The psychology of men and masculinities is a broad, interdisciplinary field devoted to the study of how men’s and boys’ lives are shaped by biopsychosociocultural influences as well as the constellation of meanings associated with the male biological sex. The use of the term
masculinities
reflects the editors’ belief that there are diverse meanings associated with being male that vary across time, situations, social groups, and cultures.
In the past three decades, there has been an exponential growth in empirical psychological research on men and masculinities, although this emerging body of research has yet to be appropriately summarized, synthesized, and critically evaluated. This APA handbook addresses that lack with a strong focus on psychological science. It tackles the full spectrum of the theoretical, empirical, and practical, not only focusing on the extant literature in traditional areas of men and masculinities, but also highlighting new and emerging scholarship.>
The handbook is divided into four sections. The first section addresses historical, conceptual, and methodological issues. Readers will be exposed to a wide range of theoretical perspectives on men and masculinities (e.g., biological, evolutionary, social norms, gender role conflict, social constructionist, and feminist) as well as methodological (quantitative and qualitative) approaches to studying men and masculinities. The second section examines specific populations of men with a strong focus on developmental, cultural, and sexual orientation diversity. The third section focuses on specific topics relevant to men’s lives, such as careers, education, sexism, violence, and emotions. The fourth and final section addresses several application domains, including men’s helping seeking patterns, physical health, mental health, and experience of psychotherapy.
Each chapter investigates future directions, along with unresolved issues or emerging concerns.
