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When their masculinity is threatened, some men react aggressively, but not all. New research from Duke University shows that younger men, whose sense of masculinity depends heavily on what other people think, are the most likely to suffer in these situations.
"Our results show that the more social pressure a man feels to be masculine, the more aggressive he can be," said Dr. Adam Stanaland, lead author of the study. "When these men feel that they are not conforming to rigid gender norms, they may feel the need to act aggressively to prove their masculinity."
The twin study included nearly two hundred college students, as well as a random sample of more than 390 men (ages 18-56). A survey was conducted on "gender topics" among the participants. These were stereotypical topics such as sports, auto mechanics, and home improvement. After answering the questions, participants were randomly told whether they had a higher or lower courage score than the average.
In order for the men's Dignity to be threatened to be real, a low indicator was noted, they talked about less courage compared to the average representative of the sex. After scoring the survey, study participants were asked to complete a series of word fragments, adding the missing letters to indicate their state of mind.
The results were striking, revealing aggressive thoughts among some men but not others. Men whose sense of courage comes from within didn't seem fazed by the low score. But those who were more dependent on the opinion of others showed aggression.
