The recently vacuumed room, 319 Jordan, resembles most dorms. The walls are covered with posters of the residents' favorite activities and memoirs from home. Only one small suggestive picture of a blonde woman in short shorts getting on a bicycle can be found.

One would not suspect that this room sometimes serves as a center for adult entertainment.

Inside on a Friday afternoon, seven male students dressed in jeans and T-shirts are sitting in a circle, discussing their mutual pastime -- pornography. While leafing through copies of Playboy and Hustler, they discuss their hobby of viewing adult movies such as Deep Throat.

"What usually happens is that someone will have a movie and we'll all just sit down and laugh at it," said Mike (junior-management), who asked to use only his first name because of embarassment caused by the subject matter.

One of the seven men, Mike Kongelka (senior-psychology and business), said he thinks this embarassment is caused by society's taboo surrounding pornography.

"In this age of political correctness, sometimes there are things that people do that aren't 'right,' and they get stomped on for doing it," Kongelka said, adding that he thinks society tends to "browbeat" those who deviate from the norm.

These seven students are not the only ones who enjoy pornography. Despite the apparent taboos, adult entertainment has slowly seeped into State College.

Pornographic magazines can be purchased at many State College convenience stores. Average selections feature Playboy, Playgirl and Penthouse. Some stores tout more explicit magazines such as Hustler and Velvet.

But over all, pornographic magazines don't sell well, said Ray Agostinelli, general manager of McLanahan Self Service Store, 414 E. College Ave. When they do sell, the buyers are mainly students, Agostinelli said.

Jennifer Love (senior-anthropology) said she thinks pornography is unnatural, adding that people want what they are not supposed to have.

"People are interested in sex and nakedness," Love said. "I think maybe some of it has to do with the thrill because . . . it's against the social norm."

Alexandra Sotereanos, Womyn's Concerns co-director, attributes that interest to the fact there is not a mainstream film or medium about sex that does not include violence or the exploitation of women.

"People want to explore sexuality and sex, but it seems that pornography is the mainstream outlet that's out there, so that's what's utilized," Sotereanos said.

But Angharad Valdivia, assistant professor of media studies, thinks what Sotereanos said is true only if people view pornography broadly.

"If you explore sexuality in everything, is it pornography?" Valdivia asked, adding that pornography isn't the only outlet where sexuality is discussed, citing mainstream entertainment such as MTV and the movie Basic Instinct as examples.

Society's attitude toward adult entertainment is part of the reason University Book Centre, 206 E. College Ave., has opted not to market pornography.

"We operate under the definition of a general bookstore," said Karen Hirshon, the store's trade book buyer.

A general bookstore has more traditional material that the general public would buy, Hirshon said. Pornography is more of a specialized market, complete with a different set of publishers --none of whom send catalogs or sales representatives to University Book Centre, she added.

Pornography used to be a widely viewed market on campus. But because of complaints from some students, the Association of Residence Hall Students and the Undergraduate Student Government voted to stop sponsoring pornographic movies in 1988.

ARHS and USG first co-sponsored these films -- which grossed as much as $1,000 to $2,000 per weekend -- in 1980, according to The Daily Collegian's advertising records.

In January 1992, the Penn State Bookstore on Campus also ended its involvement with pornographic material because of poor sales, said Don Gilbert, the store's assistant manager.

"It was basically that the sales had dropped and we were cutting back in our inventory," Gilbert said, adding that pornography removal has not hurt the store's business.

Womyn's Concerns supported the bookstore's decision to remove pornography.

"It affects all women because the images and ideas stated show people that women are only used for sex," Sotereanos said.

And Valdivia said pornography has been linked to sexual aggression.

"There is quite a lot of research that suggests pornography contributes to a climate that makes violence more or less acceptable," she said, stressing that it is a component, not the cause, of a violent culture.

But Bill Farley, Playboy Enterprise Inc. director of communications, said there is no statistical proof that pornography leads to rape or violence.

Although Playboy -- "a guidebook for the young, urban male" -- is a "liberative" magazine, it still preaches sexual responsibility, Farley said, adding that the magazine supports scientific sexual studies such as Masters and Johnson.

Mike said he believes pornography such as Playboy and Deep Throat hasn't affected him.

"I'm not a very violent person," Mike said. "I've never raped anyone before or after I've watched a movie."

Mike compares pornography to regular movies -- people who watch violent films don't go out and commit violence, he said.

Downtown, many video stores supplement their "regular" movie selection with adult movies. And, unlike magazines, these videos show a profit.

The tapes rent fairly well, with most of the demand from students, said Sue Kelley, manager of the Video Center, 304 W. College Ave. But the store is careful when choosing what to sell, Kelley added.

"We check (the tapes) to make sure there is nothing disgusting," she said, explaining that they do not rent any adult movies that show rape or use children.

Even with the many problems surrounding pornography, people such as the seven students in Jordan continue to enjoy it.

"Is there anything more basic or essential to human nature than sexuality?" Farley asked. "Without it, we wouldn't be here."