A lifetime of conforming to the masculine norm of being emotionally restrictive could produce deficits in the ability to identify and describe emotions.

Male Normative Alexithymia Hypothesis

Individual men are posited to incorporate cognitions about masculinity into their emotional and behavioral repertoires, making it difficult for them to put words on feelings or emotions.


Pepperdine University

Masculinity influences emotion regulation in two major ways. One is through childhood socialization; the other is through cognitive and experiential factors of masculinity.

How does masculinity affect emotion regulation?

Berke, D. S., Reidy, D., & Zeichner, A. (2018). Masculinity, emotion regulation, and psychopathology: A critical review and integrated model. Clinical psychology review, 66, 106-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2018.01.004 

Masculinity, emotion regulation, and psychopathology: A critical review and integrated model

Beginning in childhood, boys and men receive different messages than girls and women about how, when, and which emotions to regulate. Specifically, the socialization of emotion among boys and men may encourage the inhibition of emotional expression, except anger.

Childhood socialization of boys

The stress associated with violations of masculine norms, which have the potential to threaten men's masculine status, restricts their emotional expression and regulation.

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