NEW YORK — Pornhub announced today that Dr. Omri Gillath and collaborators Dr. Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan and doctoral candidate Katie Adams are recipients of the Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center Grant.
The $25,000 grant was given to the University of Kansas psychology professor and his assistants after judges reviewed thousands of applicants to fund research on how pornography consumption affects thought patterns and relationships.
The grant, stemming directly from Pornhub’s philanthropic umbrella, “Pornhub Cares,” solicited outstanding faculty members who are supporting research work carried out by university students under their direction.
Corey Price, Pornhub’s vice president and chief spokesman, said Gillath “remains dedicated to uncovering more detailed information on the consumption of adult entertainment and its effects, and we are happy to champion his endeavors.”
“Ultimately, we want people to have access to new information to lead happier and healthier sex lives, and Gillath’s work will go a long way towards accomplishing this,” Price said.
A long-tenured professor of psychology at KU, Gillath’s hypothesis implies that “pornography may be consumed for reasons more complex than what is currently understood. Different reasons and motives play a central role in shaping whether the outcomes of pornography consumption will be positive or negative.”
With the research grant, Price said, Gillath’s project will add to the growing body of research that focuses on the consumption of pornography and will map the correlations between porn consumption, attachment style, sexual behaviors and attitudes, gender and relational outcomes.
"We are so excited and honored to be selected as the recipients of the first research grant from Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center,” Gillath said. “Receiving the grant provides us the funding to conduct multiple studies to validate the structure of our new scale and test its contribution to the field. This will improve the understanding of the role porn plays in close relationships and in society more broadly.”
The research team includes Adams, a graduate student at the University of Kansas, pursuing a PhD in psychology. Her work focuses primarily on close relationships and sexuality. In addition, Gewirtz-Myedan is a sex therapist who recently finished her postdoctoral research fellowship at the Crimes against Children Research Center within the Family Research Laboratory in the department of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, as well as Gillath from the Department of Psychology at KU.
“The Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center is thrilled to be able to support sex research,” said Dr. Laurie Betito, a renowned clinical psychologist specializing in sex therapy.
”Even though we may think sex is a natural act, there is still so much we don’t know," Betito said. "Sexuality is complex and we need research to gain a better understanding of this most universal act and all that it implies. With this grant, we’re looking forward to the brilliant research to be done by Gillath and his team.”
Since launching in early 2017, the Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center has become home to hundreds of articles authored by dozens of doctors, counselors and community leaders, all specializing in different aspects of sexual health.
Under the direction of Betito, the site continues to touch on everything from the biological to the social components of sexual life.
"The Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center prides itself in offering those consulting the site a truly holistic approach to informing themselves on becoming healthier, happier and more responsible when it comes to sex," Betito said.
