The term "male ego" is thrown around a lot in popular discourse.Drawing attention to the ways in which the male ego is socially constructed is important to understand how it shapes men's thoughts and behavior.A lot of what we consider to be the "male ego" is based on assumptions and stereotypes that have been ingrained in most men.
Step 1: Understand what the male ego is.
The work of psychologists and therapists in the 19th and 20th century defined the ego as the self.The word "ego" means "I" in Latin.The mind's role is to act as the mediator between the forces and drives of the superego and our ids.The ego operates in reality and is also responsible for how to satisfy our own needs within our environments.The ego reconciles the drives of the id and the superego with the outside world.Sigmund Freud's explanation of the ego was used by many psychologists to come up with their own theories.The male ego is a reflection of the individual self, as well as cultural definitions of masculinity and ideas about how men should think and act.Social influences affect men's identities.Humans are social beings.
Step 2: Understand that gender roles are constructed.
Understanding how gender roles develop and function in society is needed in order to understand the male ego.People are shaped by gender roles.A gender role is a set of beliefs and actions associated with a particular biological sex.Men are seen to be one way and women another according to the roles.Some people function better in their social context when they occupy specific gender roles.To understand the male ego, you need to understand how society shapes men's expectations of themselves.Many men have developed ways to deal with these demands.Men aren't aware of how society influences them.Most men think that blue, green, and gray are boys' colors while pink and purple are girls', but they don't know how they came to be sports fans.
Step 3: The socially constructed male ego has basic characteristics.
The male ego is driven by actions.Men are thought to be more active than women because they do more important things.They are deserving of attention.Men are driven by their physical strength, sex drive and evolutionary biology as competitors for female attention to be competitive, to strive for greatness and power, and to avoid showing any emotion and weakness.The male gender role is typically understood and described as active in most American communities.In contrast, women are passive, emotional, weak, and more socially oriented.Men in the western world are expected to avoid showing emotion.The old saying was "boys don't cry".Men are supposed to be strong and macho in the face of personal challenges.
Step 4: Some men don't feel comfortable performing these gender roles.
A lot of men don't like having to be a certain type of man.Even though the majority of men are heterosexual, what about men who aren't?Some men enjoy pedicures and facials, which are considered feminine or "girly" by some.It is important to find out how individual men respond to social expectations of how men should be because they will vary in each and every case.
Step 5: Think about how social expectations affect men's handling of emotions.
Even if they show their emotions in different ways, all men and women have emotions of their own.Men who don't show much emotion still have emotions, but because of social conditioning they have learned not to show their emotions too much or at all.When someone important to you dies, the man in your life might remain quiet.In situations where they might be sad, men will get angry instead of showing anger.Keeping this social conditioning in mind will help you understand your man's reaction.He is not allowed to show his emotions because they are seen as a sign of weakness.
Step 6: You can learn to recognize emotion suppression.
The most productive way to deal with emotions is to suppress them.A disconnection between emotions and thoughts can be created by suppressing emotions.Men may not know what they are feeling.It is important for men to express their emotions because suppression of emotions can lead to negative physical and psychological effects.Your man might not be able to discuss how he is feeling because of emotion suppression.This will take practice and time if he is willing to work on it with you.Realize that suppressing emotions is a female trait.Women also suppress their emotions.Women need to express their emotions in productive ways.This doesn't mean that women are always better at expressing their emotions.People don't know how to express their emotions in efficient ways.It is a skill that needs to be learned by both men and women.
Step 7: There are outdated stereotypes about men.
Men and women are from different planets.Many people would like to think that men and women are the same.Many scientists today prefer to discuss gender differences in terms of a broad continuum of possibilities, as opposed to a strict distinction between two straightforward options.It's important to not make assumptions about men and anticipate their behavior to be in line with their gender roles and expressions.Don't assume he likes sports, likes beer, or hates chick flicks, which are all stereotypes about men.Rather, get to know the man in your life on an individual level as opposed to approaching him based on what you know about men in general.He's just like you and has his own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
Step 8: Allow yourself to be Empathized.
When a man does something that shocks or upsets you, try to understand where he came from.Women feel pressured to conform to roles that make them feminine.Show some understanding and empathise with him instead of writing him off.Since they've been conditioned about how to act, some men don't even intend to subscribe to the male ego.Don't blame the male ego if a man says that professional women's sports are not worth the time.He lives in a world where women's sports are not valued as highly as those of men.Both men and women have been told by society that professional men's sports matter more than women do.The problem may not be with this individual man, but with society as a whole and how it talks about men, women, and gender roles.There is an important step on the way to transformation.You can open the conversation to challenge that process if you understand how his behavior has been impacted by social expectations.We don't value female athletes as much as male athletes in major sports because of that.We think women's sports don't matter as much as the news coverage, salaries, etc.If your boyfriend, father, or other male friend or family member doesn't conform to gender stereotypes, you can check your own instant reactions.If he mentions that he likes to go to the ballet, you might think that it's feminine and not manly.Remember that you might be a part of the problem in validating the male ego if you check those reactions.
Step 9: He has a sense of humor.
