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The Proof is in the Punch: Gender Differences in Perceptions of Action and Aggression as Components of Manhood

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Abstract

Two studies test the hypotheses that men, relative to women: 1) see manhood as a more elusive, impermanent state than womanhood, and 2) understand aggression as a means of proving or re-establishing threatened manhood, but not threatened womanhood. In Study 1 (N = 175 Northeastern U.S. undergraduates), men’s (but not women’s) sentence completions revealed tendencies to define manhood by actions and womanhood by enduring traits. In Study 2 (N = 113 Southeastern U.S. undergraduates), men were more likely than women to explain a man’s physical aggression in primarily situational terms, whereas men and women did not differ in the attributions they made for a woman’s physical aggression. Results suggest that men perceive active and aggressive behaviors as integral parts of manhood and its defense.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Jamie Goldenberg for sharing her stimulus materials, and Josh Gianitsis and Annette Scott for help with coding materials for Study 1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., PCD 4118G, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Jonathan R. Weaver, Joseph A. Vandello, Jennifer K. Bosson & Rochelle M. Burnaford

Authors
  1. Jonathan R. Weaver
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  2. Joseph A. Vandello
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  3. Jennifer K. Bosson
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  4. Rochelle M. Burnaford
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan R. Weaver.

Appendix: “Criminal Justice Study” Scenario From Study 2

Appendix: “Criminal Justice Study” Scenario From Study 2

Note: Participants saw what appeared to be an actual Florida State Domestic Incident Report, filled out in handwriting, describing a confrontation at an Orlando bar between two men or between two women.

Narrative of the Incident (Include Results of Investigation and Basis for Action Taken):

Officer got a call at approximately 10:45 pm from the bartender at [name removed], claiming that a fight had broken out in the bar. Suspect was being restrained.

Officer arrived to find subjects separated and calm after bouncers had separated and restrained them. Compl (victim) had a black eye and split lip, and stated that the suspect had punched him/her twice in the face. Victim desired prosecution. Suspect arrested at the scene. To be processed.

Statement from the Victim at the Time of the Incident:

I’m standing in the bar with some friends of mine when this guy/girl shows up. We’re about 10 feet away from the bar where he’s/she’s standing. I can see he’s/she’s trying to hit on this girl/guy at the bar. It’s so obvious. So my buddies and I are watching this, doing kind of a running commentary. So I decide it would be funny to go up between them when he’s/she’s about to make his/her move and stand and order a drink.

He/She gets all pissed off and accuses me of trying to move in on his/her action. So I just said something about how she/he wasn’t interested in him/her anyway. And as I’m turning to walk away, he/she punched me in the face twice. I didn’t even have time to react. He/She also kicked me in the stomach when I fell to the ground. I think my lip needs stitches. And I think my cheekbone may be broken too.

Statement from the Suspect (Perpetrator) at the Time of the Incident:

I was standing at the bar about 10:30 talking to this girl/guy I had just met. I thought she/he was pretty cute. The bar was pretty crowded at that point. I had had a couple of drinks, but it wasn’t like I was so drunk I didn’t know what I was doing. This guy/girl comes up to me and steps right in front of me when I was talking to the woman/man. So I said “excuse me, I’m having a conversation.” He/She says, “doesn’t look like it.” Then he/she turns to a group of people and says loudly something like, “looks like this loser just struck out.”

At that point, the crowd around me started egging me on. Somebody said, “are you going to just stand there and take that from him/her?”

So, I just impulsively threw a punch or two, and he/she fell to the floor.

Officer: Did you kick him/her on the floor?

Yeah, I might have given him/her a kick. It was all really fast.

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Weaver, J.R., Vandello, J.A., Bosson, J.K. et al. The Proof is in the Punch: Gender Differences in Perceptions of Action and Aggression as Components of Manhood. Sex Roles 62, 241–251 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-009-9713-6

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