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Precarious Manhood Predicts Support for Aggressive Policies and Politicians
Sarah H DiMuccio1, Eric D Knowles1
1New York University, New York City, USA.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|October 13, 2020
Summary
Men's anxiety about conforming to masculine norms drives support for aggressive policies and politicians. This "precarious manhood" (PM) concern links to support for tough stances and has been correlated with voting for conservative candidates.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Precarious manhood (PM) theory suggests men must constantly prove their masculinity.
- Failure to meet masculine standards can create anxiety and pressure for men.
- This pressure may influence political attitudes and behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if men's fear of failing to meet masculine expectations predicts support for political aggression.
- To examine the relationship between regional levels of precarious manhood and electoral outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Three correlational studies were conducted.
- Study 1: Assessed men's fear of masculine failure and support for aggressive vs. non-aggressive policies.
- Studies 2 & 3: Used Google search data to link regional PM indicators with voting patterns in the 2016 and 2018 US elections.
Main Results:
- Men's fear of masculine failure predicted support for aggressive policies (e.g., death penalty).
- Search terms related to masculine anxieties correlated with higher vote shares for Donald Trump in 2016.
- Similar correlations were found with Republican candidates' vote shares in 2018 congressional elections.
Conclusions:
- Concerns about precarious manhood are linked to a preference for political aggression.
- These findings suggest that anxieties surrounding masculinity may influence real-world political behavior and voting.
- Further research is needed to explore variations in precarious manhood.
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