From the
DailyMail "
Men who worry they're not macho are more prone to violence and aggression". The actual study (which they yet again don't linked to directly for some reason) "
Masculine discrepancy stress, substance use, assault and injury in a survey of US men" (BMJ). In a nutshell, men (aged 18-50) who
feel or
perceive their 'maleness' to be at odds with their own self-image, a "
discrepancy stress", are more prone to over compensate with various forms of 'abuse' (in the broad sense - alcohol, drugs, violence etc.).
Although the general focus of study in this field centers around **** violence (and its prevention), the underlying cause and effect has much broader implications pertinent to gamers, game culture, the Internet and online activities in terms of how belittling and undermining male self-worth (in this particular instance) has the potential to lead to increasingly abhorrent or disparate behaviors, an idea that might go some way to explaining why some individuals are aggression triggered to a greater extent/more easily than others in competitive/combative/online environments. The takeaway from this
might be that its not actually masculinity that's toxic ("
toxic masculinity") per se so much as are the consequences of being public shamed, called out or publicly berated, the general inhibiting of what might otherwise be considered normal masculine behaviors (negative enforcement instead of positive reinforcement).
[EDIT]
it's worth pointing out this study is being used as "proof" that males are toxic in various *cough*news*cough* outlets when that's not what the report actually suggests at all. Quite the opposite in fact.RelatedColumbine-inspired Pokémon plotters nicknamed 'squeaky' and 'Stumbo' denied bail as court hears they planned to kill rivals in 'mass shooting' at game's world championship. Yes POKEMON, not DOOM or other "murder simulators".