Ethnic belonging and traditional masculinity ideology among African Americans, European Americans, and Latinos.

Abstract

African American, European American, and Latino males (N = 378) completed the Ethnic Belonging scale of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM; 3. S. Phinney, 1992), the Male Role Norms Scale (MRNS; E. H. Thompson & J. H. Pleck, 1986; a traditional masculinity ideology questionnaire), and demographic items including participant age and family income. Ethnic belonging was the best predictor of traditional masculinity ideology, a finding unique to this study. Ethnicity was the 2nd best predictor, with Latinos endorsing the highest level of traditional male gender roles, followed by European Americans and African Americans. However, ethnicity interacted with ethnic belonging, indicating that the obtained positive association between ethnic belonging and traditional male gender role endorsements was stronger and more consistent for European Americans than for Latinos. Data analysis also indicated a slight positive relationship between age and traditional masculinity ideology.