Dear Dr. Harley,

I read in a book about marriage and sex that a study showed women became as sexually aroused as men when showed an explicit pornographic movie. The book also had some quotes from several wives saying that these movies got them "jump started" for lovemaking even if they weren't in the mood. Do you think pornography can be useful in a marriage, and if so, how much is too much?

W.C.

Dear W.C.,

Actually, explicit sexual movies or photographs rarely turn women on. That's why men are far and away the primary customers of pornography. Once in a while I come across a woman who finds them helpful sexually, but these women usually don't have much of a problem to begin with. And in many cases, it isn't the nude men they like, its the nude women.

To answer your question, most women who watch pornographic movies with their husbands do it because he wants them to. He seems to like it, so she goes along. Just sitting with him watching a movie, any movie, is often enough to turn her on, particularly if he is amorous while they are watching it.

Before you run out to buy pornographic videos, ask your wife how enthusiastic she is about the idea. Unless you have her enthusiastic agreement (Policy of Joint Agreement), I'd forget about it. Besides, springing it on her one night when you are alone together has all the makings of a gigantic blunder.

To test my theory, watch a romantic movie with your arm around your wife and see where it leads. Most women are much more comfortable with that approach to lovemaking than to watch naked actors doing their thing.