Living Dangerously

Abstract

Two studies examined the hypothesis that the culture of honor would be associated with heightened risk taking, presumably because risky behaviors provide social proof of strength and fearlessness. As hypothesized, Study 1 showed that honor states in the United States exhibited higher rates of accidental deaths among Whites (but not non-Whites) than did nonhonor states, particularly in nonmetropolitan areas. Elevated accidental deaths in honor states appeared for both men and women and remained when the authors controlled for a host of statewide covariates (e.g., economic deprivation, cancer deaths, temperature) and for non-White deaths. Study 2, likewise, showed that people who endorsed honor-related beliefs reported greater risk taking tendencies, independent of age, sex, self-esteem, and the big five.

That is how we do it around here: Levels of identification, masculine honor, and social activism against organized crime in the south of Italy

“…Through (the credible threat of) violence, men establish their presence in the public sphere and consolidate their claims to precedence (Cohen & Nisbett, 1997). Ideological conceptions about male behavior may impact a wide range of social and interpersonal phenomena (Barnes, Brown, & Osterman, 2012;Barnes, Brown, & Tamborski, 2012; Italian COs are highly structured groups characterized by secrecy. These groups pursue a variety of different goals related to the enhancement of their members' status (Paoli, 2003).…”

On the Importance of Family, Morality, Masculine, and Feminine Honor for Theory and Research

“…For example, Southern White men reported a higher perceived threat to their reputation as 'manly' and showed higher increases in the stress hormone of cortisol and the hormone of testosterone. Cohen and colleagues' studies generated much research on the links between masculine honor, aggression, and violence among Southern White men (e.g., Barnes, Brown & Osterman, 2012a;Barnes, Brown & Tamborski, 2012b;Brown, Osterman, & Barnes, 2009;Cohen & Nisbett, 1997;Vandello & Cohen, 2003;Vandello, Cohen & Ransom, 2008). What all these studies have in common is the way in which masculine honor is defined and measured.…”

“…Controlling for variables conceptually related to the HIM scale (e.g., religious fundamentalism, political conservatism, social dominance orientation), the HIM predicted more hostile responses (e.g., hate toward suspected attackers), greater vigilance to potential terrorism-related cues, and greater support for severe interrogations with suspected terrorists in response to the hypothetical attack. Brown and colleagues have also examined other negative outcomes associated with the way in which masculine honor is defined among U.S. Southern, non-Hispanic Whites, for example, risk taking and accidental deaths (Barnes et al, 2012b), the stigmatization of mental health care (Brown, Imura, & Mayeux, 2014), and heightened suicide risk (Osterman & Brown, 2011).…”

“…In addition, how do men oppose restrictive societal views on masculine honor that expect them to be violent or aggressive in the name of honor? This research question is especially important for research among U.S. Southern White, non-Hispanic men who believe that their honor has to be defended aggressively or violently (Barnes et al, 2012a(Barnes et al, , 2012b. Cultural norms and beliefs are actively maintained or challenged by individuals and groups.…”

Testosterone and men’s stress responses to gender threats.

“…It will also be important to test the coping strategies employed by men with low T and high T following explicit gender threats; Men with low T, given their heightened stress response, might be more inclined to escape or avoid gender threatening situations, whereas men with high T might view such situations as challenging opportunities to prove their manhood status (Mehta et al, 2008). If so, dangerous or unwise consequences may follow (e.g., physical confrontations, risk-taking; see Bames, Brown, & Tamborski, 2012;Weaver, Vandello, & Bosson, in press). …”