need a LEADING ARTICLE DISCUSS in (24 hours)

Hard Won and Easily Lost: A Review and Synthesis of Theory and Research on Precarious Manhood

1. Thesis: Is manhood a precarious social status? Hard to win but easily lost!

a. Whether men have become “too soft,” we implore them to “man up” in the face of difficulties, and we question whether someone is “man enough” for the job (seemingly equating manhood with toughness and bravery).

b. The author reviews research regarding the implications of men’s precarious gender status across the domains of risk-taking, aggression, stress and mental health, and work-life balance.

c. The authors also examine how work on precarious manhood differs from, and can add to, work on individual differences in men’s gender role conflict.

2. Keywords:

a. “Precarious” manhood- Is a social status that manhood is difficult to earn but easy to lose.

b. gender role conflict- psychological stat in which socialized gender roles have negative consequences for the person or others.

c. Achieved status

3. What are the qualities that constitute “real manhood”?

a. Answers that came about within the research are the following:

i. Researchers identifies a stable set of personality traits and behavioral tendencies that convey real manhood across time and cultures.

ii. The qualities themselves shift and change across time and culture, depending on changes in larger economic, political, and social structures.

iii. The antifemininity mandate which means avoidance of feminism qualities.

CLASS QUESTION #1: In your opinion, what are the qualities that constitute “real manhood”?

VIDEO: WHATS A REAL MAN?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMx1rBRg4uA

CLASS QUESTION #2: Do you agree or disagree with the answers given in the video to the question “what qualities constitute real man?”

4. Precarious Manhood thesis has three basic principles:

a. First- manhood is widely viewed as an elusive, achieved status, or one that must be earned.

b. Second- Once achieved, manhood status can be lost or taken away.

c. Third- Manhood is confirmed primarily by others and this requires public demonstration of proof.

5. Evidence that manhood is Elusive (HARD WON):

a. Two surveys were conducted:

i. First survey- Participants were asked about the degree to which the transition from either “boyhood to manhood” or “girlhood to womanhood” could be attributed to physical factors as well as social factors.

1. The answer was consistent that manhood should be earned, people attributed the transition from boyhood to manhood more strongly to social than physical factors than the girlhood to womanhood transition.

ii. Second Survey- Participants were given a survey that asked them “how much they liked and agreed with a series of proverbs.”

1. Participants both liked and endorsed the statements more when they pertained to manhood verses womenhood.

TEXTBOOK (Helegeson – CH 2 PAGE 49): Men and women do not differ in intelligence but the real difference between men and women could be captured by measuring masculinity and femininity. A test was invented for this purpose.

6. Evidence that manhood is tenuous (EASILY LOST):

a. Participants were asked about a statement: “lost manhood/womenhood” that was taken from a larger piece of narrative.

i. Participants ended up coming up with reasons pertaining to social causes and physical reasons when interpreting statements about lost manhood, whereas the opposite pattern was observed when participants interpreted statements about lost womenhood.

7. Evidence that manhood requires action and public proof:

a. Manhood is perceived as a more socially than biologically status, than men must prove their deservingness of it with action, especially public attention.

i. Men and women were asked to complete statements that began with “a real man…” or “a real woman…”

1. The data suggested that men are more sensitive than are women to the requirement of public action for maintaining manhood.

8. Implications of Precarious Manhood:

a. Three implications are believed to be the reasoning behind precariousness of manhood.

i. Anxiety and stress over gender status

ii. Take measures to demonstrate or reestablish manhood

iii. Avoid situations or activities that put their manhood in question or status in risk

QUESTION #3: Can manhood really be questioned based on situations or activities?

9. Avoidance of femininity-

a. Author suggested that gender status threats motivate men to pursue risky or dangerous activities in an effort to demonstrate their manhood.

i. Consequence of avoiding femininity is that it can reduce men’s pursuit of experiences that might otherwise benefit them. Ex. Hair braiding

10. Ties to work on Men’s gender role conflict-

a. Possibly anxiety surrounding the male gender role is highly responsive to situational cues, even among men who do not typically experience manhood-related concerns.

b. Possibility is that chronic gender role conflict does heighten men’s vulnerability to the negative repercussions of situational gender threats.

c. It is believed, at least theoretically that, both individual differences and situational perspectives are essential for mends gender role anxiety.

TEXTBOOK (Helegeson- CH 4 Page 105)- Sex differences is divided up in four domains: verbal ability (advantage girls), visual-spatial ability (advantage boys), mathematical ability (advantage boys), and aggression (greater in boys). No sex differences were found in self esteem, sociability, analytic ability, or achievement motivation, and it was unclear if there were sex differences in activity level, competitiveness, dominance, or nurturance.

11. Are men’s concerns about manhood overblown?

a. Yes, men appear concerned about how their manhood is perceived among other men.

b. Some problematic male behaviors can become self-reinforcing even if they are rooted in biased thinking and overblown fears.

Concept that is difficult to understand as well as the weakness point in the article where I feel like more research was necessary to prove their point:

· Don’t seem to understand why there are stereotypes regarding manhood. A man can be a man based on there actions not how there body looks. The difference in sex can be visible in other forms like through the job role or even the duties that they handle at home. I don’t seem to understand why a situation or activity could threaten an individuals manhood. Indeed, maybe they are not strong enough to take down an enemy but that doesn’t mean it could challenge there manhood. Why does manhood have to be challenged in the first place?

· Evidence that manhood requires public action and proof was also a strong aspect in the article because of the way the research was conducted but I also see it as a week aspect of the article because it felt judgmental.