Determinants in the Judgment of Obscenity
JOHN W. HIGGINS M.D., and
MARSHALL B. KATZMAN M.D.1
1 Instructor in the department of psychiatry, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1221 5. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63104
After presenting material classified at varied levels of obscenity to groups of raters, the authors concluded that the judgment of obscenity is determined by characteristics of the material being viewed (e.g., quality, artistic merit, attractiveness) as well as by characteristics of the viewer (e.g., sex, occupation, educational level). They also see a positive relationship between the ratings "obscene" and "sexually stimulating."
