When men don’t feel “manly enough,” both they and society suffer. This is shown by a large overview study that evaluated data from almost 20,000 men. Accordingly, doubts about one’s own masculinity can measurably influence the feelings, self-image, behavior and attitudes of those affected. The pressure to conform to traditional ideals of masculinity can lead to stress and anxiety and can also affect society – for example, when men act particularly aggressively as compensation or discriminate against others.
Some men feel like they have to prove their masculinity again and again. Social psychology describes this phenomenon as “precarious masculinity.” Accordingly, for some people, their own gender identity as a man is not a fixed state, but rather a fragile construct that must be maintained through behavior with male connotations – for example through a dominant appearance or the devaluation of women and homosexual men. Characteristics or behavior that are perceived as feminine, on the other hand, are perceived as a threat to one’s own masculinity.
Fear of “unmanliness”
“In order to better understand when and how such threats and the resulting consequences arise, we conducted a meta-analysis of 123 studies with 19,448 men,” reports a team led by Lea Lorenz from the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau. In the studies evaluated, the masculinity of the participants was questioned with various experiments, in which the triggers as well as the feelings and behaviors that occurred in response were recorded. The test subjects were predominantly heterosexual men from Western cultures.
The result: “On average, the studies showed that threats to masculinity actually influenced men’s feelings, thoughts and behavior,” report the researchers. For example, if the men had to subordinate themselves to a woman who clearly took the lead, or if they had to carry out tasks that they perceived as “unmanly,” they felt an increased need to prove their masculinity. Even if they were given the impression that they were less assertive than others, many test subjects’ self-image of masculinity was shaken.
Stress and toxic behavior
“The effects are surprisingly strong when men themselves come to the conclusion that they do not correspond to the masculine ideal – stronger than if they simply received feedback from outside,” explains Lorenz’s colleague Sven Kachel. “Even when others are there, the pressure to present oneself as male increases.” The negative consequences mainly included emotional effects such as anxiety, combined with physical stress reactions such as an increase in cortisol levels. Outwardly, these men often displayed attitudes and behaviors designed to emphasize their masculinity. They presented themselves as more risk-taking and aggressive and were more likely to devalue other groups such as women, sexually harass them and deny them their rights. They also supported more traditional, male-dominated social images and gender roles.
“Our study results have social relevance,” says Lorenz. On social media, influencers propagate traditional images of masculinity that need to be defended against modern threats. These supposed threats may include, among other things, more women in leadership positions, increased visibility of sexual minorities and the development that in most cases men no longer play the role of head and breadwinner of the family. “If we better understand when such threats arise and what strengthens or weakens them, this can help reduce conflicts, discrimination and social tensions,” says Lorenz.
Source: Lea Lorenz (Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau) et al., Personality and Social Psychology Review, doi: 10.1177/10888683261433109