Ch16 Psychology of Men

Chapter 16 Psychology of Men Male Roles Why should women care about men’s issues? Masculine characteristics Aggressiveness, independence, self-confidence, being unemotional Major factors in male stereotypes: No sissy stuff The big wheel The sturdy oak Bad but bold Stereotyped types of men The businessman The jock The family man The nerd The player The tough guy The sensitive new-age guy The average Joe Recent History: Changes in the Male Role Joseph Pleck (1981) Whenever roles change, ambiguities are created because of contradictions between the old and new roles Institutional definition and control of masculinity declined, shifting emphasis to internal, psychological masculinity and gender identity Traditional vs. modern male roles Traditional Psychology’s View of Men and Masculinity Male sex-role identity (MSRI) paradigm: traditional psychology’s approach to the psychology of men, based on the assumption that a masculine identity is essential for good adjustment Assumptions Gender-role identity results from identification/modeling and, to a lesser extent, reinforcement and cognitive learning, and cognitive learning is more important in males than in females Men’s negative attitudes and behaviors toward women are a result of problems of gender-role identity that are caused by mothers Boys have academic and adjustment problems in school because schools are feminine; that only makes boys’ identity problems worse None of these assumptions has much evidence backing the MSRI paradigm Ideas have been revived in popular press Backlash against advances for girls in the schools A New View: Sex-Role Strain Sex-role strain (SRS) paradigm: feminist psychology’s approach to the male role, based on the assumption that gender roles for men are contradictory and stressful Assumptions Gender roles are contradictory and inconsistent A large proportion of individuals violate gender roles Violating gender roles has worse consequences for males than it does for females Some characteristics that are prescribed by gender roles are actually maladaptive Lifespan Development Infancy Gender similarities are the rule Boy babies are more active Circumcision Routinely done to 59% of male babies in US Does it affect male psychology? Childhood Peer group gains importance, is a powerful shaper of behavior Gender segregation in play Boys are more sensitive to reactions of peers, but girls are more sensitive to reactions of teachers Boys have more problems in school Gender ratio in ADHD is 2:1-9:1 80% of hyperactive children are boys Adolescence Athleticism Athletic participation is the most important factor in high school boys’ social status, popularity Strain from ambiguity about success of individual vs. team Physical effects Strain for nonathletes Violence in schools Bullying and issues of masculinity are key Emerging adulthood Guyland Adulthood The Provider Role Preindustrial Society Provider role: the male role in preindustrial societies, which required the man to provide food and shelter for his family Women were providers as well After the Industrial Revolution Men left home for factories, dividing male and female roles Good provider role: the male role in industrialized societies, in which the man is expected to earn money and provide well for his family High pressure, source of strain Adulthood Military The military experience has been a standard one for American men Appeals to masculinity are used as recruiting and training tools Military’s definition of manhood: hyperaggressive, no emotions, treat women as objects Militarism perpetuates the equation of violence and masculinity Socialization for masculinity is geared to preparing boys for war (Zurbriggen, 2010) Toughness, aggression, avoidance of femininity, restriction of emotions, power, dominance, control Fatherhood Importance of paternal influence Direct effects vs. indirect effects Father absence Little or no evidence of harmful effects Boys less stereotyped in choice of toys and activities Nonresidential fathering How much time do fathers spend with their children? Is the father role a source of satisfaction, or inadequacy and frustration? Male midlife crisis? Complex forces, biological, personal, and social, converge on the middle-aged (40-55) man Andropause: time of declining testosterone levels in middle-aged men ADAM: androgen decline in the aging male Male midlife crisis refers to personal turmoil & sudden changes in lifestyle, touched off by realization of aging, physical decline, being trapped in tired roles 10% of US men undergo something like this Erik Erikson: major task of adult development is to resolve issue of stagnation vs. generativity Confrontation with death Relationships within the family Post-parental period is rated positively Men of Color Men of color in the US share common experiences E.g., high unemployment, lower wages African American Men Grier & Cobbs (1968): “Whereas the white man regards his manhood as an ordained right, the black man is engaged in a never-ending struggle for its possession.” Given high percentage of female-headed households, do Black youth especially need Black male role models? High unemployment rate among Black men creates strain for good provider role Antisocial behavior, violence, crime may result Volunteering for military more common Roles of husband and father are closely tied to breadwinner role Asian American Men Uneven gender ratios from immigration patterns Link between husband and adult roles Stereotyped as asexual Share many of difficulties faced by Asian American women Latinos Hispanic culture viewed as highly patriarchal Expectations of machismo Importance of la familia Acculturation and endorsement of traditional gender roles American Indian Men Some tribes traditionally had relatively egalitarian gender roles Acculturation and contact with dominant White culture has increased male dominance among Indians High unemployment create strain Health Issues Men live ~6 years fewer than women do Males have higher death rate, even prenatally Heart disease Strikes men at earlier ages Estrogen is a protective factor Lethal aspects of male role Smoking (lung cancer & heart attacks) Excessive drinking (cirrhosis of the liver) Accidents Men are less likely to seek help for medical, mental health, and substance abuse problems Driving & fatal car accidents Neither biological nor environmental factors alone can explain the higher mortality rates of males Male Sexuality Men go through same biological stages of sexual arousal as women do In men, vasocongestion produces erection of the penis Males have refractory period following orgasm Heterosexuality as central aspect of male identity Magazines such as Maxim & FHM Androcentric focus on pleasing women & improving sex life Unexpected findings about male sexuality Men sometimes fake orgasm Want more emotional involvement in sex Feel under great performance pressure Distinction between the male sex-role identity paradigm and sex-role strain paradigm Usefulness of understanding the psychology of men