“What this work shows is that it is not masculinity but ideology that men are trying to achieve. It is something we value as a culture,” said lead author Theresa Vescio, professor of psychology and studies of women, gender, and sexuality at Pennsylvania State University.
“The beauty of masculinity as a cultural ideology is that we get women to participate in and support it, even if it embraces them. We can color men, men with low socioeconomic status, gay men to support him even though he is suddenly under control, “Vescio said.
Perhaps this view “explains the rise in Latino and Black men supporting Trump … or white women supporting Trump,” Vescio said.
“This is an interesting study, and the results are almost certain of the notion that ‘hegemonic masculinity’ predicts voting and candidate views even after controlling for other potential variables. we expect to predict political behavior, “Christopher Federico, a professor of political science and psychology at the University of Minnesota, who was not involved in the studies, said by email.
The results are purely observable and cannot show direct cause and effect, but are in line with previous research which found that “valuing leadership” and “valuing low value” on cooperation ”is a predictor of support for Trump, said Federico, who is also director of the university’s Center for Political Psychology.
“It makes sense that individuals who value a form of violence that emphasizes discipline, resentment, and so on, would support Trump,” Federico said, adding that “individuals with traditional gender views and beliefs about the ‘right’ roles for men and women in society would also tend to be more supportive of Trump. “
Seven studies over two election periods
Researchers questioned more than 2,000 people in seven separate studies over two selection periods. Six of the investigations were conducted by Vescio and his colleague in the days and months after Trump won his battle for the presidency over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016. The seventh investigation was conducted. 50 days before the November 2020 election, in which Trump was defeated by who was the Vice President of the USA Joseph Biden.
Participants were recruited from a Pennsylvania State University student pool as well as two slogan applications. The students received credit for part of the class and the other participants received $ 0.50 or 9.66 per hour.
While male dominant choice predicted support for Trump, “the prejudices of voters were more consistent in their biased views,” the study found. “Further research is needed to fully understand the predicted consequences of (hegemonic masculinity) against open prejudice,” the study said.
Matthew Feinberg, professor of organizational behavior at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, he questioned the data collected after Trump won over Clinton in 2016.
“People’s perceptions, especially of violence, may be shaped by Trump’s presidency,” Feinberg said by email. “Many people held their noses and voted for him in 2016, choosing to vote for their favorite party despite Trump’s behavior and his representation of hegemonic violence.
“However, processes such as mental disagreement ensure that people often reconcile their ideas with behaviors in which they are involved,” Feinberg continued. “If so, people who have opinions about Trump and his support for hegemonic violence in believing that they also have opinions according to Trump. “
Vescio she cited the 2020 study that had examined pre-election views, and said that mental disagreement does not explain the data she found.
“We can’t completely control it. But the data is not entirely consistent with that because even when we have control of Republicans and Democrats we get the impact beyond that,” she said.
More than a ‘fragile’ male identity
Findings from the seven studies also suggest that support for “hegemonic masculinity” should be more predictive of support for Trump than the concept known as “fragile male identity” or PMI, in which “Masculinity gained and maintained through persistent behavioral displays of men,” and “Momentent weaknesses in behavioral manifestations of violence have the potential to threaten violence,” the study authors wrote.
Having a fragile male identity has traditionally been a key reason why men would want to align with Trump, but he has failed to explain his support among women and some minorities, the study said.
“The basic idea is that masculinity is more fragile than femininity, and that it must be earned and maintained in public. Men who feel (or have been led to feel) that their status as men is not likely enough to support Trump anymore, “Federico said.
“One reason Trump – at least in the person he publicly performs – is to eradicate high-profile violence. Supporting him in that way can be a way to get that philosophy across. on loan or to exhibit that one is male by supporting a ‘male’ agent, “he said.
There are also studies that have found that PMI is associated with “other perceptions of an aggressive nature, such as support for gun culture and weapons,” Federico said, as well as “increased sexuality and anti – co. equality. “
“To the extent that Trump is seen as supporting these positions, people may indirectly support Trump more because he is thought to support them,” he said. .
However, given the fact that the new study found that PMI was less predictable than hegemonic violence made sense across all genders, Federico explained.