From blizzard babies to busty babes: pornography as a substitute for sex

Erika Barker, Zachary Rodriguez, PhD, and Eric Curtis
The John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Presentation Category: Social & Behavioral Sciences (Poster Presentation)

Student’s Major: Finance/Economics

Elasticity refers to the idea that the demand for a product will fluctuate based off of price and that products substitutes, or in this case “man’s needs” vs. “blizzard babies”. By using data on Internet speed, Google trends, and daily weather, we plan to show that porn consumption and procreation are substitutes, and that Internet access elasticizes, or lessens, the demand for sexual activity. We began by examining the trend of “blizzard babies” before and after rural areas gain Internet access. “Blizzard babies” refer to the phenomenon in which an increase of conception and eventual birth is seen after extreme weather episodes that would naturally keep couples inside. If Internet traffic increases to porn sites during a blizzard, but fewer children are born after extreme weather shocks, we have evidence consistent with the idea that access to pornography is a substitute for sexual activity. In addition to showing that sexual activity and pornography are likely substitutes, our findings suggest that internet access has helped mitigate unplanned pregnancies.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: a West Virginia SURE program