College Men Research Articles

Testing the Validity and Factor Structure of the Willingness to Engage in Consensual Non-Monogamy Scale Among College Men and Women

Currently, the Willingness to Engage in Consensual Non-monogamy (CNM) Scale (Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 32: 222-240, 2015) is the only known measure for assessing CNM desire among individuals who have never engaged in CNM. However, the factor structure and validity of this measure have yet to be tested. Further, scholars have yet to consider that this scale may measure different constructs across men and women. Given the magnitude and consistency with which previous work has reported gender differences in CNM research, it is worthy to critically evaluate this scale. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure and validity of the Willingness to Engage in CNM Scale. Additionally, this study examined the factorial invariance of this scale across men and women. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using a large sample (N = 938) of college attending emerging adults (ages 18–29) supported a single-factor structure for all items in the scale. This study also found supporting evidence for convergent and divergent validity. A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated partial measurement invariance across men and women. Implications for CNM research, methodology, and policy are discussed.

THE CHIEF END OF MAN AT PRINCETON: THE RISE OF GENDERED MORAL FORMATION IN AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION

During the decades around 1900, changing intellectual currents and the creation of the research university led American colleges and universities to alter the role of religion in students' education. Simultaneously, women matriculated in large numbers for the first time, forcing individual institutions to ask whether and how to incorporate them. Using the lens of all-male Princeton University, this article explores how these two trends combined to help instill gender ideals in the Progressive Era male elite. Princeton sought to attract an elite constituency by no longer seeking to inculcate in students simply moral excellence in general, but rather traits associated with prominent men specifically. Princeton's leaders reinforced this gendered moral formation as they shifted from evangelical spirituality focused on relating rightly to God to modernist spirituality focused on relating rightly to the human community. That students embraced these changes suggests that a new approach to moral formation at prominent men's colleges—and coeducational universities that copied their approach—may help explain why, in an era when women could first access an education equal to men's, educated men nevertheless continued to see themselves as uniquely suited for certain public leadership roles by virtue of their sex.

Construct validity evidence for the Male Role Norms Inventory-Short Form: A structural equation modeling approach using the bifactor model.

The construct validity of the Male Role Norms Inventory-Short Form (MRNI-SF) was assessed using a latent variable approach implemented with structural equation modeling (SEM). The MRNI-SF was specified as having a bifactor structure, and validation scales were also specified as latent variables. The latent variable approach had the advantages of separating effects of general and specific factors and controlling for some sources of measurement error. Data (N = 484) were from a diverse sample (38.8% men of color, 22.3% men of diverse sexualities) of community-dwelling and college men who responded to an online survey. The construct validity of the MRNI-SF General Traditional Masculinity Ideology factor was supported for all 4 of the proposed latent correlations with: (a) Male Role Attitudes Scale; (b) general factor of Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46; (c) higher-order factor of Gender Role Conflict Scale; and (d) Personal Attributes Questionnaire-Masculinity Scale. Significant correlations with relevant other latent factors provided concurrent validity evidence for the MRNI-SF specific factors of Negativity toward Sexual Minorities, Importance of Sex, Restrictive Emotionality, and Toughness, with all 8 of the hypothesized relationships supported. However, 3 relationships concerning Dominance were not supported. (The construct validity of the remaining 2 MRNI-SF specific factors-Avoidance of Femininity and Self-Reliance through Mechanical Skills was not assessed.) Comparisons were made, and meaningful differences noted, between the latent correlations emphasized in this study and their raw variable counterparts. Results are discussed in terms of the advantages of an SEM approach and the unique characteristics of the bifactor model. (PsycINFO Database Record

Identifying Health Beliefs Influencing Hispanic College Men's Willingness to Vaccinate against HPV

ABSTRACTThis study identifies health beliefs influencing Hispanic college men's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake decision making processes. Hispanic college men were interviewed about their HPV vaccine knowledge, and information seeking behaviors. Overall, participants did not view HPV infection or vaccination as an immediate concern or priority; belief that it was a virus that only affected women, and a sense of invulnerability informed their positions. Despite these issues, most men were willing to consider getting the HPV vaccine if they received more education from health care providers, and cost concerns were addressed. These findings pointed to gaps in our understandings of Hispanic college men's HPV vaccination beliefs and provided insight into the importance of integrating this population's unique beliefs into campus health providers efforts aimed at increasing vaccination rates.

The role of social class, ethnocultural adaptation, and masculinity ideology on Mexican American college men’s well-being.

