The Effect of Masculinity Ideology in Relationship Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Conflict Relationship Styles

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Riggs’ (1997) have investigated the perceptions of breadwinners and caregivers or what are the mandated roles of mothers and fathers. In this empirical study conducted by Riggs(1997) that focused on communal and approval ratings of employed and unemployed fathers and mothers, it has been investigated that employed parents would be having lower communal ratings but higher approval ratings than those parents who are unemployed. In this way, individuals who function according to their intended gender role are more likely to become socially desirable. They are like mimicking the characteristics of the individuals who belong to their intended group - a group represents on what gender they belong to.

Though as change is prominent, changes in societal arrangements such as career choices and conformity has emerged in this facet. Through this changes also emerge topics to be investigated. Doucet (2004) conducted a study to assess stay-at-home fathers qualitatively in terms of their comparison with their paid work and child care at home. Findings in this study showed and defined masculinity as more of an “internal complexity and contradiction as the dynamics of changing and evolving masculinities” (Doucet, 2004, p. 296) and concluded that conformity to opposite gender role is “does not blow away at a breath” (Doucet, 2004, p. 297). Consequently, Brescoll and Uhlmann (2005) supported by their investigation of attitude towards traditional parents and nontraditional parents which is the stay-at-home fathers and employed mothers. As most of the people conform to the socially desirable traits, attitudes, and characteristics of the intended group that they belong, findings of this studies revealed that people report more negative attitudes toward nontraditional parents than traditional parents because mostly of the judgments were gender biased (Brescoll & Uhlmann, 2005).

Because of disapproval of the society towards the nontraditional conformity of this gender roles empirical studies have further deepen their investigation towards this nontraditional phenomenon. A qualitative study conducted by Merla (2008) in which she only focused only on the stay-at-home fathers as a participant of her study, though it was cultural analysis of Belgian stay-at-home fathers, the study aimed to understand the dynamic process of self-definition and self-presentation of this stay at home fathers that proposed to her conclusions that because of the need to engage in child care they conform to the nontraditional role they are portraying (Merla, 2008). The study meddled on how assigned norms and personal identity can affect the gender identity of those Belgian stay-at-home fathers.

Continuous studies are being conducted and in which group differences related to this phenomenon are being conducted. With this gender role attitudes and characteristics of both the stay-at-home and employed fathers were compared in a study conducted by Fischer and Anderson (2012). They have examined two different study groups of traditional and nontraditional ideology in order to have another view about nontraditional masculinity ideology and they have concluded in this study that although both groups reported similar levels of masculine and feminine characteristics, stay-at-home fathers had significantly less traditional gender role attitudes than employed fathers. Also, wanting to be a stay-at-home fathers and partner’s influence are considered to be the most reasons for becoming a stay-at-home father (Fischer & Anderson, 2012). Though most of their findings are inclined to the mothers, they have figured that respect in each other’s role was present in both the mother and the father in which shows that there is satisfaction.

Masculinity Ideology and its influence to Relationship Satisfaction

The gender role strain paradigm (Pleck, 1981, 1995) provides a framework in which the relationship between traditional masculinity and relationship dysfunction may be understood. It proposes that the male gender role stems from masculinity ideologies (male gender role stereo-types and norms) that are learned via socialization. In accordance with masculinity, it was often understood as the outward expressions of being biological male (Robertson, 2008). It was also defined by Gardiner (2004), that masculinity is the origin of gender inequality. Furthermore, masculinity was equated with the human rationality of men and women were marked by sexuality, emotion, and their bodies. It was also said that, expression of these masculine characteristics purportedly functions to reaffirm one’s masculine identity, (Parrot & Zeichner 2008). Men are expected to be physically strong and masculine, highly competent and knowledgeable, and able to solve their own emotional difficulties and avoid showing vulnerability. (Burn, 2008)

Work as the source of stability when asked about whether or not they would like to follow the male-breadwinner ideal, a common response from both the wives and husbands of a Chinese urban couples was ‘‘No way’’. They strongly believed that having a male breadwinner and a female homemaker would de-stabilize rather than stabilize their marriage. (Yu, 2014) In which is said that traditional gender role is more desirable than nontraditional, scholars have associated these stereotypes and gender ideology to different facets that may surround this role in the society. Men’s role in primitive countries would highly impact the marital status of the couple. Thus, as defined in the study of Yu (2014), that male as the head of the family and female home maker model is said to be an effective way to maintain marital stability. Inclined with this, according to Brescoll and Uhlmann (2005), they concluded that men’s conformity to traditional masculine norms is more greatly influenced by the relationship satisfaction of women.

People can say that men conform to the expected masculinity norms in order for their partners to become satisfied with the relationship. In which, the central aspect of masculinity is revolving around a distinct role for married men in whom they have to provide and protect their wife and their children (Siraj, 2010). Having the men to have the breadwinner as their socially desirable role made them to be more accountable for a bigger responsible in which earning money is involved. With this, Burn and Ward (2005) stated that male partners’ conformity to masculine norms may influence women’s satisfaction more than men’s satisfaction. Having less time to spend with their children and partner affected their satisfaction. A qualitative study conducted by Zimmerman (2000), have studied two groups: the first group consists of stay-at-home mother couples and the other with stay-at-home father couples in which they