The Bigger Picture: The Effect of Context on Gender Role Conflict in Greek Men

Abstract

Gender Role Conflict (GRC) is manifested through certain behavioral patterns when the person adopts unquestionably restrictive gender roles with negative consequences both at intrapersonal and interpersonal level. There is evidence that socially desired masculine behavior is in transition in modern Greek society boosting GRC among Greek men. In this study, GRC patterns have been assessed experimentally using the imagery technique in 1051 Greek men. Emotionally elicited vignettes were created, each demonstrating a different context (Men's gender role conflict: Psychological costs, consequences, and an agenda for change. American Psychological Association): (1) developmental, (2) family – friends’ relations and (3) conformity to masculinity ideology, homonegativity and violent behaviour. A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant three-way interaction between GRC patterns scoring, GRC vignettes and time (before and after reading the GRC vignettes). Further investigation of the three-way interaction revealed that vignettes reflecting social pressure to conform to masculinity ideology in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood as well as vignettes reflecting outright bullying to conform to such stereotypic roles had a significant impact on GRC patterns scoring, mostly decreasing conflict. The construction and testing of the GRC vignettes can update the existing tools for assessing GRC. Moreover, the vignettes could be employed to shed light on the possible causes of GRC.