What makes a ‘good man’? A mixed-methods exploration of UK adolescent attitudes towards masculinity

McNulty, Anne and BIRNEY, Megan (2023) What makes a ‘good man’? A mixed-methods exploration of UK adolescent attitudes towards masculinity. Journal of Gender Studies. ISSN 0958-9236

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Abstract or description

Stereotypes of men (e.g., strong, domineering, assertive) can harm boys’ health and contribute to the normalization of sexual harassment. Yet research on how adolescents view masculinity is limited, particularly for those growing up during the #MeToo movement. Using a mixed-methods approach, we explore beliefs about masculinity in a sample of 16 to 19 year olds growing up in the UK (N = 129). Results from the quantitative analysis show that, compared to girls, boys report feeling more comfortable with media representations of hegemonic masculinity, greater adherence to hegemonic ideology, higher self-esteem, and less engagement with the topic. Results from the qualitative analysis reflected these findings; boys’ descriptions of masculinity were more reliant on hegemonic ideals, and they were less critical of the topic than girls. Despite recent narratives on masculinity’s place in society, this study suggests that boys are complacent about societal expectations to behave in line with gender stereotypes.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	“This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Gender Studies on 24 January 2023, available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09589236.2023.2170337”
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Masculinity; hegemonic ideology; gender stereotypes; self-esteem; adolescence
Faculty:	School of Life Sciences and Education > Psychology and Counselling
Depositing User:	Megan BIRNEY
Date Deposited:	25 Jan 2023 11:59
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2023 14:04
URI:	https://eprints.staffs.ac.uk/id/eprint/7624

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