Moral Incongruence After 10 Years: A Developmental and Narrative Review

Purpose of Review: Moral Incongruence related research began approximately 10 years ago, and since its earliest inception, has proven to be an influential theory in accounting for why some people feel addicted to pornography or sexual behavior more broadly. Given the expansion of research related to compulsive sexual behavior and internet pornography use over recent years, as well as the expansion of research related to moral incongruence, the purpose of the present work is to provide a review of the topic of moral incongruence. Recent Findings: In service of the above aim, the present work traces the development of moral incongruence related research, describes how it has influenced research related to internet pornography use and compulsive sexual behaviors, considers critiques of moral incongruence, and discusses revisions to the model over time. Results generally find that moral incongruence is observable across cultures, that it replicates in numerous languages and countries, that it is uniquely related to religious beliefs, and that it may apply to behaviors beyond problematic pornography use alone.Summary: Moral Incongruence has proven to be an important and influential factor in appropriately understanding problematic pornography use and compulsive sexual behavior more broadly, manifesting in both clinical settings and research studies. Keywords: Sex Addiction, Behavioral Addictions, Morality, Religion, Pornography