Summary
Walkins et al. conducted a study to discover if masculine features were a key ingredient to the perception of dominance. One of the main reasons why Walkins et al. conducted this study was to examine and recognize facial cues that lead towards dominating individuals. It was mentioned in the article the importance of identifying these cues can help individuals avoid dangerous or hazardous situations. Being able to recognize those that can cause physical harm to another is useful for our society where there is so much violent crime. In terms of choosing a potential mate, a woman or a man can use these cues to determine if potential partners should be pursued or avoided. This could assist in avoiding potential rape, spousal abuse and any other acts of violent nature.
There were two hundred participants that took part in this research, one hundred males and one hundred females were recruited from online websites. The study used digitally altered images of individuals with either feminine features or masculine features to try to determine which form of image the participants would may or may not perceive as dominant. Fifty white male images and fifty white female images were chosen for this experiment. Twenty of these images were randomly selected and altered using a computer program to make the individuals posing either more feminine or more masculine. The participants were shown twenty pairs of images and were instructed to determine which image from each pair appeared to be more dominant.
Following two smaller studies to determine the masculinity and dominance of the images, the main study consisted of the participants determining which of the one hundred images were the most dominating. Afterwards, the participants were sho...
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...r many years I have seen and heard of many incidences of rape and abuse and I have always wondered why it happens and how to prevent it. Within my small group of friends and family, child and spousal abuse was regrettably common. I liked this article because it tries to explain why there is a lot of violence amongst individuals. Using altered images in order to study dominate cues is a valuable asset towards the future of society. As individuals become more aware of these facial cues there would be a greater opportunity to avoid physical abuse or other kinds of physical harm. These kinds of dominant cues would also help in future mate selection making it easier and safer for women and men to choose nonaggressive or dominant partners. This vital information could aid in helping potential victims avoid potential rape, spousal abuse and any other acts of violent nature
Jensen provides evidence throughout the text for three assumptions on why masculinity must be terminated from pertaining to just males. It is proposed that masculinity is harmful for both men and women, that men are surrendering their humanity by conforming with masculinity, and
When Katz interviews inmates in prison, many of them say that the reason why they use violence is that it is the quickest way to achieve respect. The idea behind respect is that it is a circle. When one wants to achieve respect, in some cases, they use violence to develop it, but to establish respect, one has to show their masculinity. Many times masculinity is achievable only through violence, which then completes the casual loop. The sociological idea of sociobiology, the study of social behavior in both humans and animals, can be applied to this scenario since humans have the incessant need to be socially accepted by their peers. For instance, many gang initiations involve an act of violence, and if one does not go through with the task at hand, the individual will lose the respect of every member. Therefore, males will show their masculinity to their peers to gain their respect. While I do agree with the notion that every person has to prove themselves to others, the idea of establishing respect through violence is not the answer. While it is the fastest way to achieve masculine approval, it is also the fastest way to lead one down a path that they cannot come back. While violence is not the answer, if one does not establish their masculinity, many often comment that they are not a man, but feminine instead. This transitions into how one tries to prove their
From the individual level to a national and global scale, certain tasks and activities legitimize the gender and define the identity of men and women. Traditionally, the culturally specific behaviors of men comprise masculinity while those of women constitute femininity (Connell, Masculinities 68-69). In many cultures, masculinity and femininity exist in a hierarchy, with masculinity being superior to femininity. The terms can be even further stratified, as some forms of masculinity and femininity are preferable to others (Moss 2). Sociologists often consider the most lauded masculinity in a particular culture to be hegemonic, or dominant, and this image of maleness becomes the ideal for men in that society (Moss 2). Although the concept of masculinity is constantly evolving, one activity that is often intertwined with the hegemonic form is the practice of sport (Brandt and Carsens 233). Similar to the evolution of masculinity, athletic events have changed greatly over the years. Originally, only males participated in sports, but today a diverse group of individuals can part in a variety of sports from the local to a professional level. However, despite the growing involvement of women in sports, sports media perpetuates a hegemonic masculinity by selectively covering male sports and by emphasizing the bodily performance and sexuality of male athletes.
The first study looks at the different types of masculinity and such as hegemonic masculinity and how it relates to the hierarchy masculinities. The researchers observed male student’s attitudes in male dominance, such as power and violence. They further examine Connell’s social theory of gender by looking at two different schools and studying the relationships between the boys (Lusher, Robins, 2010). This theory is widely used to explain the hierarchical behavior in the use of masculine power, such as complicit, dominant, and subordinate masculinities (Lusher, Robins, 2010). Their methods involved studying the schools, which are religious, based and are all boy schools ...
