Our personal life scripts are shaped, in part, by the narratives and behaviours we see in popular media. This influence is particularly pronounced during adolescence, a time when young people explore social roles and norms, and construct what will become their adult identity.

One key dimension of this formative period, which can be deeply affected by media and other mainstream entertainment, is what researchers call “sexual scripts”. These are the learned guidelines and expectations that, once internalised, inform how people, especially teens, understand, approach, and enact sexual behaviour in everyday life.

In modern society, much of what teenagers know about relationships is filtered through stories on a screen, often long before they have their own romantic and sexual experiences. Within this broader context, there is growing concern about the ways pornography can influence real-life intimacy and sexuality.

As technology enters every corner of our lives, children have access to smartphones and other digital devices at increasingly younger ages. This often means earlier exposure to pornography, which can now begin as early as 12.

Research has shown that consuming pornography is often associated with individual traits such as sensation-seeking or openness to experience. Studies have also explored the ways in which early exposure to such material may configure sexual attitudes and behaviours.

Findings have been mixed. Some studies point to the reinforcement of unrealistic expectations or gender........

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