The role of social class, ethnocultural adaptation, and masculinity ideology on Mexican American college men’s well-being.

Determining the Relationship Between Physical Fitness, Gender, and Life Satisfaction

Previous research has suggested a positive effect of physical activity on life satisfaction. Little research exists that has investigated the relationship between physical fitness and life satisfaction. For this purpose, this research was done to determine the relationship between physical fitness and life satisfaction in a sample of university men and women. Participants ( N = 28, Mage = 22.18) completed multiple indicators of physical fitness including cardiovascular fitness, muscular fitness, body composition and flexibility, and life satisfaction (SWLS). Descriptive and one-way between-groups ANOVAs were performed to determine gender differences on measures of life satisfaction and measures of fitness. In addition, the relationship between the five health-related components of fitness and life satisfaction were investigated using Pearson’s product–moment correlation coefficient. Analyses indicated there were no significant correlations between any of the health-related components of fitness and scores on the SWLS. There were significant gender differences on all physical fitness measures, except partial curl-ups, but no significant gender differences on life satisfaction. Our findings suggest that improved physical fitness does not have a relationship with higher life satisfaction measures. Further tests, utilizing larger sample sizes, are recommended.

“Am I Masculine Enough?”: Queer Filipino College Men and Masculinity

Research on college men and masculinities has been of interest within higher education, yet there is limited focus on the experiences of students with multiple marginalized identities. Through semi-structured interviews with gay, bisexual, and queer Filipino undergraduate men, this study examined how students defined, understood, and experienced masculinity, with emphases on the influence of environmental factors within family, cultural, and campus contexts. Overarching themes and implications for student affairs practice are discussed.

Sexual Behavior in Parked Cars Reported by Midwestern College Men and Women

In an anonymous survey of 195 men and 511 women (Mage = 19.8) at a small Midwestern university, 119 men (61%) and 303 women (59.5%) reported that they had engaged in sex while parked. Of these 422, 14% lost their virginity in a parked car. Having sex in parked cars was more likely to involve relational dating partners than hookups. In most recent incidents, the majority of respondents were with a serious but noncohabiting romantic partner (56.9%) in the back seat (63.4%) of a standard car (56.4%) parked out in the country (56.0%). The most common sexual acts were penile-vaginal sex and genital touching, reported by 84.6% and 57.5% of respondents, respectively. Condoms were used by 58.2% of respondents. Less than 1% of respondents reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or pregnancy outcomes. These data, including personal stories of memorable incidents, revealed that despite discomfort, body bumps, and risk of being caught, sex while parked was primarily a positive sexual and romantic experience for both men and women. A dark side of parked-car sex existed in that 2.5% of men and 4.3% of women reported being sexually coerced. The future study of sex in parked cars in urban environments is recommended.

Development and validation of the sociocultural attitudes towards appearance questionnaire-4-revised (SATAQ-4R).

The Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4) is a measure of internalization of appearance ideals (i.e., personal acceptance of societal ideals) and appearance pressures (i.e., pressures to achieve the societal ideal). The current study sought to address limitations of the scale in order to increase precision in the measurement of muscular ideal internalization, include an assessment of one's desire for attractiveness, and broaden the measurement of appearance-related pressures. The factor structure, reliability and construct validity of the SATAQ-4-Revised were examined among college women (N = 1,114) in Study 1, adolescent girls (N = 275) in Study 2, and college men (N = 290) in Study 3. Factor analysis among college women indicated a 7-factor 31-item scale, labeled the SATAQ-4R-Female: (1) Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat, (2) Internalization: Muscular, (3) Internalization: General Attractiveness, (4) Pressures: Family, (5) Pressures: Media, (6) Pressures: Peers, and (7) Pressures: Significant Others. SATAQ-4R-Female subscales demonstrated good reliability and construct validity among college women. Examination of the SATAQ-4R-Female among adolescent girls suggested a six-factor scale in which peer and significant others items comprised a single subscale. The scale demonstrated good reliability and construct validity in adolescent girls. Examination of the SATAQ-4R among men produced a 28-item scale with seven factors paralleling the factors identified among college women. This scale, labeled the SATAQ-4R-Male, demonstrated good reliability and construct validity. Results support the reliability and validity of SATAQ-4R-Female in college women and adolescent girls, and the SATAQ-4R-Male in college men. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:104-117).

