Masculinity ideology, gender role strain, and identity styles in male college students

The current investigation explored the empirical links between masculinity ideology (Pleck, Sonenstein & Ku, 1993), masculine gender role strain (Pleck, 1995), and identity styles (Berzonsky, 1990). While a large body of research had investigated masculinity and identity between 1930 and 1980, this research was criticized due to its theoretical limitations (Pleck, 1981). More specifically, "masculine identity" was previously assumed to be a stable characteristic established early in life (e.g., Terman & Miles, 1936; Spence & Helmreich, 1978). Drawing on multidisciplinary research, recent theorists have rejected the notion of a masculine identity in favor of social constructionism (Pleck, 1981; Connell, 1995; Gardiner, 2005). As such, identity and masculinities research have evolved and progressed on separate empirical tracks. In masculinities literature, a growing body of research has shown that masculinity ideologies and gender role strain are salient factors for men's psychosocial functioning (see Thompson & Pleck, 1995; Levant, Wu, & Fisher, 1996). In identity research, traditional conceptualization of psychosocial development (e.g., Erikson, 1959; Marcia, 1966) has been expanded to include the study of identity styles (Berzonsky, 1990; 2004). This study explored the relationships between masculinity ideology, gender role strain, and identity styles from 199 men enrolled in a small Midwestern college. In a MANOVA analysis, masculinity ideology and gender role strain were entered as dependent variables while identity styles (three levels: informational, normative, and diffuse/avoidant) were entered as the independent variables. Results of the omnibus test revealed a significant overall effect (Wilks' Λ = .934, F(4, 390) = 3.37, p < .010, partial η 2 = .033). Post hoc analyses indicated that the informational identity style was significantly lower on masculinity ideology than the normative identity style. Other post hoc differences were not significant, but followed trends in expected directions. Data from the MANOVA and bivariate correlations suggested that an informational identity style is negatively associated with masculinity ideology and gender role strain, while other styles (normative and diffuse/avoidant) are positively associated with these factors. Thus, how men make decisions about their identity may be influenced by masculinity and gender role strain.