1
HOW YOUNG MEN
ASSERT MASCULINITY
:
A VIEW FROM YOUNG
VIETNAMESE MEN
Journal of Business Research Method, Vol 1, 2017
Editor: Bui Quang Thong, Ph.D
Đặng Hoàng Liên Anh, Bùi Thanh Hằng, Trần Việt Anh
TABLE OF CONTENT
A.
ABSTRACT
3
B.
METHODOLOGY
4
1.
Data collection
4
2.
Participation collection
4
3.
Analysis approach
5
C.
FINDINGS
6
D.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION
10
E.
LIMITATION AND FURTHER RESEARCH
11
F.
APPENDIX
12
G.
REFERENCE
13
3
A.
ABSTRACT
Purpose – The purpose of this research is to understand how young men assert masculinity,
in general, and to explore the various underlying aspects of men’s life.
Methodology – The analysis is carried out by interviewing a number of young Vietnamese
men aged 18 to 24 coming from a variety of universities. Data analysis is based on investigating transcripts and identifying patterns. The interview is both through face-to-face and online communication.
Findings – Throughout the research, it is developed that men urge for independence,
competition, autonomy. Furthermore, the research reveals more of friendship life, introversion tendency and the concealed but high pressure that men face in daily life.
Research limitations – We acknowledge that there is a danger of bias in our data owing to
human interaction in data collection process as well as the possibility that socially-accepted responses may be provided.
Further research – To contribute more to the topic, future research can validate the
conclusion of the present research, as well as compare between groups of men based on various identified aspects.
Practical implications - From the business standpoints, male product companies can use the
B.
METHODODOLOGY
A qualitative, ethnographic approach was used. Ethnography highlights the daily basic experiences of certain group of people (Ybema et al, 2009). Moreover, ethnography describes the social worlds of small groups of people, including activities, interests, and rules and involvements (Wolcott, 1999; Griffin, 2000), which matches our target participants.
1. Data Collection
We approached a mixed data collection method of in-depth interviews and focus group. Interviews with different discussions about men’s opinion about masculinity issues and their approach to deal with such issues. Men interaction could not have been reflected fully in one-to-one in-depth interviews. The one-on-one position would have reduced the sense of social interaction presented in focus group discussions. Therefore, one focus group was conducted in the form of “men talks” to observe those communal engagements.
a)
Interviews
In this paper, we use one-on-one interviews to gather information on a specific set of topics related to men daily lives. Interviews were conducted in person, on the Internet and over the phone. Our interviews are semi-structured, which means “much of the freewheeling quality of unstructured interviewing, but is based on the use of an interview guide - a written list of
questions and topics that need to be covered in a particular order” (Bernard, 2002). Semi-‐
structured interviewing follows the open-‐ended strategy which is characteristic of
ethnographic and qualitative research. We use questions and probes guide in a specific order to follow and discard the set list of response possibilities to maintain the responsivesness. (Appendix, Firgue 1, Interview Guide). In total, seven in-depth interviews were conducted. A short and semi-structured topic guide was used that studied the traits and competencies of how men define themselves in different life aspects.
b)
Focus Group
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2. Participants Selection
Participants are males, aged 18 to 24 years old, urbaners. 8 out of 9 of them are currently students from International University and HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacy (one just graduated from RMIT). Besides, two of them are currently studying abroad to bring in diversification. Along with the criteria of being recogizable men, the interviews should have some close connection with the interviewer in prior to the procerdure. The factor of personal connection contributes to effort of observations ahead, which can reduce the time for ice-breaking and small talks and allows research connection to develop more quickly and naturally. In addition, the prior connection bring some insightful observation and enhance the understanding of respondents’ sharing. One challenge to this type of interviewer-interviewee existing relationship is that there is a likelihood to overlook and fail to report social behavior that appears usual and familiar to the interviewer.
3. Analysis Approach
In total there were 14 pages of transcripts of both depth interviews and focus group. The transcripts were only analysed where they related only to the questions related to the study. Transcripts were read multiple times before being condensed and summarised. Similarly, focus group data was transcribed (by the researchers ), condensed, and summarised as part of the analytical process. The researchers extracted from the data key narratives, which would
most accurately represent the opinion about masculinity of young men. Analysis method
C.
FINDINGS
1.
Men seek Independence
The data collected shows that to be strongly independent and to control their our desitinies are among important factors that “define men”. Independence in this context of the interview can be illustrated by choosing their own school and their own major when coming to making college decision.
Tuan (University student, 24, studying Business Information system) : “I made decision
about my major and university. However I don’t think other fellows did the same. Most of them are affected by their families’ opinion”
Another way of presenting this need for independence is as a need to have multiple aspects of identity according to context. Most of participants define men as someone who can live without the (financial) support of their families. Young men in the interview also seek career-independence and success in may areas in their life.
