We have examined, using data from a Stone-Age New Guinea culture, two hypotheses regarding the development of masculinity: that a prolonged and too gratifying mother-son symbiosis threatens a boy's chances of becoming masculine and that a boy, to create masculinity, must raise a psychic barrier against the urge to be merged with his mother. The data show the hypothesized forces to be at work in these New Guineans much as in Western society.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Stoller et al. (1982) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: