Cornell Study: Men Overcompensate When Masculinity Is Threatened

[jokerman93]

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Threaten a man's masculinity, and he will assume more macho attitudes, according to a study by a Cornell University researcher.

"I found that if you made men more insecure about their masculinity, they displayed more homophobic attitudes, tended to support the Iraq war more and would be more willing to purchase an SUV over another type of vehicle," said Robb Willer, a sociology doctoral candidate at Cornell. Willer is presenting his findings Aug. 15 at the American Sociological Association's 100th annual meeting in Philadelphia.

"Masculine overcompensation is the idea that men who are insecure about their masculinity will behave in an extremely masculine way as compensation. I wanted to test this idea and also explore whether overcompensation could help explain some attitudes like support for war and animosity to homosexuals," Willer said.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/08/050803064454.htm

It strikes me that if this is true, then products promoted by investors in the power structure (e.g. the BushWar, gas-guzzling SUVs, and christofascist Homophobia) are easily associated to what "masculinity" means in the American ethos through incessant propaganda.

It seems to me that none of these things are inherently masculine. Living in several non-western cultures has convinced me of that, and just how crazy-flummoxed the American male is these days.

[Goldmund]

1. "It seems to me that none of these things are inherently masculine."

Amen, brotha.

[MindPilot]

2. this needed a study?

I think pretty much anyone with more than two brain cells to rub together could've arrived at that conclusion.

Hey! Quit lookin' at my ass!!

[livinginphotographs]

3. I've been reading a book about something similar...

Very good book, by the way.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684835398/qid=1123086733/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-3125911-2588964

(I usually think self-help books are fluffy-bunny warm-and-cuddly tripe, but this one is pretty insightful)

Men are much more prone to alcoholism and anger problems when dealing with depression because of this exact same idea of what's "masculine" that is ingrained in them at an early age.

I would be willing to bet that this support for the war or homophobia are just projecting their own feelings of inadequacy, since anger is a much more acceptable (and sometimes even encouraged) way for men to deal with problems.

[MindPilot]

7. Warren Farrell's "The Hazards of Being Male"

is another one that speaks to that same topic.

[marions ghost]

12. so who's going to write the handbook

for parents trying to raise boys to resist being suckered about their 'masculinity?' Because society is probably going to keep reinforcing this particular inadequacy as long as it gets results.

or maybe such a book is out there now.

[formerrepuke]

4. The collapsing phallic symbols of the WTC come to mind..just

saying (not an attempt at vulgar humor).

[jokerman93]

6. yeah

If they'd blasted the Wahington monument too, they'd have hit the trifecta... just sayin'.

;-)

[Lannes]

13. Thats been true for hundreds of years if not thousands

Wealthy men in florence would try to outdo each other as to who could build the highest tower.Im sure some of what you described had something to do with it.

[Wapsie B]

5. I'm really amazed at some men

who feel the need to walk around talking in this deep hyper-masculine voice that isn't their own natural manner of speaking. I ask myself what timid little boy is residing inside that pitiful shell? SUV's and other macho toys play right into this mentality.

[ComerPerro]

8. They needed a study to determine that?

[MidnightWind]

9. This was hardly shocking news to me!

I love you guys, but uhm--yeah, you totally do this kind of stuff!

[Demeter]

10. You Think?

What will they discover next? Homer could have told you that!

[skooooo]

11. Proving things scientifically is important..

...even if most people recognize something as "common sense."

[ArkDem]

14. PhD. Sociology........

Now there is a waste of time if there ever was one....

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

15. The Western male is manipulated by social structures such as

the Catholic Church to regard his supremacy over others as his birthright. In that way, those social structures can control those to whom such concepts have value, i.e., men.

Misogyny and the sexual objectification of women is part of that, too. For example, question a man's masculinity, and they make some remark about women's breasts.

[bicentennial_baby]

16. The things oney is wasted on...sigh

People starve and crave a roof over their heads, people die without insurance...and Cornell wastes $$$ on this shit? Fucking outrageous. sigh.

[redqueen]

17. When will parents stop abusing their boys?

We've mostly stopped teaching girls that they should grow up within the narrow confines of what antiquated western thought determined they should be...

So when do the boys get a break?

[Deb]

18. Hmmm, about that SUV thing

Anyone who travels around Ithaca during the winter wants an SUV at some point. Shoot, I even want the person behind me to be driving an SUV so they can pull MY SUV out of the ditch. Hills going into town, hills going out and rural all around.

It makes me wonder if the responses come not from a threat to masculinity but rather a desire for physical safety. I'd love to know the exact feedback used that changed their minds, interesting stuff.