Tung: “ A man is someone who is successful and has a stable career”
Thanh:” A man needs to have a career before anything else”
Lam (University student, 21, studying Health and Medicine): “ A man should be able to take
care of himself”
Men seems to require a degree of independence as it creates a sense of control over their lives. It allows them to feel like their perceived overall identity is private, coherent, and in their control. Within this study, when this independence was threatened it appeared to cause feelings of suffocation and of resentment and anger.
An: “ When mom wants to involve too much in the decision making. I felt like I was not being respected”
2. Men seek Competition spirit
Competition takes many different forms in the context of the interview. It is the competition over peer, status, roles, weath or in sports. When being asked about peer pressure, most of participants admit that they feel stress in front of peer’s achievement and they usualy strive to be better. Because group of interviewees is still studying at University so status and wealth is neglected. However, firm statements were made about the role of men in the family.
An (university student, 18, studying Business): “Men are definitely the breadwinners in the
family”
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An: “A man need something that bring strong feeling. When they play sport they want to win”
Interestingly, even though during the conversation participants do not mention about whether women influence them in defining their identity, but the way they compare themselves with women can show that: the pressure the guys feel to compete in terms of jobs, status, and material wealth is being projected onto women as carriers of this superficiality.
In general, there was a sense of pride and achievement amongst the men on the basis they believed they were improving their study and health. Within the interview, recognition also being discussed with competition. Participants constantly attempted to balance their need for recognition by others, with their need to express themselves verbally and non-verbally. In other words, they focus on setting goals and reaching them but they also put their own achievement and recognition first.
3. Men seek Autonomy
Previous discussion has shown that a man has a sense of control over his life; therefore, it can be inferred that men would not wish to be controlled or scrutinized by other people. Men owns his world and would not want it to be interfered. This idea is obviously direct through the data collected below:
Thanh: “I love freedom. I neither want to control anyone nor to be controlled by anyone.”
Tung: “Usually, I don’t like to control anyone or anything because I, myself, would not want
to be controlled.”
Moreover, this pattern is easily found in romantic relationship, where the clingy partner continuously demands for his attention, take away his self-time for hobbies and scramble his own space, thus creating pressure and even fear for him. The below statement from the interviewee clearly address this problem.
Thanh: “I find myself overwhelmingly controlled by my girlfriend with texts and phone calls.
Sometimes, I get furious towards her constant demand and will only resolve the problem when I totally calm down.”
As can be inferred, the freedom that men desires can be implicitly understood as respect. In other words, he needs the surrounding people, especially his romantic partner, to respect his own space and time. Controlling or limiting a man to someone’s intention will only worsen the situation; instead, giving him the power over his life and appreciating his decision will work.
4. Males Friendship and Introversion Tendencies
Male friendships are described as forming based on convenience and lacking in psychosocial
that a set of friendships that, although based on the convenience, were highly valued by the
men. In particular, men usually hangout in functional groups, for example, gym group, sport
group, studying group or project group. Thanks to the sense of classless in male friendships,
the circles of males friend are more likely to expand than shrink. They argue that keeping
close friendships were not part of men’s culture. Males frienship appears to be effortless.
Tiến: “We do not even save each other’s number since his number is always one of the most recent calling numbers.”
Tuấn: “We do not have the need to text or call each other constantly. We mostly text short, such as “The game is on this afternoon””
(…)
Interviewer: “How do you keep your friendships, you know, going?”
Thanh: “That is a very female question. I don’t even know how we do it. Catch-up coffee,
drinking nights, you know” [laugh]
Nam: “We are simple and straight-forward. If two men can not get along from the beginning,
we make no effort to keep the friendship. Things simply work out other cases”
However, one pattern that is constantly recognized when discussing males friendships is the ability to generate group norms, especially styles of engagement, shared stories, and favorite topics of conversation. The most noticiable characteristic of a typical men group was its
ability to generate humour regardless of topics. Men, in general, like to hangout with men
with great sense of humor. Though men rarely verbalise that they appreciate the friendships and the role of humor, they are secretly grateful and make effort to maintain.
Tuấn: “Sometimes, gratefulness [for friendships] crosses my mind. Especially after we had an absolute blast together.”
In addition, men are willing to discuss life issues with the other male friends in his group of
friends. They mostly support each other on masculine problems, such as improving sport
skills, career advice or financial help. Nonetheless, they keep deepest feelings for their own. It appears that at deeper level, men are less likely to share emotions out than women, though they do have the need to.
Tùng: “Women make effort to get together and chitchat about everything. That is crazy. Men
surely do not.”
Thanh: “It is better to keep my thoughts and feelings inside my hdead rather than to share
with wrong people and make them overthink.”
