Individual differences in masculine gender socialization as predictive of men\u27s psychophysiological responses to negative affect

We investigated a long-theorized relationship between individual differences in masculine gender socialization and avoidance of vulnerable negative affect. Participants were thirty-six men (faculty, staff, and students, M age = 21.40, age range 18-30, SD = 3.00, 3% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 86% Caucasian) recruited from a small university in the Northeastern United States. Adherence to masculine norms was positively associated with participants\u27 physiological fear/avoidant responses to a video of a man violating masculine gender norms by expressing vulnerable negative affect (crying, asking for help, showing affection for another man). Results suggest that masculine gender socialization may cause some men to be fearful of expressions of negative affect, potentially limiting some men\u27s ability to experience and express their own negative affect. © 2012 by the Men\u27s Studies Press, LLC. All rights reserved