STUDY - The precarious masculinity of firearm ownership.

[kpete]

Abstract
Men are more likely than women to harm themselves and others with firearms. Central to this problem is men’s interest in owning firearms. The precarious manhood paradigm (PMP; Vandello et al., 2008) suggests that masculinity is tenuous and must be outwardly displayed. We conducted a PMP-informed experiment to test whether threats to masculinity were associated with increased interest in owning firearms. Community participants in the United States (Men n = 388, Women n = 243) completed an online “marketing survey” and were then given false personality feedback profiles. All feedback was standardized with exception of the masculinity/femininity profile. Men were randomly assigned to a masculinity threat (masculinity reported as below average; MThreat, n = 131), boost (masculinity reported as above average; MBoost, n = 129), and control (masculinity reported as average; MControl, n = 128) conditions. Women were randomly assigned to a femininity threat (n = 84), boost (n = 87), and control (n = 72) conditions (conditions were identical except women received femininity threats/boosts). Participants were then asked about their interest in owning various firearms. MThreat participants reported significantly higher interest in owning every firearm shown compared to MControl participants, and significantly more interest than MBoost participants for half of the firearms. No differences in firearm interest were evident between MBoost and MControl conditions. No differences in firearm interest were evident across all conditions in the women sample. All participants were then debriefed. Results suggest men’s desire to own firearms maybe connected to masculine insecurities. Efforts should be made to socially defuse the masculinity-firearm connection. Further research implications and limitations are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact Statement
Our experiment showed that men whose masculinity had been threatened demonstrated more interest in owning various firearms compared to men whose masculinity was boosted or not altered. Women whose femininity was threatened did not differ from women whose femininity was boosted or not altered in terms of their firearm interest. These findings suggest that firearm ownership may be one way to prove or regain a sense of manhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Sending to my son (anonymously):
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-30877-001
https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fmen0000386

[AndyS]

1. Those of us working to prevent gun violence have known this for years.

Now the marketing data from Remington Arms that the Sandy Hook parents will soon release will show how the gun manufacturers know this and exploit it. Remington knew they were marketing their AR15 to people who were likely to act out.

Soon the rest of us will see what they did just like Big Tabaco had to come clean in public.

[Irish_Dem]

2. So a gun is a penis substitute.

[localroger]

5. Also water is wet, fire is hot, etc. /nt

[hlthe2b]

3. Studies that prove the obvious are still necessary.

But, this comes as little surprise to many of us.

[gay texan]

4. Bingo.

This reminds of a saying my Dad has "If a fella has to prove how much of a man he is over and over, he ain't one"

In my experience, gun humpers, especially the uber open carry types, want to show the world just how tough they are. Take that gun away and they are some of the biggest cowards you'll ever meet.

The problem with this sort of mentality is that it's ever constantly escalating. Bigger us better. The bigger the gun, the tougher you are. The bigger the truck the tougher you are. The more smoke you produce from the exhaust the tougher you are.

Toxic masculinity is a real problem. Add guns, RW radio, and a figurehead that says the right thing at the right time (trump) and you have a time bomb sitting on your hands.

I live in the sticks. Guns are an absolute necessity out here (wild hogs). Not fucking once have I ever felt the need to brandish it in public.

[sanatanadharma]

6. Gun posession is like Botox for the ego.

Those desiring guns feel filled-out, fulfilled, by possessing.

Too bad too many are like Botox swollen fat-asses.

On person's opinion; others may vary.

[Johnny2X2X]

7. A culture of fear

I work with Conservatives, all of whom live in the outskirts of the city or flat out in the country. I live in the city, they just have this idea of crime that isn't reflected in reality, they think crime is out of control and it's never been worse. They think random shootings are happening on the regular and armed home invasions are a weekly occurrence.

I live in Grand Rapids, MI, crime is low. The shootings that do happen are gang related and almost never random. Armed home invasions are almost unheard of, there's maybe a couple a year that make the paper. Crime was much higher in the 70s and 80s overall although 2020 was the highest year for murders because of a gang turf war.

It's safe here, I have no need for a gun although I do have a shotgun for recreational shooting and home defense should the zombie apocalypse come.

I think it's just a general fear of the other that leads to the gun humpers to hoard combat type weapons. There is an insecurity in a lot of these men because they've lived sheltered lives, they are afraid of minorities because they don't know any minorities.

[kysrsoze]

8. I have a friend going down this rabbit hole now. We live in the 20th most safe city in the U.S.

I reminded him of that when he started started on this gun diatribe while we were driving somewhere. All the talking points suddenly started coming out - talking to me about the death penalty and how everyone is trying to take his guns away. He went from martial arts to guns and all these bullshit tactical courses. I know he's got insecurities, but someone is absolutely in his ear about this nonsense and that's what makes this all the more dangerous. I know it's his neighbors. He was only going to buy one handgun and now has two. I told him no one is trying to ban handguns - no one. He's asked multiple times if I'd like to go shooting, and I told him I have exactly zero interest in it.

I have no problem with someone owning a shotgun or handgun for self-defense, but it seems such an easy jump from owning one to hoarding firearms and bullets.

[Johnny2X2X]

9. It is a rabbit hole

They start hoarding guns and military type weapons because they start believing myths. That they're going to overthrow the US government with them is an example of a myth they buy into.

Another one is that foreign invaders would never invade the US because of all the weekend warriors an their AR-15s. I always counter this one with, "so, you think you and your buddies are going to stop an invading force after that force had first defeated the US Marines, the US Navy, the US Army, the US Air Force, the US Coast Guard, and all major US Law Enforcement agencies, plus every state's National Guard?" You're AR-15 isn't doing squat against a tank. You and your buddies lack the tactical support and training to be any type of threat to an invading army.

That particular myth stems from a non existent quote from a Japanese General about not wanting to invade the US because of "an American with a rifle behind every blade of grass." There is no evidence this quote was ever uttered. If Japan would have won in the Pacific, an invasion of the US would have been next up.

[CrispyQ]

10. Your last sentence nailed it.

Some time ago a DUer wrote that he grew up in a small, rural town & was a conservative republican. Then, by chance, he got an opportunity to travel to other countries & see different cultures & he returned home a progressive. He said he'd just gotten more progressive since.

The red/blue divide in the country based a lot on the rural/urban divide. My idea, based on the DUer's account above, is to start a student exchange program, much like some schools have with other countries, only this would be a rural/urban exchange. Expose the kids to different cultures when they're young. It would be a learning experience for both the visiting student & the host family.

[mopinko]

11. i'm in favor of abolishing attendance boundaries for schools.

as long as parents get them there, in a place like chicago, there would be real choice.
esp at the high school level. there are lots of special programs around the city. a lot of them will take out of district kids if they have room. cps is moving more and more in that direction.

true parental choice would cut the charters off at the knees, and it would also probably push a lot of change when parents start bailing on the closest school. you know there's a problem when people choose a harder path.

i like your idea. there was talk of urban/suburban swaps around here, but even that couldnt get off the ground.

[SYFROYH]

12. Gun manufacturers and sellers thank you for your service

If you’ve ever mocked the masculinity or genitals of gun owners. Not you kpete.

Because according to this article, the desire to possess firearms is prompted by threats to masculinity.


Note they are not describing PMP as a internalized trait or state, but something created by external threats by others.

I find the irony of this result to be deliciously rich given the commentary I’ve seen.