Gender conformity starts young – and boys and girls fall in line in different ways
Andrea Vial, Assistant Professor of Psychology, New York University Abu Dhabi
Many people have felt the subtle pressure to be “man enough” or “woman enough” in the eyes of others. And research has shown this pressure can have personal and social consequences.
When men feel their manhood is challenged, they can respond with compensatory aggression and other harmful behaviors. When women step outside stereotypical femininity – or even just consider doing so – they often receive backlash.
As researchers who study how gender stereotypes and norms affect people in often...