Socioeconomic status and cultural predictors of male role attitudes among Mexican American men: Son más machos?

University of MissouriMale role attitudes of 130 Mexican American college men were examined. Resultsindicated that Mexican American men held signicantly more traditional attitudestoward male roles on all nine indicators of masculinity compared to a normative sampleof U.S. men. Socioeconomic status (SES) and Mexican cultural orientation weresignicantly related to male role attitudes, with higher SES associated with greaterendorsement of views that men should be physically tough and should not display traitscharacteristic of women. Greater endorsement of Mexican culture was associated withviews that: (a) men deserve respect from their wife and children, (b) self-assurance inmenisadmirable,and(c)thatitisessentialformentogainothers’respect.Implicationsfor practice and research are discussed.