse control and the weakened ability to foresee consequences.

Dysfunctional stress circuits - Stress can easily trigger a relapse."

http://yourbrainonporn.com/doing-what-you-evolved-to-do 

Internet Porn 'Affects Short-Term Memory'

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/17/internet-porn-short-term-memory_n_2314203.html?ncid=GEP


*****

Canadian Makeup Artist Acquitted of a Cultural Crime No One Can Define

http://reason.com/blog/2012/12/27/canadian-makeup-artist-acquitted-of-a-cu?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reason%2FHitandRun+%28Reason+Online+-+Hit+%26+Run+Blog%29

Quebec special effects artist found not guilty of corrupting morals

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/quebec-special-effects-artist-found-not-guilty-of-corrupting-morals-1.1089663

Plenty of evidence of the effect of violent media

http://www.theage.com.au/national/letters/plenty-of-evidence-of-the-effect-of-violent-media-20121230-2c1av.html

Pornography use as a risk marker for an aggressive pattern of behavior among sexually reactive children and adolescents.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21665787

Violent Video Games: The Effects on Youth, and Public Policy Implications

http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2005-2009/05ga2.pdf 

http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/faculty/caa/abstracts/2005-2009/07agb.pdf

Violent Video Games - Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects

http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx