Masculinity Ideology Research Articles

Strong, Young, Male, Foreign Bodies at Work: Paraguayan Inequality in Argentina’s Farm Forestry

This paper examines the juxtaposition of inequalities in the forestry labor market in the delta of the Paraná River in Argentina. Forestry has traditionally been one of the most masculine rural activities. In the area under study, most of the farmers are men. Workers are also men, but there is a hierarchy among them: managers and machine operators are locals and higher up in the social structure; at the lowest rank of the ladder, one would find chainsaw operators and those who do manual work. The latter are mainly Paraguayan migrants. These migrants are appreciated for their strength, but they suffer the impacts of extremely harsh working and living conditions. The stereotype of the “good Paraguayan forestry worker,” which is also part of their own ethnic pride, catalyzes and is the result of the three types of inequalities: vital, existential, and material. Based on the analysis of ethnographic records of in-depth interviews and participant observations conducted by the author’s research team between 2012 and 2019, this paper characterizes macro-structural conditions related to secondary labor market theory and considers some mesostructural features. It argues that the combination of recruitment strategies and naturalization ideology of Paraguayan masculinity helps explain Paraguayan workers’ inequalities. According to the local common sense, their inequality and harsh life stem from indigenous-foreign origin and eagerness to fulfill masculine mandates. At the microstructural level, the article analyzes their aspirations, which do not necessarily confront domination and are part of adaptive preferences that normalize inequalities.

Qualitative studies on men with prostate cancer: a systematic meta-synthesis.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer among men. Despite advancements in clinical interventions and improvements in public health outreach, a multi-dimensional lack of understanding of the lived experiences of men diagnosed with PCa continues. Improving the quantity and quality of knowledge about this subject could guide clinical decisions and interventions for this group. This paper reviews qualitative studies focusing on PCa patients using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool (CASP), synthesizes the data, and maps the overarching themes through a systematic meta-synthesis. The authors identified 3546 manuscripts, of which 103 met the inclusion criteria. Six themes were identified that addressed: support needs, diagnosis, and treatment experiences, lived experiences, information accessibility, care, and threats to masculinity. Treatment side-effects caused a re-configuration and re-evaluation of masculine ideologies. Men mainly relied on close family and support groups to cope with their feelings of stigma, uncertainty, and recovery. Professional healthcare and consultation quality eased their anxiety concerning long-term treatment and other factors associated with their condition. The studies were socio-demographically heterogeneous. Thus, researchers could use qualitative research to explore knowledge gaps in the following interconnected themes: masculinity care, masculinity support, masculinity information, and incorporating a more diverse socio-demographical sample.

Family Business Governance: The Enterprise as a Household

The article examines family governance among small businesses drawing on the ethnography of entrepreneurs and business families in a Russian town. The study of informal mechanisms of family governance allows us to understand how the subjects of management and control legitimize the existing division of labor in the enterprise and what social and cultural meanings stand behind such a distinction. The study demonstrates that enterprises where a married couple is involved in management, control and ownership are built on the principles of household management, in which the division of labor between spouses often recreates the desired gender order such that the ideology of successful masculinity and a “feeling of being an owner” coexist with the ideals of successful motherhood and familism.

Emotional Dysregulation, Anger, and Masculinity in Men Who Have Experienced Lifetime Sexual Violence.

Many men experience strong negative emotions and a "diminished masculinity" following sexual victimization. These men may be more willing to express anger, rather than more vulnerable emotions (e.g., shame), in an attempt to maintain their masculinity. However, increased expression of anger among men is linked to other negative outcomes such as increased substance abuse (Eftekhari et al., 2004), suggesting that anger is an ineffective coping strategy for distress. Compared to women, men are understudied in the sexual violence literature. Studies that have been conducted have focused primarily on child sexual abuse, adult males in prison, or military sexual violence samples. Few studies have investigated men's sexual abuse across their lifetime. This study intended to fill this gap by investigating sexual violence against men across the lifespan. The goal of the current study was to examine how conformity to masculine norms and emotional dysregulation influence the relationship between lifetime sexual violence (LSV) and anger. We hypothesized that the relation between LSV and anger would be mediated by conformity to masculine norms and emotion dysregulation. Data were collected from 532 community and 185 college men. Participants completed measures focused on childhood maltreatment, adult sexual victimization, masculinity, anger, and emotion dysregulation. Two hundred and one (27.1%) men reported LSV experiences. Results suggest men with LSV reported significantly higher scores on conformity to masculine norms, anger, and emotion dysregulation. Regression analyses revealed that LSV directly predicted increased conformity to masculine norms, emotion dysregulation, and anger. Additionally, the indirect effects of emotion dysregulation and masculinity were significant. Findings indicate trauma interventions need to target masculine ideology and emotion dysregulation to help reduce anger as a traditionally acceptable emotional outlet for men.

