Category: Blog

John Barry, Male Psychology Network

The phenomenon of ingroup favouritism and outgroup bias is a cornerstone of social psychology. The strength of such biases vary by group e.g. it is well-established that higher-status groups invoke more ingroup bias (e.g. Nosek et al, 2002). Men in general (historically and cross-culturally) have higher status than women in the public realm (politics, finance etc), so one would expect that male identity invokes a high level of ingroup bias. However research shows that – uniquely in social identity theory – male identity, unlike female identity, invokes no significant ingroup bias (e.g. Richeson & Ambady, 2001).

By Jenny Young

My PhD study explores what it is like to be a man and care for a partner due to their cancer diagnosis. However, it took some twists and turns through the literature before I decided to focus solely on the male perspective.

My interest in male psychology began when I was the only woman working with a crew engaged in salvage diving: divers, deckhands, researcher and ship’s cook. That was before I trained as a psychologist.

What impressed me most about that experience was the way in which the men depended on one another...