The concept of masculinity is considered as the qualities and characteristics of a man, typical what is appropriate to a man. In this article, A Community Psychology of Men and Masculinity: Historical and Conceptual Review, The author Eric S. Mankowski and Kenneth I. Maton, analyze four main themes: "Men as gendered beings, the privilege and damage of being a masculine man, men as a privileged group, and men’s power and subjective powerlessness. The second and fourth themes are described as
In Kimmel’s essay “’Bros Before Hos’: The Guy Code” he argues that the influence of society on masculinity is equal to or greater than biological influences on masculinity. In the essay, Kimmel uses various surveys and interviews to validate his argument. He points to peers, coaches, and family members as the people most likely to influence the development of a man’s masculinity. When a man has his manliness questioned, he immediately makes the decision never to say or do whatever caused him to be called a wimp, or unmanly. Kimmel’s argument is somewhat effective because the readers get firsthand accounts from the interviewees but the author does not provide any statistics to support his argument.
Results from the study show that when images were inverted, the inverson effect only applied when participants viewed images of the sexualized male. Therefore indiciating that sexualized men are perceived as persons on a congitive level, whereas women are perceived as objects. Similarly participants in the study had better recognition of the inverted females than that of the males, this perception of sexualized women was manifested by both male and female participants, it supports previous reseearch by Goldenberg, Cooper, Heflick, Routledge & Arndt (2010) in which they found from their study that when focus is placed on the targets appearance, on...
MASCULINITY. In this article Watzlawik (2009) examines what elements go into gender constructs and what factors cause masculinity and femininity within ourselves. Thought the article three definitions are explored and examined for pros and cons. The first definition implies “A feminine woman is one who is, and strives to be, attractive to men, and a masculine man is one who is attractive
Human beings have been, and always will be, dichotomized into either male or female. When determining a person’s sex we often look for differences in facial features, body shape or mannerism’s, but another promising way to determine a persons sex and one that is most often used today, is through gender roles. Gender roles are behaviors that portray masculinity or femininity. The theory behind gender roles through multidisciplinary viewpoints is the focus of this paper. Throughout history and in every culture these roles have shifted and transformed into what society says is expectable. In this analysis, gender roles will be examined through a sociological, biological and evolutionary scope.
The Duluth model, developed in 1981, became the first multi-disciplinary, community wide program designed to fully explain domestic violence. Its primary aim is to reduce interpersonal violence against women and it is now the most widely used model worldwide. The Model uses the “Power and Control Wheel” to help men understand there abusive behaviour and to convince men to use nonviolent behaviour outlined in the “Equality” wheel. It holds abusive men fully accountable for their violence and provides safety for victims of violence. However, many men who have perpetrated feel no sense of power and control in their lives (Dutton & Starzomski, 1994). The Duluth model deems interpersonal violence as a wilful exertion of male dominance over women to conform to the norms of society. In this view, the model does not assume that dom...
The terms masculinity and femininity are concepts that have rarely been defined, and yet they appear to have two types of meanings for both for psychologists
In historical context, men have almost always been defined and/or identified by their jobs and roles in society. Today, this tactic can no longer be completely valid. It would seem that men feel the need to display their masculinity through their physical appearance. As of recent, it has been argued that a male’s body if one of the few remaining ways in which men can differentiate themselves from women. Although many people acknowledge that the mass media has a huge negative on female body image, not many people are aware of the negative effects that the mass media has on male body image.
Masculinity and femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both the males and the females have responsibilities and duties but these duties differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and the society. Everyone starts making interpretations of the strengths and weaknesses based on one’s gender. These interpretations are not always based on his or her ability but is usually based on his or her gender. Males tend to be judged as extremely strong and unfashionable in terms of appearance. Whereas, females are judged as expensive and very fashionable. Males and females both differ in their abilities and their enjoyments. Fashion, entertainment, and strength are three topics, which are used to define masculinity and femininity in the 21st century.
Gender roles and identity are constantly shifting throughout different societal generations. Men and woman both have notable similarities and differences in genders and they each contribute to their personalities and actions. In the past men have been viewed as a more dominant sex in society over women, both in careers, home life, and sexually, however, today women have bridged many of the gaps and society is accepting a more equal view of genders. The following examines the similarities and differences between men and woman by looking at biological characteristics, gender roles, and sexual responses.
One who is attractive appears physically beautiful to other people, according to The Future Human Evolution website (2009). We consider someone beautiful when we look at them and decide we want our children to have their genes (Singh, 1993). Physical features are not earned and say nothing about our character; nevertheless we tend to care about the way we look to each other (Cowley, 1996). Attractiveness is more important to men than to women when searching for a mate, according to theory and research (Anderson & Adams, 2008); therefore women are heavily socialized to meet society’s idea of attractive (Rich & Cash, 1993). Across genders, cultures, and species, one indicator of attractiveness is symmetry, in which the right and left sides of one’s body and face match well (Cowley, 1996). Because men ...