NEW YORK— A recent study published in the journal Developmental Science reveals that adolescent boys may exhibit aggressive behavior when they perceive their masculinity is under threat, particularly those growing up in environments with rigid, stereotypical gender norms.
Led by Adam Stanaland, a postdoctoral researcher at New York University, the study emphasizes the impact of social pressure on boys to conform to stereotypical masculine behaviors. “We know that not all men respond aggressively to manhood threats,” says Stanaland. “However, men whose stereotypical masculinity is socially pressured are the most aggressive under such threats. Now we have evidence that certain adolescent boys respond similarly, pointing to the foundations of these potentially harmful processes.”
The study highlights that threats to manhood are linked to various negative and antisocial behaviors, including sexism, homophobia, political bigotry, and even anti-environmentalism. Stanaland suggests that these findings call for actively challenging restrictive norms and social pressures that boys face during puberty, especially from parents and peers.
Previous research has shown that perceived threats to men’s “gender typicality”—the alignment of their appearance and behaviors with societal expectations—can lead to harmful behaviors intended to reassert their typicality. This new study seeks to understand the development of this phenomenon and the social environments in which it occurs.
The experiment, led by Stanaland while a doctoral student at Duke University, involved over 200 adolescent boys in the U.S. and one of their parents. The boys first reported whether their motivation to be masculine was internally driven or influenced by a desire for social approval. They then participated in a game answering questions stereotypical of masculinity and femininity. The boys were randomly told that their score was either atypical (a “threat” to their masculinity) or typical of their gender.
To measure aggression, participants completed a cognitive task by finishing word stems (e.g., “GU_”) that could be completed aggressively (“GUN”) or non-aggressively (“GUY” or “GUT”). The key indicator was the proportion of aggressive word completions.
The study also considered demographic and other variables, including the boys’ stage of puberty, measured using the Pubertal Development Scale. Participants responded to questions about changes in their voice and facial-hair growth, with options to select “I don’t know” or “Prefer not to say.”
Additionally, the researchers examined environmental pressures motivating the boys to conform to gender norms, including peer, parental, and self-imposed pressures. Parents also provided insights into their beliefs about gender.
The findings underscore the need to address the restrictive social pressures that boys face, particularly during their formative years, to prevent the development of aggressive and antisocial behaviors.
