Background: The goal of this paper is to examine to what extent levels of femininity and masculinity are associated with practicing several types of health behaviours among individuals who are physically active and inactive. Material/Methods: A total of 559 individuals aged between 35 and 45 (M = 39.4; SD = 3.2) took part in the study. The inactive group consisted of 211 individuals (n = 85 women, n = 126 men), and the active group consisted of 348 individuals (n = 131 women, n = 217 men). The participants completed the following pen-and-paper questionnaires: the Psychological Gender Inventory, the Health Behaviours Inventory, and the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives. Results: Physical activity and androgynous psychological gender were shown to be associated with the levels of health behaviours in men and women. Among men, femininity turned out to be a factor protective against hegemonic masculinity, while among women it was observed that it is mainly masculinity that correlates with health behaviours. Physical activity was associated with a better psychological attitude. Conclusion: It is possible to treat physical activity as a protective factor against decreased mood and an aid in coping with decreased mood. Society and culture should encourage the development of femininity and masculinity from the earliest years. Future research on masculinity and femininity and pro-health behaviours should be aimed at looking for ways to promote physical activity among undifferentiated individuals.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that sexual attraction is flexible, and that high levels of sexual arousal can promote sexual willingness and approach tendencies toward a priori low attractive mates. This experimental study tested whether heightened sexual arousal can lower the threshold for sexual willingness and automatic approach tendencies toward potential sex partners of low and medium attractiveness. Heterosexual male (n =54) and female (n =61) participants were randomly assigned to a sexual arousal or control condition. Approach tendencies were indexed using a reaction time task. Sexual willingness was indexed using participant ratings of willingness to kiss and to consider having sex with same-and other-sex models of low, medium, and high attractiveness. Overall, participants showed stronger approach to models of high and medium than of low attractiveness. Sexual arousal weakened this differential responding but did not result in a robust increase of approach toward less attractive othersex or same-sex models. Sexual willingness toward less attractive models was not affected by sexual arousal. Independent of condition, women reported greater sexual willingness toward same-sex models. The current pattern of findings does not support the notion that sexual arousal promotes automatic approach and sexual willingness to a broader array of sex partners.
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