En el laberinto de machismo: A comparative analysis of macho attitudes among Hispanic and Anglo college students

Abstract

This study compares the machismo attitudes among Hispanic and Anglo college students in two Southwestern universities. A machismo assessment survey instrument was created by the researchers to identify the degree to which the two populations differed on the construct. The findings indicate that although differences do exist, they are not as pronounced as some researchers might expect. Gender markers may be just as significant as cultural markers when studying machismo. The researchers suggest that further refinement of the Macho Belief Inventory (MBI) could lead to new studies that would improve our understanding of difficulties in interpersonal, relational, and intercultural communications when machismo attitudes and beliefs are involved.

Religion and Gender Ideologies among Working-Age U.S. Latinas/os

“…Consistent with these assumptions, the small existing body of survey-based evidence has found that, as a group, Latinas/os are less egalitarian in their attitudes toward gender when compared to non-Hispanic whites or African Americans (Harris and Firestone 1998;Strong et al 1994;Wilkie 1993). Although some observers have also reported significant attitudinal differences toward gender exhibited by Latina/o national origin groups (e.g., (Montoya 1996)), others have found few meaningful differences of this sort (Harris and Firestone 1998).…”

Relationship Styles of Self-Focused Autonomy, Other-Focused Connection, and Mutuality Among Mexican American and European American College Students

“…Marianismo, the female correlate to the male script of machismo, demands that women should be sexually pure, self-sacrificing, and deferent to others' needs (Gil & Vasquez, 1996;Lopez-Baez, 1999;McLoyd, Cauce, Takeuchi, & Wilson, 2000) and also reproduces and reinforces traditional gender roles. Also, some empirical evidence, including that of studies with college-age populations (González, 1982;Strong, McQuillen, & Hughey, 1994), have indicated that Latino Americans are also less egalitarian in their gender-role Downloaded by [University of Illinois Chicago] at 10:30 01 December 2014 572 The Journal of Social Psychology attitudes than European Americans (Harris & Firestone, 1998;Wilkie, 1993). In light of these gender-role norms, researchers might surmise that Mexican American men are more likely to emphasize autonomy in their own relationships than European American men, whereas Mexican American women might be more likely to emphasize connection in their own relationships than European American women.…”