Gendered emotion socialization in families of preschoolers: The role of parents’ masculinity ideology.

Gendered emotion socialization in families of preschoolers: The role of parents’ masculinity ideology.

Predicting change in relationship distress and depressive symptoms among couples in Taiwan: The role of attachment, emotional expressivity, and gender roles in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

This pilot study examined predictors of change in relationship distress and depressive symptoms over the course of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in a one-arm, pragmatic clinical trial of 17 couples in Taiwan. Results revealed that masculine ideology, feminine ideology, traditionalism, and emotional expressivity at intake predicted change in relationship distress. Specifically, women's high traditional gender roles and traditionalism and both partners' high emotional expressivity at intake were associated with decreases in relationship distress over time. In addition, attachment and emotional expressivity predicted change in depressive symptoms. Specifically, high attachment avoidance, high attachment anxiety, and high emotional expressivity at intake were associated with decreases in depressive symptoms over time. While more research is needed, these findings offer preliminary support for the types of partners who may experience more improvement after receiving EFT in Taiwan.

Similar Employment of Coercion Strategies by Men and Women: Links Between Conformity to Traditional Masculine Ideologies and Sexual Coercion Following Sexual Rejection

ABSTRACT During hookups some people use coercive tactics to obtain sex from a reluctant partner. The current study explored whether individuals with greater conformity to traditional masculine ideologies (TMIs) are more willing to use coercive and coaxing tactics following sexual rejection than are individuals with less conformity to TMIs. German-speaking participants (N = 771; 50.5% men and 49.5% women; age M = 27.98, SD = 8.04), recruited through Prolific or university-wide mailing lists, were randomly assigned to read one of two hypothetical scenarios depicting a hookup leading to sexual rejection. One scenario included rejection when trying to initiate sexual activity. In the other scenario, rejection followed after some consensual sexual activity had taken place. Participants reported their propensity to use coercive and coaxing tactics. Results showed significant associations between conformity to TMIs and an increased propensity to use coercion and coaxing tactics. Additionally, sexual rejection after sexual activities leads to an increased propensity to use coaxing tactics. During hookups, men and women with greater conformity to TMIs related to sexual interactions, power dynamics and the endorsement of aggressive behaviors may perceive sexual rejection as a loss of control and try to regain dominance and power by using coercive and coaxing tactics.

Men’s use of cosmetic surgery and the role of traditional masculinity ideologies

In western countries, men are increasingly using cosmetic surgery. However, despite this trend, there remains a dearth of information on the prevalence, acceptance, and motivations behind men’s use of cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, the potential association between men’s use of cosmetic surgery and in particular male-specific cosmetic surgery procedures such as head hair transplant or penis enlargement and traditional masculinity ideologies (TMI) has not been investigated so far. For this purpose, a cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted among 241 self-identifying men aged 18 years or older from the German-speaking part of Europe. Participants responded to questions about cosmetic surgery use and experiences, and completed the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory—Short Form (CMNI-SF) and the Male Role Norms Inventory—Short Form (MRNI-SF) questionnaires to assess conformity with and endorsement of TMI. Of the 241 men investigated, 47 (19.5%) had undergone cosmetic surgery. The most common types of cosmetic surgeries reported were wrinkle treatment, eyelid correction, and head-hair transplant. Penis enlargement procedures were reported by three (6.4%) of the 47 men who had undergone cosmetic surgery. The main reasons for undergoing surgery were to feel better (72.3%) and look better (55.3%), while to increase sexual success (17.0%) and to increase manliness (14.9%) were also reported. Logistic regression models showed that higher conformity to TMI (CMNI-SF) was associated with higher odds of having undergone cosmetic surgery. The results highlight the overall increase in men’s cosmetic surgery use and its specific characteristics. The significant positive association between conformity to TMI and men’s use of cosmetic surgery suggests that men increasingly use cosmetic surgery as a means to assert power, success, dominance, and sexual success.