Both men and women use humor as a way to complicate their identities and experiment with the boundaries between them.In terms of sustaining their gender roles in society, humor works for men and women.Some men prefer to make jokes that reinforce traditional gender stereotypes, such as those positioning women as inferior to them, but other men might instead challenge those stereotypes by making fun of the way men have traditionally considered themselves superior.How a man jokes about his sense of masculinity and the conventional stereotypes that apply to men and women in his culture can tell you a lot about him.You're going to have a harder time breaking down the male ego if he makes a lot of sexist jokes.The first step is to have a genuine discussion about the unfunny nature of those jokes and ask him why he makes them.The hope is that he will realize that the jokes he does are not funny and that everyone else does them too.Making men aware of their behavior and drawing attention to the things they do that reflect unconscious motives can help them to be more conscious about what they say and do.
Step 10: Become more intimate and closer.
You will be able to separate the man's true self from his social expectations if you become closer to him.Most men will not be willing to open up right away, so keep in mind that this might take some time.It takes time to forge an intimate relationship with a love interest or friend.As your relationship progresses, he may be able to let some of the gender roles go.Get to know each other by talking.Private details about your past, stories that give a sense of who you are, and how you grew up are some of the things that can be shared.You might be surprised by the honesty of the man when you ask him to reciprocate.Maybe he will confess that he cried when he watched The Notebook and hates all organized sports.He may be more candid about some aspects of the gender role he is supposed to embody as he feels more trusting and open with you.It will act as another avenue for more intimate communication.
Step 11: Understanding the concept of gender role strain is important.
When a gender role can't be met, there is stress and anxiety related to it.Discrepancy strain is when a person fails to meet typical gender norms.A man may decide to seek help for depression.The idea that men should tough it out is different than this.A trauma strain is when a person experiences a traumatic life event while being socialized into the appropriate gender.The man is experiencing depression because of his "man's man" father who was very tough and taught him that "boys don't cry".A person fulfilling a gender role can cause harm.If the man doesn't seek treatment for his depression due to the idea that men don'T need help, it will likely continue and possibly even get worse.
Step 12: Men's lives can be adversely affected by gender role strain.
You may feel pressured to conform to ideals of masculinity as a man.Movies, TV, magazines, and the people around you all show how you should act and how a man should be.When your sense of self doesn't match the expectations, what happens?What happens to your sense of self if you can't measure up?Expectations of how to be a man can be harmful and leave you with low self-esteem.The effects can be even worse.Some men try to cope with stress by engaging in bad habits, such as substance abuse and violence.Due to social pressures for men to have fit, athletic, and toned bodies, eating disorders have become more prevalent in men.Men who don't fit this body type have feelings of low self-worth and punish their bodies for not being perfect.Since self-reliance is part of the male ego, men often don't get the help they need.
Step 13: Social expectations are being dealt with.
The social expectations of men are so high that they need to find a way to cope.One of the ways that most men deal with social expectations and gender role strain is to change themselves.Changing one's self identity is not easy, and in many cases men do this to realize the benefits of complying with social expectations.The benefits for men include acceptance from other men, increased self-esteem, and increased social status.They do not accept social expectations.Men who do not conform to societal pressures can suffer negative consequences, such as rejection from other men, lower status, and fewer social and romantic possibilities.Most men don't choose this option because they find it easier to fit traditional gender norms and then deal with the discrepancy in a healthy way.They change social expectations.It's difficult to think that this is the ideal option for what can make a positive difference in our society.It is difficult to shift gender norms in our society.The acceptance of homosexuality and trans individuals indicates that there have been successes in the past.
Step 14: Don't let the strengths go to waste.
Men don't have many options related to gender expression.The potential options listed above do not sound very encouraging for many men.One way a man can deal with social expectations is to build on the strengths of gender socialization.Resources and strengths can also be qualities of the male ego.In a crisis or emergency situation, the ability to "stay calm" and " keep a level head" has great value.Emergency room nursing and running a Fortune 500 company are some of the occupations that use such skills.These life skills help us care for others as parents, friends, and community members.The main challenge is to value the knowledge and skills that are part of the male ego without them becoming the only way we operate.When men remain calm and don't let their emotions overtake them, it can be useful, but in other situations it's important to show and work through emotion.Try to embrace some of the male gender role's strengths without being critical of it.
Step 15: Define who you are.
Your gender identity can be whatever you want it to be.You can choose.Maybe you want to take certain aspects of that socially constructed idea of masculinity and reject other parts; maybe you will continue to love sports and wear pants and shorts (but not dresses), but you also choose to be the stay-at- home dad.You are part of the society that you grew up in.Even when you realize how much of who you are is based on social influences, this doesn't mean that you have to start over.Being aware of how gender is a social construct can make you a more conscious observer of your own thoughts and behaviors.You can incorporate aspects of the male ego that you feel enhance yourself, such as being goal-driven or leadership, and reject those that harm your own well-being or that of others.
Step 16: Seek counseling.
If you feel that the strain between who society tells you to be and who you are becomes too much, then you should see a counselor.If you work through the issues that are bothering you, a counselor can help you to live a happier life.