All the changes in gender roles are making physicalappearance a
primary concern for men as well as women. What's your take on the male
physique?
Inhabiting a body is not a uniquely female experience, yet research
on body image has focused on women almost to the exclusion of men. The
conventional wisdom is that men are largely unconcerned about their
appearance, whereas for women appearance is a major preoccupation--even
an obsession. Female anguish over appearance and their anger at men for
imposing impossible standards of beauty are recurrent themes in the media
and feminist literature.
For more than a century the stereotypical male has been depicted as
fixated on female bodies while being largely oblivious of his own. It is
doubtful this was ever entirely true. Since Adam grabbed a fig leaf, men
have had opinions about their appearance. Grecian ideals of male athletic
form, medieval rules of royal attire, and even the 18th-century fashion
of powdered wigs suggest that men have had definite appearance concerns
throughout history.
But if deemphasis of male appearance was characteristic of Western
culture during the 19th and 20th centuries, even casual observation of
the current social environment indicates a definite shift. Barber shops
have given way to styling salons; more men are seeking cosmetic surgery;
and at the newsstand men's health and fitness publications vie for shelf
space with women's magazines.
Women's appearance, in contrast, has always mattered. Because their
fate in life traditionally depended so heavily on the status of their
husbands, women knew that to achieve security and social standing they
needed to marry well. Appearance was the most reliable tool for
attracting the attention of potential suitors.
Our fathers and grandfathers could choose to ignore how they looked
because of their economic and political dominance in society. The
situation changed dramatically as the feminist movement found success in
its battle to achieve economic parity between the sexes. Now, women are
far more economically self-sufficient. As a result, male appearance may
become more relevant in heterosexual relationships because women are
freer to consider other factors besides a man's ability to
provide.
Changing gender roles have also altered what it means to be male.
For some, physical and/or emotional toughness are no longer socially
acceptable dimensions of male identity. Many men find themselves
rethinking the whole concept of being male. But while holding potential
for growth, this introspective questioning also invites self-doubt as it
focuses attention on all aspects of masculinity including the physical
self.
At the same time, ever-improving technology bombards us with images
of beautiful people living the beautiful life. Implicit in the visual
scenarios surrounding us is the message that to partake of the good life,
it is necessary to measure up in terms of appearance.
We believe that the convergence of these trends has made men more
acutely aware of their physical selves and more vulnerable to appearance
anxieties. That said, it is immediately apparent that there are many
relevant questions for which we have no answers. What aspects of their
appearance are men most concerned about? Do the same male physical
features matter to both men and women? Is there a discrepancy between
men's understanding of women's appearance preferences and women's actual
preferences? Are men's perceptions of their own aesthetics static or are
they dynamic, changing with age and relationships?
These and related questions can be answered only with data.
Psychology Today therefore invites you to participate in ground-breaking
research on male appearance. Your involvement can be in one of three
ways.
1. Complete the following survey. There are separate versions for
men and women, and a reply form for both on page 70.
2. Complete the survey and add written comments either in the space
provided or on an attached note.
3. Do all of the above and participate in a telephone interview
and/or complete more questionnaires on male appearance.
The survey and written comments are entirely anonymous unless you
complete identifying information for an interview or follow-up surveys.
Be assured that no specific identifying information such as name or
telephone number will be released. More general information like age and
occupation may be used in subsequent publications to provide a setting
for a particular quote.
The data you provide will be analyzed and presented in a follow-up
article in Psychology Today in 1994. Thank you for your
participation.
MEN'S SURVEY ON MALE APPEARANCE
For each of the following questions, use the reply form to circle
the number or letter of your answer or to fill in the requested
information. Please answer all the questions even though some are
hypothetical and may not apply exactly to your living situation.
1. How would you feel if you discovered that you were rapidly
losing your hair?
1. Very upset
2. Somewhat upset
3. Mildly concerned
4. Unconcerned
2. Suppose you were bald on the crown of your head but had some
hair on the sides and back. What, if anything, would you do about it?
Rank the following options from 1 to 4, giving a rank of 1 to the option
you most prefer and continuing up to 4 for the least preferred.
A. Get a hairpiece.
B. Get a hair transplant.
C. Shave head completely.
D. Do nothing.
Tags:
19th and 20th centuries,
appearance,
casual observation,
conventional wisdom,
deemphasis,
definite shift,
female bodies,
female experience,
feminist literature,
fig leaf,
fitness publications,
impossible standards,
leaf men,
male physique,
medieval rules,
men,
men s health,
political dominance,
powdered wigs,
recurrent themes,
royal attire,
self image,
survey,
women
