Question

How are men affected by traditional gender socialization? Include in your discussion social psychological costs as well as health outcomes.

Answer 1

Simply put, gender socialization is the inclination for boys and girls to be socialized differently. Society has a set role based on attitude, personality and behavior based on gender. Males are generally expected to be tough, endure pain, not share feelings and protect loved ones. This leads to deterioration of physical and mental health. Showing feelings, being nurturing or being soft is seen as a sign of weakness. These behaviors are expected of females.

There are immense health and social psychological costs involved in this dysfunctional process. Males who do not show emotion have elevated stress levels, are diagnosed with a weakened immune system, suffer from obesity/ weight loss, have sleep disorders and sometimes resort to drinking. The inter-personal relationships with family/ peers suffer as it puts immense pressure on them to behave in a manner that fulfills the expectations of society. Being strong, tough and brave at all times can sometimes lead to consequences that the individual cannot handle.