Evaluation of male-specific psychoeducation for major depressive disorder compared to cognitive behavioral therapy psychoeducation: A randomized controlled investigation in mentally distressed men

Background: Research suggests that male-specific psychotherapy approaches for major depressive disorder (MDD) that consider traditional masculinity ideologies (TMI) may achieve improved treatment efficacy and reduced therapy dropout. However, studies examining male-specific psychotherapy for MDD or specific therapy aspects remain lacking. Methods: An anonymous online study on men’s mental health examined 152 self-reporting mentally distressed cisgender men (M age = 25.5 ± 9.1) from German-speaking countries of Europe. After completing baseline assessments (T1) of state self-esteem, state shame, positive/negative affect, depressive symptoms, and TMI, men were randomly assigned to read either a male-specific (MSP) or a cognitive behavioral therapy-oriented (CBT) psychoeducation text for MDD. Immediately afterwards, participants rated its usefulness and completed follow-up assessments (T2). Results: Men in the MSP condition showed a stronger decrease in shame and negative affect as compared to men in the CBT-psychoeducation condition. Furthermore, in the MSP condition, prototypical depression symptoms tended to increase as compared to the CBT-psychoeducation, whereas male-typical externalizing depression symptoms tended to decrease. Conclusion: MSP for MDD may help depressed men feel less ashamed about their MDD and experience less negative affect about their condition than CBT-psychoeducation. Furthermore, MSP for MDD may elicit a shift from male-typical externalizing depression symptoms to prototypical depression symptoms.

On Meter and the Social Dynamics of Cueing in Bill Monroe’s “Muleskinner Blues”

“Muleskinner Blues,” the signature song of bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe, is at once central to the bluegrass canon and yet metrically enigmatic, featuring a flexible timing structure that fluctuated wildly between performances. This article engages in a longitudinal study of 165 performances of “Muleskinner Blues” across Bill Monroe’s career to explore how the musicians that rotated through his band, the Blue Grass Boys, cognitively grappled with the song’s flexible structure. Through a series of analytical vignettes, I will detail the distributed cognitive system that drives performances of “Muleskinner Blues,” giving special attention to musical cues as tools for calling collective attention to structurally important moments of action. Additionally, I show how the song’s flexible meter was weaponized by Monroe in acts of musical hazing, antagonizing his musicians in the high-stakes environment of a live performance. Through these analyses, I show how the song’s peculiar meter centered Monroe musically, structurally, and socially, transforming “Muleskinner Blues” into a potent vehicle for the masculine ideology of the father of bluegrass music.

A Ramayana of Her Own: Reading Chandrabati’s Ramayana through a Gendered Perspective

Composed in the late 16th century, the Bengali woman poet Chandrabati’s Ramayana retells the Ramkatha stories with a distinctive female voice that narrates the familiar story of women’s suffering rather than of masculine heroism. Belonging to the Bengali genre of folk narratives variously known as pala gaan, this version of the Ramayana stands in clear affinity with the several narratives about women’s tragic lives that comprise a distinct type of pala literature. It centralizes Sita’s agonizing experiences. Sita’s character becomes the primary narrative tool through which Chandrabati’s verse narrative subverts the traditional patriarchal representation of her character. She (Chandrabati) challenges the mythology from the point of view of the gendered subaltern and makes Sita occupy the centre stage pushing back Rama to the margin. Written with a unique narrative technique this verse narrative is told through a “baromasi” – a woman’s plaintive refrain about everyday sorrows that venture into mythical intertextualities, Chandrabati questions the woman-centric point of view to understand, analyze, and interpret religion and remains critical of the dominant male ideology. The narrative authority of the female voice becomes even more assertive with the addition of the poet’s own life story, which serves to set this revision of the customary Ramkatha within a discourse on women’s self-perception. The paper intends to explore how a woman’s narrative raises crucial questions regarding wifehood, motherhood, the female psyche, the various forms of oppression that women go through, and the overall position of women in a male-dominated society. It is a woman’s text, an atypical refashioning of the Ramayana story which starts with a river in Sita’s village and her miraculous birth. While maintaining some of the basic plot points, Chandrabati’s short, humble Ramayana in Bangla takes artistic liberties that few ‘Ramayanas’ of the time had taken.

