Precarious Manhood and Its Links to Action and Aggression
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2011
Keywords
manhood, gender roles, physical aggression, human sex differences
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0963721411402669
Abstract
Unlike womanhood, manhood is widely viewed as a status that is elusive (it must be earned) and tenuous (it must be demonstrated repeatedly through actions). This focus on the structure—rather than the content—of gender roles can shed new light on men’s use of action and physical aggression. Here, we review theory and research connecting manhood, action, and aggression. We interpret men’s aggression and aggressive displays as behaviors that effectively demonstrate manhood and thus quell men’s concerns about their gender status. Moreover, we suggest that situational and cultural factors that heighten the precariousness of manhood also increase the likelihood of male aggression.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Current Directions in Psychological Science, v. 20, issue 2, p. 82-86
Scholar Commons Citation
Bosson, Jennifer K. and Vandello, Joseph A., "Precarious Manhood and Its Links to Action and Aggression" (2011). Psychology Faculty Publications. 1168.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/1168
