Psychometric Properties and Correlates of Precarious Manhood Beliefs in 62 Nations

Precarious manhood beliefs portray manhood, relative to womanhood, as a social status that is hard to earn, easy to lose, and proven via public action. Here, we present cross-cultural data on a brief measure of precarious manhood beliefs (the Precarious Manhood Beliefs scale [PMB]) that covaries meaningfully with other cross-culturally validated gender ideologies and with country-level indices of gender equality and human development. Using data from university samples in 62 countries across 13 world regions (N = 33,417), we demonstrate: (1) the psychometric isomorphism of the PMB (i.e., its comparability in meaning and statistical properties across the individual and country levels); (2) the PMB’s distinctness from, and associations with, ambivalent sexism and ambivalence toward men; and (3) associations of the PMB with nation-level gender equality and human development. Findings are discussed in terms of their statistical and theoretical implications for understanding widely-held beliefs about the precariousness of the male gender role

Gender Based Biases and Discrimination - New Developments in Social Media Contexts

This research project aims to contribute to the field of media psychology by investigating gender representations, biases, and discrimination within the context of social media. The project consists of four studies/publications that collectively provide a comprehensive exploration of the topic. Study 1 examines the impact of media representations on gender socialization. It underscores the prevalence of problematic stereotypical depictions, particularly with regard to women, across various forms of popular contemporary media. The study highlights the limited representation of transgender, gender queer, and nonbinary individuals, particularly in video games, television, and public social media profiles. The research demonstrates the negative effects of such representations on self-esteem, well-being, and career choices. It emphasizes the significance of promoting diverse and realistic gender representations to foster unbiased education, enhance gender equality, and mitigate marginalization and discrimination based on gender. Study 2 focuses on the effects of subtle forms of sexism, specifically benevolent sexism, in online contexts. Through an experimental design involving young adults, based on the Differential Susceptibility to Media Effects Model, the study investigates behavioral reactions to benevolent sexist, hostile sexist, and non-sexist social media content, mediated by emotional response. The research reveals that active vs. passive media use is a significant factor influencing responses, while sexist attitudes have limited relevance. In line with the DSMM, emotional response was found to be a significant mediator. Gender does not significantly influence interactions with posts. The findings highlight the need for tailored prevention and intervention measures for different types of sexism. Study 3 explores the presence of gender-biased and benevolent sexist language in YouTube videos. The content analysis reveals indications of androcentric language and gendered infantilizing. The study underscores the need for further research on subtler forms of sexism in social media and emphasizes the importance of addressing sexist language both online and offline. Study 4, a systematic review, investigates the representation of gender minorities in social media during the GenZ era. The review highlights the significance of social media as a resource, community, and platform for activism for gender minorities. It notes the rise in violence and discrimination against these groups, particularly transgender individuals. The review underscores the positive impact of representation on personal identity and public perceptions. However, it identifies significant gaps in research and the need for more quantitative data to support these initial qualitative findings. Collectively, these studies contribute to advancing knowledge on gender representations, biases, and discrimination in social media. The findings underscore the importance of increasing diverse and realistic representations, addressing subtle forms of sexism, and providing support and representation for gender minorities. The research has both theoretical and practical implications, informing policy, prevention strategies, and interventions aimed at promoting equality and reducing discrimination based on gender

Meatless masculinity: Examining profiles of male veg*n eating motives and their relation to gendered self-concepts

Meat is a food item that is often associated with masculinity. Considering this gender stereotype, research on vegan and vegetarian (veg*n) eating motives has focused on how distinct motives relate to stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Quantitative studies examining how masculinity and femininity are integrated into the self-concept of these eaters are lacking to date. Moreover, investigators have largely tested the effects of motives in isolation, neglecting the possibility of different motivational profiles that relate differently to gendered self-concepts. The current study adopted a person-centred approach using cluster analysis to identify motivational profiles of self-identified veg*n males, thereby testing whether these profiles differ on dimensions of positive and negative masculinity and femininity. Self-reported data were collected via an online survey among people self-identifying as male and following a vegan or vegetarian dietary pattern (N = 738; 79.8% vegans). A k-means cluster analysis revealed three motivational profiles (n1= 439, 59.5%, ‘equally-balanced’; n2 = 254, 34.4%, ‘ethical-environmental’; n3= 45, 6.1%, ‘moderately-health’). Unique differences emerged in gendered self-concepts tied to all veg*n eating motive profile memberships: Equally-balanced motivated eaters perceived themselves to possess the most positive stereotypical feminine attributes, while moderately-health motivated eaters described themselves with the least of these attributes. Veg*n eaters did not differ on any of the other dimensions of femininity and masculinity. The present study demonstrates that a cluster analysis supplies important information on what combinations of eating motives veg*n males report and how those relate to differences in gendered self-concepts of veg*n eaters

Gendered Self-Views Across 62 Countries: A Test of Competing Models

Social role theory posits that binary gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in less egalitarian countries, reflecting these countries’ more pronounced sex-based power divisions. Conversely, evolutionary and self-construal theorists suggest that gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in more egalitarian countries, reflecting the greater autonomy support and flexible self-construction processes present in these countries. Using data from 62 countries ( N = 28,640), we examine binary gender gaps in agentic and communal self-views as a function of country-level objective gender equality (the Global Gender Gap Index) and subjective distributions of social power (the Power Distance Index). Findings show that in more egalitarian countries, gender gaps in agency are smaller and gender gaps in communality are larger. These patterns are driven primarily by cross-country differences in men’s self-views and by the Power Distance Index (PDI) more robustly than the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI). We consider possible causes and implications of these findings.</p

Country‐level and individual‐level predictors of men's support for gender equality in 42 countries

International audienc

Gendered Self-Views Across 62 Countries: A Test of Competing Models

Social role theory posits that binary gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in less egalitarian countries, reflecting these countries’ more pronounced sex-based power divisions. Conversely, evolutionary and self-construal theorists suggest that gender gaps in agency and communion should be larger in more egalitarian countries, reflecting the greater autonomy support and flexible self-construction processes present in these countries. Using data from 62 countries (N = 28,640), we examine binary gender gaps in agentic and communal self-views as a function of country-level objective gender equality (the Global Gender Gap Index) and subjective distributions of social power (the Power Distance Index). Findings show that in more egalitarian countries, gender gaps in agency are smaller and gender gaps in communality are larger. These patterns are driven primarily by cross-country differences in men’s self-views and by the Power Distance Index (PDI) more robustly than the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI). We consider possible causes and implications of these findings