Development of Traditional Masculinity Ideology Scale and Its Association with Ambivalent Sexism

Development of Traditional Masculinity Ideology Scale and Its Association with Ambivalent Sexism

Men’s psychotherapy dropout is associated with conformity to traditional masculinity ideologies.

Men’s psychotherapy dropout is associated with conformity to traditional masculinity ideologies.

Extant Literature Review on Understanding of Domestic Violence against Women in Rural Sindh, Pakistan

This paper presents detailed critiques of existing literature and debate on crucial issues of domestic violence against women in Rural Sindh, Pakistan. Primarily, definitions, causes, consequences, and prevention of domestic violence, as well as sociological and feminist theoretical framework perspectives, are discussed profoundly. Discussions and analyses of past materials, meanings, nature, and scope of studies on domestic violence worldwide and in Sindh, Pakistan, backgrounds are discussed. Patriarchy, masculinity, and their relation to domestic violence are briefly elaborated. The international perspective on domestic violence, ideology and concept of patriarchy, men and masculinity connecting to the situations of marriage, gender relations, roles, legal and religious perspective in Pakistan about domestic violence in Sindh, and previously reported incidence is also reviewed. Likewise, relevant literature and its review on the topic of past studies, connecting with the present study, have also been established with relevant theories, which have overlapping effects on domestic violence. Literature review sections of papers define that there is not any single theory or reason; rather, there are multiple socio-economic, psychological, and feminist viewpoints which allow perpetrators to commit domestic violence against women in rural Sindh, Pakistan.

Revival of the bhadra man in Rituparno Ghosh’s Unishe April and Dahan

Rituparno Ghosh’s cinematization of Unishe April (1994) and Dahan (1997) is a systemic triad interrogative feminist narrative of a case of sexual and non-sexual violence, the gendered spatial politics of Calcutta and the performativity of Bengali masculinity. The present study delves into the nuanced portrayal of the bhadralok masculinities in the cinematic texts of Rituparno Ghosh’s Unishe April (1994) and Dahan (1997). This research paper aims to articulate the relationship of Bengali bhadralok masculinity and the scattered hegemonies of socio-cultural structures of domination and patriarchal systems operating on multiple levels in the Bengali context. The bhadralok politics of the yesteryears was built on a collusion with the colonial system and espoused a broad spectrum of ideologies, including nationalism, liberalism, and humanism. Scholarly writings on Rituparno Ghosh have documented gender politics with an implicit focus on the feminine and queer subjectivity. The arguments of the present paper depart from the idea that masculinity is a genderless and a reified construct. Through a specific focus on masculinity and the masculine ideology’s nexus with gender social structuring, the present paper questions the invisibilization of masculine power, privilege, and performance. The bhadralok masculinity, though seemingly progressive and egalitarian, the embodiment preserves the patriarchal status quo of unequal gender relationships. Through an interrogation of the intersections of the changing bhadralok masculinities and its complex nexus with the changing social and cultural institutions across time and space, the study asserts that the cultured and sophisticated bhadralok gendered order is a failed political reconfiguration of masculinity.

Understanding the Meat-Masculinity Link: Traditional and Non-Traditional Masculine Norms Predicting Men’s Meat Consumption

ABSTRACT Conformity to masculinity ideology predicts men’s meat consumption and willingness to reduce their meat intake, but it is unknown which specific masculine norms account for these relationships. This study investigated which traditional and non-traditional masculine norms predict meat consumption, red and processed meat consumption, and willingness to reduce meat consumption in 557 Australian and English males. Men who support the use of physical violence and place high importance on sex ate more meat. Willingness to reduce was highest among men with gender egalitarian views. Targeting these specific masculine norms may be important for mitigating men’s overconsumption of meat.

Traditional masculinity ideology and political protests in authoritarian regimes: Unpacking the role of attitudes toward political authorities.

Traditional masculinity ideology and political protests in authoritarian regimes: Unpacking the role of attitudes toward political authorities.

