Research has shown that this anxiety can manifest in various ways, including aggressive behavior, resistance to changing gender norms, and difficulty in expressing vulnerability.
[7] As young men try to find their place in society,[10] age becomes an important variable in understanding male fragility.
They may react by engaging in harmful behavior, such as undermining and mistreating colleagues, lying for personal gain, withholding help and stealing company property.
[15][16] A 2012 study, using a racially diverse sample of jail inmates, found that those who scored high on measurements of "fragile masculinity" tended to feel uncomfortable around women.
[20] A review of recent research found a link between the endorsement of precarious masculinity and poorer health outcomes in men.
[22] However these authors cautioned against the assumption that either partner is to blame in such cases, pointing out that American standards of masculinity are nearly impossible to meet.
This suggests that "fragile masculinity is crucial to fully understanding men's political attitudes and behaviors.
"[1] The 2024 Trump campaign emphasized restoration of the traditional male role, likely motivating a rightward shift in young men.
[23] Based on their research, Maryam Kouchaki and colleagues have suggested that acknowledgement of fragile masculinity is a crucial first step toward improvement.