Gender Role Conflict
"Gender role" can be thought of as a set of attitudes and behaviors that are promoted through family and cultural influences. For example, many men somehow learn that they should be the breadwinner for their family (among many other things). Doing this (or at least trying to) would be part of the traditional male gender role. Gender role can be related to masculine identity, but it is common for men to have some incongruence between them.
Some researchers have tried to explore whether there is a "universal masculine" that can be seen in all cultures during all times. This proves to be quite difficult, but there are several roles that have been highlighted. Those are:
(1) Provider
Secure and provide resources
(2) Protector
Defend others and territory
(3) Lover
Mate and procreate
Other roles (e.g. father) are more dependent on cultural expectations. Sometimes our gender roles (and gender identity) can cause problems for us and others. This is referred to as “gender role conflict” (GRC; O’Neil, 2008). Research has shown that many psychological and social problems in men’s lives can be traced to GRC. For example, an advantage of restricting emotions may be the ability to stay cool in a crisis situation, but a disadvantage would be the inability to emotionally connect in a relationship. At worst, GRC can lead to the harm and violation of rights of others.
O’Neil (2008) breaks down different types of GRC in this way (quoted directly):
a) GRC within the man
Private experience of negative emotions and thoughts experienced as gender role devaluations, restrictions, and violations.
b) GRC expressed toward others
Men’s expressed gender role problems that potentially devalue, restrict, or violate someone else.
c) GRC experienced from others
Men’s interpersonal experience of gender role conflict from people interacted with that result in being personally devalued, restricted, or violated.
d) GRC experienced from role transitions
Gender role transitions are events in a man’s gender role development that alter or challenge his gender role self-assumptions and consequently produce GRC or positive life changes
O’Neil (2008) defined devaluations, restrictions, and violations this way:
“Gender role devaluations are negative critiques of self or others when conforming to, deviating from, or violating stereotypic gender role norms of masculinity ideology. Devaluations result in lessening of personal status, stature, or positive regard.”
“Gender role restrictions occur when confining others or oneself to stereotypic norms of masculinity ideology. Restrictions result in controlling people’s behavior, limiting one’s personal potential, and decreasing human freedom.
“Gender role violations result from harming oneself, harming others, or being harmed by others when deviating from or conforming to gender role norms of masculinity ideology. To be violated is to be victimized and abused, causing psychological and physical pain. (O’Neil, 2008, p.363).”
Gender role strain is a related concept that describes the psychological and emotional consequences of violating “masculine ideology”, which is defined as “beliefs about the importance of men adhering to culturally defined standards for male behavior” (Pleck, 1995, p. 19). Gender role strain has three patterns:
(1) Discrepancy Strain
The person unsuccessfully meets traditional gender role standards
(2) Trauma Strain
This occurs after experiencing a traumatic event or process during socialization into the traditional masculine gender role
(3) Dysfunction Strain
When fulfillment of a gender role is hazardous
Overall, research has shown that GRC and gender role strain are related to depression, anxiety, relationship problems, low self-esteem, violence, and a variety of other undesirable things. It is possible to reduce or minimize the negative effects of GRC by (a) recognizing it, and (b) becoming more flexible in attitudes and behavior. Using the previous example of the man in the relationship, he may not be very emotionally expressive in other parts of his life but he could learn to be emotionally expressive in his relationship.
Next Section: Gender Role Advantage
Sources/Further Reading
Pleck (1995). The gender role strain paradigm: An update. In Levant & Pollack (Eds.) New Psychology of Men. New York: Basic.
Jim ONeil’s GRC Page at UConn
O'Neil (2008). Summarizing 25 Years of Research on Men's Gender Role Conflict Using the Gender Role Conflict Scale: New Research Paradigms and Clinical Implications. The Counseling Psychologist, 38, 358-445
Some researchers have tried to explore whether there is a "universal masculine" that can be seen in all cultures during all times. This proves to be quite difficult, but there are several roles that have been highlighted. Those are:
(1) Provider
Secure and provide resources
(2) Protector
Defend others and territory
(3) Lover
Mate and procreate
Other roles (e.g. father) are more dependent on cultural expectations. Sometimes our gender roles (and gender identity) can cause problems for us and others. This is referred to as “gender role conflict” (GRC; O’Neil, 2008). Research has shown that many psychological and social problems in men’s lives can be traced to GRC. For example, an advantage of restricting emotions may be the ability to stay cool in a crisis situation, but a disadvantage would be the inability to emotionally connect in a relationship. At worst, GRC can lead to the harm and violation of rights of others.
O’Neil (2008) breaks down different types of GRC in this way (quoted directly):
a) GRC within the man
Private experience of negative emotions and thoughts experienced as gender role devaluations, restrictions, and violations.
b) GRC expressed toward others
Men’s expressed gender role problems that potentially devalue, restrict, or violate someone else.
c) GRC experienced from others
Men’s interpersonal experience of gender role conflict from people interacted with that result in being personally devalued, restricted, or violated.
d) GRC experienced from role transitions
Gender role transitions are events in a man’s gender role development that alter or challenge his gender role self-assumptions and consequently produce GRC or positive life changes
O’Neil (2008) defined devaluations, restrictions, and violations this way:
“Gender role devaluations are negative critiques of self or others when conforming to, deviating from, or violating stereotypic gender role norms of masculinity ideology. Devaluations result in lessening of personal status, stature, or positive regard.”
“Gender role restrictions occur when confining others or oneself to stereotypic norms of masculinity ideology. Restrictions result in controlling people’s behavior, limiting one’s personal potential, and decreasing human freedom.
“Gender role violations result from harming oneself, harming others, or being harmed by others when deviating from or conforming to gender role norms of masculinity ideology. To be violated is to be victimized and abused, causing psychological and physical pain. (O’Neil, 2008, p.363).”
Gender role strain is a related concept that describes the psychological and emotional consequences of violating “masculine ideology”, which is defined as “beliefs about the importance of men adhering to culturally defined standards for male behavior” (Pleck, 1995, p. 19). Gender role strain has three patterns:
(1) Discrepancy Strain
The person unsuccessfully meets traditional gender role standards
(2) Trauma Strain
This occurs after experiencing a traumatic event or process during socialization into the traditional masculine gender role
(3) Dysfunction Strain
When fulfillment of a gender role is hazardous
Overall, research has shown that GRC and gender role strain are related to depression, anxiety, relationship problems, low self-esteem, violence, and a variety of other undesirable things. It is possible to reduce or minimize the negative effects of GRC by (a) recognizing it, and (b) becoming more flexible in attitudes and behavior. Using the previous example of the man in the relationship, he may not be very emotionally expressive in other parts of his life but he could learn to be emotionally expressive in his relationship.
Next Section: Gender Role Advantage
Sources/Further Reading
Pleck (1995). The gender role strain paradigm: An update. In Levant & Pollack (Eds.) New Psychology of Men. New York: Basic.
Jim ONeil’s GRC Page at UConn
O'Neil (2008). Summarizing 25 Years of Research on Men's Gender Role Conflict Using the Gender Role Conflict Scale: New Research Paradigms and Clinical Implications. The Counseling Psychologist, 38, 358-445