Curious about the research and theory behind the psychology of men and masculinities? Well, we have created a series just for you, Masculinities 101. This is where you can find easy-to-read, digestible information about key areas in the field.
The eighth installment in our monthly series: Men and Masculinity
Culture undoubtedly plays a role in shaping our own behaviors as well as our thoughts and feelings about others’ behaviors. For example, in the U.S., it is often considered rude not to make eye contact during a conversation, whereas in many Asian cultures, such eye contact may be interpreted as aggressive or disrespectful.
The Sixth installment in our monthly series: Men and Masculinities 101
In the psychology of men and masculinities and other gender studies, investigators draw a distinction between biological sex and gender. Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females in terms of anatomy, hormones, and other biological characteristics.
Gender role conflict (GRC) refers to the psychological circumstances in which socially prescribed gender roles contribute to personal restrictions, devaluation, or violation of either one’s own self or others around them (O’Neil et al., 1986). Whereas traditional masculine ideology (TMI) describes individuals’ beliefs about the rigid, stereotyped characteristics and behaviors that define what it means to be “a man,” GRC represents the direct consequence of rigid adherence to these beliefs.
What is Traditional Masculine Ideology?
The 3rd installment in our monthly series: Men and Masculinity
Firstly, gender norms, which are based in stereotypes, are often contradictory and inconsistent, making them especially difficult to adhere to; thus, the number of men who violate gender norms is high. Violations (or perceived violations) of gender norms can lead to what Pleck (1995) deems gender role discrepancy, the difference between the culturally ideal man and the actual man, which can result in psychological stress (“gender role discrepancy stress”; Reidy et al., 2016).
The empirical study of men’s gendered experiences, however, has been faced with criticism; some argue that since men are the historically dominant gender, there is less of a need to study their experiences.