Officers and men and fallen heroes: The discursive construction of regimented masculinity in the Nigerian Army

This paper examines the use of gendered language in the Nigerian Army's community of practice through the application of insights from language ideology and theory of masculinity. Data were generated by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews in a one-year fieldwork involving representative sample of 18 personnel of the 6 Battalion, Ibawa and 2 Brigade, Uyo, both in Akwa Ibom State in South-eastern Nigeria. The findings show that the Nigerian Army maintains institutional gendered language practices used among its personnel in regimented functions and social events. The gendered registers occur in the soldiers' generic use of male address terms, adaptation to male-coded voice pattern in parades, masculinisation of Army's workout songs, and the subordination of femininity in institutional associations, all combined to construct the regimented and performative masculinisation of the profession. This practice is observed to be informed by the numerical domination of men in the profession that was originally perceived as males'; a conception that has shaped the linguistic ideology and performance of the Nigerian Army to rehearse masculine orientations. It is however recommended that the Army's language practices should capture modern ideals of a gender sensitive world that connect to the clamour for gender equality and equal social belonging through the inclusion of feminine linguistic markers in workplaces.

Fleshing Out the Ways Masculinity Threat and Traditional Masculinity Ideology Relate to Meat-Eating and Environmental Attitudes in Australian Men

Meat consumption needs to be reduced to limit climate change but achieving this requires understanding the drivers of meat consumption. In this study, we investigated two potential drivers—a contextual threat to masculinity and the stable individual difference of masculine ideology—and how they predict meat-eating intentions, attitudes, and environmentalism. Employing a sample of 375 Australian men, a population known for its high meat consumption, we did not find support that a contextual threat to men’s masculinity increased pro-meat attitudes or intentions. Instead, we found that prevailing views about masculine ideology significantly predicted meat-related attitudes and intentions, with avoidance of femininity associated with lower avoidance of meat and lower intentions to eat clean meat, and the endorsement of male dominance tied to lower pro-environmental responding. Our findings suggest that situational threats to masculinity may not robustly affect meat consumption intentions and highlight the importance of more stable individual differences in the conception of the male gender identity in maintaining men’s high meat consumption.

(290) Exploring the Link Between Conformity to Masculine Ideologies and Responses to Sexual Rejection in Cisgender Men and Cisgender Women

Abstract Introduction Sexual rejection occurs when a person’s sexual advances are terminated by a potential sexual partner, leading to responses that may disregard the partner’s choice, such as attempts to entice or express resentment. Traditional masculine ideologies (TMIs) could play a role in motivating enticing or resentful responses. TMIs often emphasize superiority, encompassing power, control, dominance, and frequent sexual activity. When individuals adhering to TMIs face sexual rejection, they may experience feelings of inferiority and respond with enticing or resentful behaviors to reassert superiority. Objective Explore links between TMIs and the use of enticing and resentful responses following experiences of sexual rejection. Methods A German-speaking sample of 351 cisgender men and 345 cisgender women (age: M = 28.11, SD = 8.05) were randomly assigned to read one of two hypothetical stories in which participants should imagine being sexually rejected by their partner (rejection condition), or engaging in sexual activity with their partner (no-rejection condition). Afterward, participants had to report how they would react to sexual rejection. TMI was assessed with the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory. Results Compared to cisgender women, cisgender men more often would react with enticing tactics (β = .77, p < .001). Compared to participants who were rejected, participants who were not rejected more often would react with enticing tactics (β = .43, p < .001). Participants with higher levels of TMIs (being a playboy, dominating women, holding heterosexual self-presentation) more often would react with enticing tactics (β = .18, p < .001; β = .15, p < .001; β = .11, p < .001, respectively). Compared to men with higher levels of TMI (heterosexual self-presentation), women with higher levels of TMI (heterosexual self-presentation) more often would react with resentful responses (β = .68, p < .001). This effect was reinforced through sexual rejection, as opposed to no sexual rejection (β = -.63, p < .001). Conclusions When sexual rejection hasn’t occurred men are more inclined to enticing behaviors. This tendency may stem from potential misunderstandings about desires and consent after initial sexual intercourse. Conversely, when sexual rejection does occur, resentful responses are more common among women adhering to a heterosexual self-presentation. Heterosexual self-presentation might align with adherence to traditional sexual scripts in which men are not expected to decline the sexual advances of a desiring woman. Consequently, rejection may be perceived as a direct challenge to their identity as a woman, triggering feelings of resentment. Therapists can apply these findings to better assist individuals or couples in their sexual relationships. By examining how adherence to traditional gender norms and scripts influences reactions to sexual rejection, therapists can help clients recognize these influences and promote respectful responses that honor all partners’ desires and boundaries. Disclosure No.