Gender Roles and Perceptions

           

          In 2010 Graef et al. published  a research study in which they proposed a connection between men’s gender role paradigm, their willingness and attitudes towards career counseling. There is a well understood relationship between men’s attitudes towards helping services such as talk therapy or psychotherapy, men view these services as effeminate and a violation of their roles as men, therefore they are reluctant about engaging in any services. Researchers have found that men, who internalize the stereotypical male gender norm of anti-femininity, black and white male and female roles, disdain for feelings, men showing affection and homosexuality, have a negative feeling towards psychotherapy and carry with them a negative stereotype. For men who have an internal conflict between the traditionally accepted male roles, are more open to helping services, don’t have negative feelings toward it, and do not carry with them a stigma of the profession. In fact they are quite open to it and view it as a positive endeavor. In the study I reviewed, researchers wanted to investigate if that relationship between strongly internalize traditional male gender role paradigm and negative feelings and stigma towards career counseling.

            The fact that career counseling varies from talk therapy with its primary focus on careers and success made the researchers wonder if men might feel more comfortable seeking this type of service out instead of psychotherapy. Their research showed that they inverse relationship seen between men with highly internalized traditional male gender role and negative feelings toward psychotherapy held true for career counseling as well. Men who hold strongly to the paradigm of anti-femininity, anti-affection between men, anti-homosexuality, held negative feelings and carried with them negative feelings toward career counseling. 

Reference:

Graef, S.T., Tokar, D.M., & Kaut, K.P. (2010). Relations of Masculinity Ideology, conformity to masculine role norms, and masculine gender role conflict to men’s attitudes toward and willings to seek career counseling. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 11, 319-333.