Not Feeling Good in STEM: Effects of Stereotype Activation and Anticipated Affect on Women’s Career Aspirations

Despite great efforts to increase women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), relatively few women choose careers in these fields. We argue that women might expect to feel less good in contexts where unfavorable gender stereotypes are activated in their minds (e.g., by strong underrepresentation) and, consequently, are less likely to aspire to STEM careers. In two pilot studies (Ns = 28/61), we confirmed that undergraduate women expect more negative and less positive affect (i.e., generally (un)pleasant emotions) and a heightened sense of threat in a stereotype-activating, compared to a not stereotype-activating, test scenario. In Study 1 (N = 102), the scenario indirectly lowered college women’s STEM career aspiration (adjusted for preliminary domain identification) due to lower anticipated positive affect, but not to higher negative affect, in the stereotype-activating scenario. The scenario had no detrimental effect on college men’s anticipated affect or their career aspirations. In Study 2, 91 high school students reported anticipated affect and self-efficacy in different university majors and their intentions to choose the subject as a major. The more stereotypically male (in terms of gender distribution) the subject, the more negative and the less positive was young women’s, but not young men’s, anticipated affect. Only lower positive, but not higher negative, affect predicted low study intentions over and above self-efficacy. To increase women’s aspirations, their expected feelings in STEM deserve attention. One approach to foster positive affect might be to create less stereotypical STEM contexts.

College Men’s Perceptions of Their Leadership Practice: Unpacking Power and Influence

This qualitative exploratory study focuses on the leadership experiences of college men who held leadership roles in campus organizations. The researchers examined the students’ experiences of leading their organizations and group members and the students’ perceptions of gender roles influencing their leadership practice. Four male participants at a medium-sized, religiously-affiliated university engaged in in-depth interviews and a focus group with the researchers, who used a blend of qualitative approaches to conduct the study and analyze the data. Key themes emerged around a balance between task and relationship-building; the distinction between power and influence; a desire to do better; understanding leadership as generative; and resisting the masculine/feminine leadership dichotomies. Implications are presented for professional practice and research.

The Frequency and Perceived Impact of Engaging in In-Person and Cyber Unwanted Pursuit after Relationship Break-Up among College Men and Women

The present study examined the extent of cyber and in-person unwanted pursuit behaviors (UPBs) reported by undergraduate men and women who pursued former partners and the pursuer’s perceptions of the impact of their pursuit on their targets. Among a sample of 1167 undergraduates (66.8 % women; 95.4 % heterosexual) approximately 80 % of men and women reported engaging in UPBs toward former partners, with cyber pursuit endorsed by a subset of those who engaged in in-person UPBs. Despite few gender differences in overall pursuit, men endorsed engaging in a number of specific behaviors more than did women. Most UPBs did receive responses from targets, and pursuers generally did not perceive their behaviors as annoying, threatening, or frightening. Women perceived that targets had more negative responses to UPBs, particularly to threatening or violent pursuit, and men perceived more positive or neutral responses overall. Minor UPBs were associated with relationship reconciliation among women and men, whereas severe UPBs were associated with reconciliation among men only. Results suggest that pursuers likely underestimate the impact of their behaviors on targets and that pursuers’ efforts, even severe and threatening, are often reinforced, particularly for men who pursue. Universities must be aware of UPBs and provide prevention programs specific to healthy relationship dissolution and pursuit. Provision of corrective information regarding the impact of severe and threatening pursuit may assist in reducing these behaviors.

Reinforcer pathologies: Predicting alcohol related problems in college drinking men and women

BackgroundAlcohol use in college is common, and problematic consequences of alcohol may affect college men and women differently. Approaches within behavioral economics have been used to improve our understanding of alcohol use in college students. MethodsThe current study assessed relations between college students' delay discounting, demand for alcohol, and alcohol problems as measured by the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (YAACQ). In this study, 80 college drinkers completed a monetary choice questionnaire that assessed delay discounting of money, a novel beer choice questionnaire that evaluated delay discounting of beer, and an alcohol purchase task that measured demand for alcohol. ResultsBehavioral economic measures associated with the reinforcer pathologies model (i.e., demand and discounting) predicted alcohol consequences as measured by the YAACQ. For men, these significant predictor variables included money discounting, beer discounting, and intensity of alcohol demand, whereas for women money discounting and essential value were significant predictors. ConclusionsThese findings highlight the utility of the reinforcer pathologies approach for the study of alcohol use and the importance of considering gender differences in examining college drinking.

