The construction of masculinity: interviews into the experiences of men

The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of being male from the perspective of a group of white middle class heterosexual men. A review of the literature reveals a dearth of research into the live experience of being male. This study begins to address that lack. As the aim of the study was to delve into the meaning of the experience of being male, a phenomenological method was employed. Five men were recruited from British Columbia. A semistructured interview was conducted with each man and the resulting transcriptions analyzed for common themes. Colaizi’s (1978) method of analysis produced 12 major and three minor themes. This set of themes was then returned to the men for validation. Themes included: expectations of economic responsibility and confidence and competence; experiences of conflicting role expectations, uncertainty about the rules of behaviour, and being perceived as one of the victimizers; and the feeling that part of a man’s role is to take responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of others.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat