Men overcompensate when their masculinity is threatened, Cornell study shows

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug05/soc.gender.dea.html

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. Willer administered a gender identity survey to a sample of male and female Cornell undergraduates in the fall of 2004. Participants were randomly assigned to receive feedback that their responses indicated either a masculine or a feminine identity. While women's responses were unchanged regardless of the feedback they received, men's reactions "were strongly affected by this feedback," Willer said.

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Well, that rather explains a lot.

Thoughts?

Life is full of comedies.

Hehe - I tend to agree with the main idea. I am happy in the belief that, on the basis that the 'mental' sexuality is a variable - one extreme being the most feminine, the other being the most masculine; right in between of the two lies a theoretical point at which, logically, someone would be 50% 'female' and 50% 'male' in thought.

I have just described myself - I think.

Physically I am a man; I have fathered two children, so I presumably have all the masculine 'bits' working as they should. I trust my wife implicitely, and I therefore know that I am my children's father.

But there is a part of me that understands every word of that article - and I know some men, who, once their masculinity is somehow questioned, seem to 'grow' - they stand taller, the chest fills out, the arm muscles tense, and you can almost touch the "I am a MAN!!!" vibes.

Of course it is true.........

What a load of pacifist crap. This is just a bunch of geeks fighting back against the "real men" that were always superior when they were kids. This is pure envy. lol Men respond to feedback not as compensation, but as a matter of pride. What a bunch of liberal crap. *reconsiders whether or not I can stomach going back to university life*

* Now I remember why I dropped out of the Psych Department. Too much BS*

I'm noticing that some chests are being puffed out here one the forum, too.

I think many men would disagree with homophobia being a 'male' attribute, though. I know I'd be offended if someone suggested that or racism were a 'female' attribute.

And I will not even bring Iraq into this. Really, I won't.

What a load of pacifist crap. This is just a bunch of geeks fighting back against the "real men" that were always superior when they were kids. This is pure envy.

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I didn´t know that you knew all the people invovled in this study. Could you tell me more about them and their personal lives as you labeled them as jealous geeks?

I think many men would disagree with homophobia being a 'male' attribute, though. I know I'd be offended if someone suggested that or racism were a 'female' attribute.

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It wasn´t being called a attribute, it was just shown they act that way in "defense." There are many men who are perfectly fine with lesbians but don´t get them started on male homosexuals...

Jocose said:

What a load of pacifist crap. This is just a bunch of geeks fighting back against the "real men" that were always superior when they were kids. This is pure envy. lol Men respond to feedback not as compensation, but as a matter of pride. What a bunch of liberal crap. *reconsiders whether or not I can stomach going back to university life*

* Now I remember why I dropped out of the Psych Department. Too much BS*

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I deliberately left the War element out of my argument - because a) I have no knowledge of the typical American soldier, but I might hazzard a guess, and imagine that he is not too far removed from the screaming abusive bully of the typical British sargeant major.

Jocose, I see you use the term 'real' men, and you claim that the pacifist geeks (who were bullied by the 'real men' when they were kids) - are envious of the 'real men' - If you are implying that I am a pacifist Geek, you are 50% correct; yes, I am a pacifist. If you think I am envious of your 'Macho real man', I have to give you a resounding 0% - there is no way whatsoever that I would wish to become an abusive loud-mouthed bully, who thinks thatto turn a civilian into a soldier, the man needs to be beaten into the ground, humiliated and bullied (For the benefit of the soldier to be, of course) - which is probably why the deaths of four (I think) cadets, previously attributed to suicides, are constantly being raked up in greater investigations in the traetment of cadets (British army - I don't know where the baracks are - and this was over a while) I am sure someone like Fluffy, or Terry, or even James will remember the details.


What a bunch of liberal crap. *reconsiders whether or not I can stomach going back to university life* . "The use of lavatorial or foul language is the mark of a hooligan" (Quote M.Hiernaux, 11/05/08)- yay! I wrote the date American style *chest puffs out with pride*

As far as your return to University is concerned, that is obviously up to you to decide upon, unless the University have ideas of their own; out of interest, what are you reading?

jamaesi said:

It wasn´t being called a attribute, it was just shown they act that way in "defense." There are many men who are perfectly fine with lesbians but don´t get them started on male homosexuals...

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Ah, good point. Thank you for noting that!

And Michel, I wasn't trying to infer that soldiers themselves always fit the 'macho' stereotype (and I apologize if it sounded that way). I was referring more to those that made the decision to go to war. (Especially since they aren't the ones who will be having to do the fighting.)

I have puffed my chest up on occasion. But no matter how it affected me, I have never been homophobic, never supported going to war and have never had the desire to buy an suv. Of course I am a liberal so that may be the reason

Bastet said:

And this is considered a new discovery because....??

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That was my first reaction . Which explains why I drive a Maza truck ... wouldn't what people to think I'm insecure { explains the Maza } , but don't want to be too ... limp wristed { explains the truck }. Hey , it is perfect . Macho , but not too macho . :biglaugh:

michel said:

But there is a part of me that understands every word of that article - and I know some men, who, once their masculinity is somehow questioned, seem to 'grow' - they stand taller, the chest fills out, the arm muscles tense, and you can almost touch the "I am a MAN!!!" vibes.

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Do I hear a Tarzan yell struggling to break out and be heard?

kreeden said:

That was my first reaction . Which explains why I drive a Maza truck ... wouldn't what people to think I'm insecure { explains the Maza } , but don't want to be too ... limp wristed { explains the truck }. Hey , it is perfect . Macho , but not too macho .

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My sister drove a Mazda truck. Wouldn't want people to think she's too unfeminine? :biglaugh:

Melody said:

My sister drove a Mazda truck. Wouldn't want people to think she's too unfeminine? :biglaugh:

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My favourite car was a small baby Fiat (890 c.c engine , if I remember); the starter was a little lever on the floor, attached to the engine by a cable; The engine (in the back) was so tempremental (The rear obviously had air vents for cooling - NO fan, and no Radiator) either; sure it got up to 70 M.P.H; downhill, with a following wind, on a good day..........:biglaugh:

I am too old to analyze my masculinity.

Bastet said:

And this is considered a new discovery because....?? :biglaugh:

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This was my first thought as well.

From the article:

...Masculinity-threatened participants also showed more interest in buying an SUV. "There were no increases for other types of cars," Willer said...

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I guess I'm not one of them because I drive a Jetta and have a blast driving my wife's Cyber Green NewBeetle...check out my avatar.

..."I'm planning another follow-up to the study that involves taking testosterone samples from participants to see if testosterone levels are a mediating factor in this process," he added.

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Now...does anyone think this follow-up is necessary?

FeathersinHair said:

I'm noticing that some chests are being puffed out here one the forum, too.

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In our defense, it's pavlovian!

"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,"

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:biglaugh:

Does my support for gay marriage, rejection of the Iraq war, and opinion that Smart Cars are the coolest things on the road make me, secure in my masculinity or just a total wuss?

truthseekingsoul said:

:biglaugh:

Does my support for gay marriage, rejection of the Iraq war, and opinion that Smart Cars are the coolest things on the road make me, secure in my masculinity or just a total wuss?

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Neither. Those are just matters of opinion and have nothing to do with whether or not you are masculine.

Jocose said:

Neither. Those are just matters of opinion and have nothing to do with whether or not you are masculine.

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In my opinion, they make him more manly, hehee!