Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns
Gun violence is a serious problem in the United States and elsewhere and more so among men than women. We conducted an experiment to examine if men whose masculinity was threatened are more attracted to guns than non-threatened men, presumably to compensate for the threat. After completing a gender...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1296261/full |
| _version_ | 1797305596834217984 |
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| author | Sven Kachel Sven Kachel Tibor Bloch Jennifer K. Bosson Lea L. Lorenz Melanie C. Steffens |
| author_facet | Sven Kachel Sven Kachel Tibor Bloch Jennifer K. Bosson Lea L. Lorenz Melanie C. Steffens |
| author_sort | Sven Kachel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gun violence is a serious problem in the United States and elsewhere and more so among men than women. We conducted an experiment to examine if men whose masculinity was threatened are more attracted to guns than non-threatened men, presumably to compensate for the threat. After completing a gender knowledge test, men (N = 168) randomly received either false masculinity threatening (experimental condition) or masculinity affirming (control condition) feedback. Subsequently, we measured men’s attitudes toward guns and their choice of a gun-range voucher. Men whose masculinity was threatened (vs. affirmed) showed more positive attitudes toward guns and were more likely to choose the voucher. Both effects were statistically significant when the whole sample was analyzed and when very strict exclusion criteria were applied. However, when data exclusions were based on a suspicion check, effects were statistically significant only when a covariate was included (i.e., social dominance orientation, patriotism, or experience with guns). We discuss reasons for this mixed evidence, including the possibility that suspicion regarding the masculinity feedback could itself be a compensatory reaction to threat. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:29:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3a7a6a9655f4c43bffcb94c246e468b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:29:10Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3a7a6a9655f4c43bffcb94c246e468b2024-02-15T14:43:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782024-02-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.12962611296261Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward gunsSven Kachel0Sven Kachel1Tibor Bloch2Jennifer K. Bosson3Lea L. Lorenz4Melanie C. Steffens5Department of Social, Environmental, and Economic Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, GermanyDepartment of Languages, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Social, Environmental, and Economic Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, GermanyDepartment of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United StatesDepartment of Social, Environmental, and Economic Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, GermanyDepartment of Social, Environmental, and Economic Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, GermanyGun violence is a serious problem in the United States and elsewhere and more so among men than women. We conducted an experiment to examine if men whose masculinity was threatened are more attracted to guns than non-threatened men, presumably to compensate for the threat. After completing a gender knowledge test, men (N = 168) randomly received either false masculinity threatening (experimental condition) or masculinity affirming (control condition) feedback. Subsequently, we measured men’s attitudes toward guns and their choice of a gun-range voucher. Men whose masculinity was threatened (vs. affirmed) showed more positive attitudes toward guns and were more likely to choose the voucher. Both effects were statistically significant when the whole sample was analyzed and when very strict exclusion criteria were applied. However, when data exclusions were based on a suspicion check, effects were statistically significant only when a covariate was included (i.e., social dominance orientation, patriotism, or experience with guns). We discuss reasons for this mixed evidence, including the possibility that suspicion regarding the masculinity feedback could itself be a compensatory reaction to threat.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1296261/fullmasculinityidentity threatgender roleprecarious manhoodtoxic masculinityfirearms |
| spellingShingle | Sven Kachel Sven Kachel Tibor Bloch Jennifer K. Bosson Lea L. Lorenz Melanie C. Steffens Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns Frontiers in Psychology masculinity identity threat gender role precarious manhood toxic masculinity firearms |
| title | Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| title_full | Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| title_fullStr | Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| title_short | Gaining masculine power through guns? The impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| title_sort | gaining masculine power through guns the impact of masculinity threat on attitudes toward guns |
| topic | masculinity identity threat gender role precarious manhood toxic masculinity firearms |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1296261/full |
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