Reactions to Men and Women Who Cry: A Study of Sex Differences in Perceived Societal Attitudes versus Personal Attitudes

Abstract

This study examined sex differences and similarities in sex-role attitudes using reactions to males' and females' crying as the stimulus situation. 285 male and 307 female students completed questionnaires. Subjects were asked to indicate their reactions to the sight of a woman crying and to the sight of a man crying. They were also asked to indicate how they thought “people” react to the sight of a man or a woman crying. Subjects perceived “people” as holding a double standard of crying, with much greater acceptance of females' than of males' crying. The proportion of subjects of both sexes who considered crying by males acceptable was significantly greater than the proportion who felt “people” would find it acceptable. Women seemed to hold a unisex standard of crying, while male subjects endorsed a double standard.