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holding mental pain, men prefer to stay alone, need quite space and force himself think through everything. “It is better that way”, Thanh said.
5. Men’s Pressures: Less Is More
At first, interviewees seemed to be uncomfortable talking about his/their current stress or constraints. Men tend to worry less about life pressures as they are finding ways to working on those problems. When asked, they can only list one or two common stressors, such as
“money” and “studying” without any further information, or “I’m happy all the time.
Pressure comes and goes”. Nonetheless, along the way of interviews, when discuss about ambition, about career and competitiveness, one common pressure kept caming up - and it seemed to hit a nerve: being the family’s provider. To men, it is socially acceptable obligation for men to be the provider in nuclear family.
Lâm: "[Being a man means] Being independently wealthy”
Thanh: "To be a man, you must have money and certain physical possessions.”
Furthermore, social status is a particularly important with men. They are under pressure of shaming their life partner if their social status are not significant. During the focus group, men who struggled with listing out his achievements were observed showing some vulnerable and uncomfortable feelings.
Thanh: “Achievements are part of men’s lives”.
Gúeguen and Lubomir, 2012 stated that women value men with “greater financial resources and higher status”, while for short-term dating they opt for men with high physical attractiveness. 90% of interviewees are currently university students. However it does not hold them from constantly emphasizing the importance of social status, though they mentioned it in different form, such as “money” or “job”. They both make a point of how earning a college degree will eventually contribute to their future social status.
Tuấn: “Studying medicine is a great start for my career later on.”
Tiến: “Money is not happiness. But it is the tool to get what makes you happy.”
Thanh: “No man is perfect but I admire men who both has good social status, stable career
D.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge of how young men assert their masculinity through an ethnographic exploration of a group of young adults. Through participant interview, the researchers described in details the pattern in men talk about many isssues and norms around them. While these individual displayed characteristics that were representative of Eastern men, their opinions and thoughts formed in this stage of life (University life) accounted for variation and uniqueness. Young men in the study actively construced a complex network of values and perception. From the narrative, the individuals in the sample group associated a men’s identity with the following: independence; autonomy; competition spirit; friendships and introversion tendency; pressure. Those patterns were discovered when asked how men should behave and how putative “real men” do behave, as the cultural ideal.
From that, the researchers s confirm the the higher occurrences of risk taking behaviours in men (compared to women) which also have been highlighted by Courtenay, 2000. This is commonly understandable because young men risk taking behavior are considered as a part of the identity development within male sub-groups (Garot, 2007; Phillips, Everyday Men 19, 2001). In addition, participants in this study always seek financial independence to confirm how “a real men” should be even though they have not graduate yet. From this point of view, the research generally presents how financial independence and autonomy necessitate identity development, which also investigated by Szajnberg & Massie, 2003. This type of “independence” also creates psychological pressure on men. Finally, by examining participants’ need for belonging and in particular same sex friendships, the researchers confirm the masculine characteristics such as emotional inexpressiveness and stoicism.
From the academic standpoints, this study made some interesting contribution. On an academic level, the study showed that masculinity definition is socially constructed. However, self-diagnosis and diagnosis from friends and family can influence self-perceptions so that normal life challenges are sometimes perceived as crises. This form of self-defining can adversely influence young men’s lives by making worse insecurities based on social comparisons. In addition, the approach “men talk” that we used reaffirm an interesting avenue to do a research on men and we hope that this avenue can be used in the future to contribute to the development of a dynamic psychosocial theory of male identity.
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E.
LIMITATION AND FURTHER RESEARCH
F.
APPENDIX
Firgue 1: Interview Guide
HOW MEN ASSERT THEIR MASCULINITY?
Introduction Small talks – Warm-up
Topic 1 (10 minutes)
Topic #1: Defining Man
1. To begin, please describe your definition of men.
2. THREE words that come to your mind when I say "men" a. PROBE: How would you identify men apart from gender roles definition?
b. PROBE: How men perceive masculinity?
Topic 2 (10 minutes)
Topic #2: Needs
3. How would you describe basic men's needs? 4. Can you tell me more about deeper needs of men?
a. PROBE: Tell me more about your experience when you needs are not fulfilled
Topic 3 (10 minutes)
Topic #3: Competitive Spirit & Friendships
5. How does male make friendships? 6. What is the role of competitive spirit?
7. How would you describe competitiveness among men? a. PROBE: Identify the competitiveness among men b. PROBE: Why men share things less than women?
Topic 4 (10 minutes)
Topic #4: Struggles & Pressure
8. What are your current struggles and pressures? 9. How would you solve your pressures?
Topic 5 (10 minutes)
Topic #5: Defining Woma
11. Can you describe your ideal significant other? 12. How would you react when you meet you seemingly perfect wife?
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G.
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