According to a new research men who do not consider themselves masculine and have a perception of others feeling the same about them are likelier to commit violent assaults with weapons and to cause injury.
The research conducted by British Medical Journal suggested that the way men perceive traditional male gender norms and masculinity matters a lot as it affects their behaviour like men who see themselves as not only falling short of traditional masculine gender norms but who also worry that others view them in this light as well committed violent assaults.
The researchers analysed men’s online survey responses on their perceptions of male gender and how their own self-image fitted in with this, and risky behaviours.
The research mentioned that substance abuse behaviours are less salient methods of demonstrating traditional masculinity in contrast to behaviours related to sex and violence, perhaps due to the potentially private nature of the habit.
The researchers concluded that efforts to reduce men’s risk of behaviour likely to result in injury should, in part, focus on the means by which masculine socialization and acceptance of gender norms may induce distress in boys and men.
