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Precarious Manhood and Displays of Physical Aggression
Abstract
The results of three experiments demonstrate that physically aggressive displays are part of men's cultural script for restoring threatened gender status. In Studies 1 and 2, challenges to men's gender status elicited heightened physically aggressive displays, including punching a pad with greater force and selecting an aggressive boxing activity over a nonaggressive puzzle activity. Study 3 established that a public display of aggressive readiness reduced men's anxiety-related cognitions in the wake of a gender threat. This suggests that aggressive displays may function to downregulate negative affect when manhood has been threatened. The discussion considers past research on gender and physical aggression in light of the authors' thesis that manhood, relative to womanhood, is culturally defined as a precarious status that must be actively, even aggressively, defended.
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“The theory of masculine overcompensation (Bosson et al., 2009; Willer et al., 2013) further suggests that when men feel that their masculinity is threatened, they may respond by amplifying traditionally masculine behaviors/traits as a way to reassert and protect their gender identity.”
From A Sexist Language? Gender Differences in Attitudes and Use of Gender-Inclusive Pronouns (2025) · cites this paper as Bosson et al., 2009
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Metadata
- Authors
- Bosson, J. K., Vandello, J. A., Burnaford, R. M., Weaver, J. R., & Arzu Wasti, S.
- Affiliations
- University of South Florida (US)
- Sabanci University
- Corresponding author
- Bosson, Jennifer K.
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-02-06
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 623-634
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2078247707
- Cited by
- 493
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 99 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 32.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Sabanci University (acceptedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
- Keywords
- manhood, gender threat, physical aggression, gender status, masculinity, boxing, punch force, anxiety, cultural scripts
- MeSH terms
- Aggression, Agonistic Behavior, Anxiety, Arousal, Choice Behavior, Gender Identity, Humans, Male, Motivation, Social Dominance, Social Values, Stereotyping, Young Adult
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