The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 2 & Volume 39, No. 1 - 127

Trial and Error

ior are appropriate (edwards & Jones, 2009; Harper et al., 2005; Harris, 2008). edwards and Jones (2009) found that college men experience intense expectations about what it means to be a man as they get older. their research indicates that the social expectations of men in general include “being competitive, in control of emotions or unemotional, aggressive, responsible, the breadwinner, in a position of authority, rational, strong, successful, tough, and breaking the rules” (pp. 214-215). in addition, participants understood the social expectations of college masculinity in particular as partying, drinking to excess, doing drugs, engaging in competitive heterosexual sex, breaking the rules, and not preparing academically. Harris (2008) found similar tenets of being a college man, including alcohol consumption, misogyny, and homophobia. these studies illustrate the very narrow and rigid expectations associated with masculinity and suggest the near impossibility of anyone being able to identify at all times with every one of them.

O’neil et al. suggest that gender role conflict generally emerges from a fear of the feminine and is represented by the following six patterns: restrictive emotionality, homophobia, socialized control, restrictive sexual and affectionate behavior, obsession with success, and health care problems. these prescribed gender roles produce significant conflict as men attempt to suppress their authentic self to meet the social expectations of masculinity.

WEARING A MASK
the process of suppressing one’s true self can cause men to construct and wear a mask of sorts. Various authors (edwards & Jones, 2009; Pollack, 1999) have used the metaphor of a mask to illustrate how men disconnect their external behaviors from their internal feelings, creating a mask as they attempt to live up to the unreal expectations of manhood. edwards and Jones explain that “because these expectations of men were so complex and limiting, participants were each insecure about their manhood and often felt less like a man” (p. 216). to compensate, they put up a front using their mask, which hides aspects of their personality that they feel do not measure up. this disguise helps hide certain behaviors that may be seen as feminine or gay, labels that, according to davis (2002), men want to avoid. in order to both avoid rejection and gain approval, men are willing to suppress their authentic selves. the research of edwards and Jones (2009) supports this claim; men often consciously and unconsciously display behavior that is contradictory to their genuine beliefs and values. these behaviors include making homophobic comments, objectifying women, engaging in binge drinking, and suppress-

GENDER ROLE CONFLICT
Problems arise when boys and men do not fit neatly into these narrow definitions of traditional masculinity. according to O’neil, Helms, gable, david, & Wrightsman (1986), this tension causes gender role conflict, which is defined as follows: a psychological state where gender roles have negative consequences or impact on a person or others. The ultimate outcome of this conflict is the restriction of the person’s ability to actualize their human potential or the restriction of someone else’s potential. (p. 336)

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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 2 & Volume 39, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 2 & Volume 39, No. 1