Precarious Manhood and Displays of Physical Aggression
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-2009
Keywords
gender roles, physical aggression, role violations, self-threats, negative affect
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0146167208331161
Abstract
The results of three experiments demonstrate that physically aggressive displays are part of men's cultural script for restoring threatened gender status. In Studies 1 and 2, challenges to men's gender status elicited heightened physically aggressive displays, including punching a pad with greater force and selecting an aggressive boxing activity over a nonaggressive puzzle activity. Study 3 established that a public display of aggressive readiness reduced men's anxiety-related cognitions in the wake of a gender threat. This suggests that aggressive displays may function to downregulate negative affect when manhood has been threatened. The discussion considers past research on gender and physical aggression in light of the authors' thesis that manhood, relative to womanhood, is culturally defined as a precarious status that must be actively, even aggressively, defended.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, v. 35, issue 5, p. 623-634
Scholar Commons Citation
Bosson, Jennifer K.; Vandello, Joseph A.; Burnaford, Rochelle M.; Weaver, Jonathan R.; and Wasti, S. Arzu, "Precarious Manhood and Displays of Physical Aggression" (2009). Psychology Faculty Publications. 1177.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/psy_facpub/1177
