What Affect do Sex Dolls Have on Human Sexuality?
If you have spent any time on this blog, you might be thinking another sex doll post? What is her obsession with sex dolls?
I’ve been thinking about this while formulating a response to a reader’s comment on an older sex dolls post.
I find the topic interesting because people have very strong opinions about it based on feelings.
There are just not enough facts or data out there for anyone to form what we might call an “informed opinion.” So, that’s why I love reading and writing about research articles on sex dolls.
Sex Dolls in the Journal of Sex Research
Here’s a recap of a newer article published last year in the Journal of Sex Research.
The authors, through an online survey, sought to add some knowledge to the debate about sex doll usage. Particularly, to address sex dolls used by people who are sexually attracted to prepubescent or pubescent children.
Do you believe your sexual behaviors are compulsive or harmful to you or others? Then you should take the CSBD-19 free, validated self-assessment tool.
Wait, What’s the Debate About Sex Dolls?
The core concerns regarding the use of sex dolls that people tend to bring up:
- Using sex dolls increases problematic sexuality. Many feel the users may transfer the type of sexuality they engage in with a doll to a human.
- Individuals who use sex dolls will become increasingly isolated from others.
- People who use sex dolls will lose intimacy and empathy in their interpersonal relationships.
Specifically, relating to the use of child sex dolls, people fear that if a person who is sexually attracted to children uses a childlike sex doll, it will increase their desire or propensity to then engage in sexual activity with a live child.
Back to the Sex Doll Study
The authors “sought to explore the potential influence of (sex) doll use on common (i.e., sex with humans, masturbation, and porn use) as well as problematic or (potentially) illegal sexual behaviors (compulsive sexual behavior, illegal and dangerous sexual fantasies as well as visiting sex workers).
The study is the first to look at potential changes in sexual behavior associated with sex doll use.
The study asked 224 individuals who were sex doll users:
- About the features of their dolls (gender, size, price, etc.)
- About the changes they observed in their own sexual behavior
- Demographic questions
- Open ended questions
Interested in more information about sex dolls and their owners? Here’s all of our posts about them:
Results of the Study
The authors classified sex doll users as those who used the doll basically as a sex toy or those who used the doll as an artificial companion (AC).
The average age of the doll users was 31.
Those who used the doll as an AC were less likely to be in a relationship than those who used it as a sex toy.
What changes did they see in their behaviors?
All of the users reported an observable decrease in common and dangerous behaviors since they started using the dolls.
Specifically relating to doll owners who are sexually attracted to children, those individuals self-reported a strong significantly greater decrease in compulsive sexual behavior when compared to their adult attracted peers.
They also stated that they used their dolls as an alternative sexual outlet as they could not live out their sexual interest with humans.
Individuals with sexual interest in prepubescent or pubescent children did report:
- They used the dolls to act out illegal fantasies with the dolls
- They lost interest in sexual interactions with children due to their owning and using a childlike sex doll
The authors note the results of their study go against the idea that using sex dolls will reinforce problematic sexual behavior of any kind. Their results showed the opposite.
Sex doll ownership and use decreased self-reported problematic sexual behavior.
Preparing a sentencing report for a minor attracted person? Get the data you need, quickly, with Mitigation Aide.
Limitations of the Sex Doll Study
Before we definitively state the use of sex dolls is a good thing or that it does not, in fact, lead to problematic sexual behavior, we have to talk about the limitations of this research study.
The first limitation is that it is a survey.
There is always the question of whether or not the people who choose to respond to a research survey are in any way different from those that do not choose to participate, and this could decrease the generalizability of the results.
The second big limitation is the questions about reduction in problematic (including illegal) sexual behavior were self-reported.
This means we have no way of knowing if the study participants were telling the truth. We also don’t know if the decrease they reported is real or just their perception. Again, this may limit the validity and generalizability of the research.
Nonetheless, this study is a big step in moving forward and answering the questions of what affect owning and using a sex doll has on a person’s sexual behavior.
Reference: Desbuleux, J. C. & Fuss, J. (2023). The Self-Reported Sexual Real-World Consequences of Sex Doll Use. The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2023.2199727.
Do you feel your sexual behavior, or that of someone you love, is out of control? Consult with a professional.
Have you found yourself in legal trouble due to your sexual behavior? Seek assistance before the court mandates it, with Sexual Addiction Treatment Services.
Are you looking for more reputable data-backed information on sexual addiction? The Mitigation Aide Research Archive is an excellent source for executive summaries of research studies.