College Men’s Experiences of Gender Prejudice

Despite evidence suggesting that men’s experiences of gender discrimination are increasing, there has been little research exploring the topic. This article examines college men’s ( N = 145) experiences of gender prejudice and how they respond to the events. Participants most often reported experiencing a hostile or negative comment about men, and the instigators were female and friends or partners of the victim. Most participants reported that they respond by confrontation (70, 48%), followed by a non-behavioral psychological response (34, 23%), non-confrontational response (25, 17%), and not doing anything (16, 11%). Distress level significantly predicted the use of confrontational responses. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Using Metaphors to Facilitate Exploration of Emotional Content in Counseling With College Men

Mental health professionals in college counseling centers are increasingly interested in understanding the challenges of effectively working with male college students. Not all men are difficult to work with in therapy, but certain masculine gender role norms, particularly restricted emotionality, can create challenges to the therapeutic process. However, therapeutic metaphors that are familiar to male clients can provide a safe entry point to emotional topics. We describe a framework of using metaphors with college men that involves connecting with interests of male clients, establishing rapport, and facilitating a nonthreatening common language to develop metaphors for exploration of vulnerable emotions. Brief case examples are then used to illustrate effective implementation of therapeutic metaphors with traditional male clients experiencing difficulty with emotions.

Muscular strength is associated with self-esteem in college men but not women.

Muscular strength is a well-known predictor of morbidity and mortality. Similarly, self-esteem is a predictor of health and well-being. The relationship between these two variables, however, is currently unknown. This study examined the cross-sectional relationship between maximal muscular strength (i.e. handgrip and one-repetition-maximum (1-RM) squat) and global self-esteem in 126 college students. Significant correlations were found between both measures of muscular strength and self-esteem. Further analyses revealed that these relationships were only significant for men. Based on these results, additional research is needed to further explore the relationship between muscular strength and self-esteem, especially in other demographic groups and longitudinally.

Birth cohort changes in Chinese college students’ loneliness and social support

With the dramatic recent changes in Chinese society, Chinese college students’ average levels of loneliness and social support might also have changed across their birth cohorts. The present cross-temporal meta-analysis of 56 studies (N = 21,541) found that Chinese college students’ scores on the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) increased gradually from 2002 to 2011. The increasing trend in loneliness occurred among both men and women. Another similar meta-analysis of 110 studies (N = 57,420) showed that Chinese college students’ scores on the Social Support Rating Scale decreased from 1999 to 2011, with a slightly larger shift occurring among college men. The increase in loneliness across birth cohorts among Chinese college students was associated with the decline of their perceived social support levels (especially objective social support).

Personality and Perpetration: Narcissism Among College Sexual Assault Perpetrators.

Theory and research suggest that narcissism plays an important role in perpetration of sexual aggression. As narcissism is a multidimensional construct, our objective was to clarify the relation between perpetration and three aspects of narcissism. College men (N = 234) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) subscale of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders-II (SCID-N) Personality Questionnaire, and Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS). Perpetrators had higher scores on NPD traits, which were also associated with frequent perpetration. HSNS scores were only associated with perpetration via alcohol and/or drugs. Only the maladaptive facets of NPI narcissism correlated with perpetration. Narcissism seems to have been understudied in nonincarcerated perpetrators.

Interracial attraction among college men

The current study integrated constructs from the fields of relationship science (i.e., similarity and familiarity) and intergroup research (i.e., racial ideologies, particularly color-blind racial ideology and multiculturalism) to explore interracial romantic attraction. Using a person-perception design, 124 Black ( n = 62) and White ( n =62) heterosexual college men indicated their romantic attraction to the dating profiles of three Black and three White women. Results from analyses consistent with a linear mixed-model approach supported most of the hypotheses, including participants in general were more attracted to women of the same race and that greater endorsement of multicultural ideological beliefs was associated with increased interracial attraction. For White men, greater endorsement of color-blind racial ideology was predictive of a decrease in interracial romantic attraction as hypothesized. Contrary to the hypotheses, increased interracial contact for Black men was associated with an increase in same race attraction. Results are discussed in the context of existing literature, and important next steps are also discussed.

Predicting Bystander Efficacy and Willingness to Intervene in College Men and Women: The Role of Exposure to Varying Levels of Violence in Pornography.

Students from two research universities completed items measuring the frequency of their using different kinds of pornography, and measures of their willingness and intent to intervene to help a bystander who might be experiencing sexual violence. Hierarchical logistic regressions showed that for men, violent/degrading pornography use, but not explicit but non-degrading pornography use, was significantly associated with reduced bystander willingness to intervene, but not associated with bystander efficacy. Women did not show the same impact of violent/degrading pornography use on the two bystander intervention variables. Results suggest violence/degrading pornography may contribute to a culture of acceptance of violence against women.