There are three main pathways in which pornography usage negatively influence relationships are (Rasmussen, 2016):
Contrast effects: men comparing their partners attractiveness to those in the pornography films
Relationship alternatives: one feels that there is more sexual fulfillment outside of their current relationship
Increasing the acceptance of infidelity: where cheating and multiple partners is encouraged and even fantasized about. Increases infidelity by 300%
The association between internet pornography usage and relationship sustainability shows that when a single partner watches porn, they are more than double as likely to end up in a divorce in comparison to couples who do not watch pornographic material at all. However, it has been found that couple who watch online pornography together have a similar marriage success rate to those who do not use it at all. Women feel more affected by their partner avidly viewing online pornography, expressing feelings of betrayal, distress, and humiliation (Rasmussen, 2016).