Revisiting the Psychology of Men

Abstract

During the past 20 years, in the context of the contemporary feminist movement, the study of gender issues has centered on the psychology of women. During this time, male behavior and dynamics have been considered primarily in terms of their relation to, or effect on, women's development. Recently, however, there has been renewed interest in considering the psychological issues of men as a distinct focus of study. The primary impetus for this extension in thinking has been the growing realization that existing models of adult masculinity (i.e., the traditional, "macho" male or the gentler, feminine-identifiled male of the 1970s and 1980s) are both psychologically limited. In this climate of discontent, the mytho-poetic men's movement-headed by the distinguished American poet, Robert Bly-has emerged as the primary forum in which a reexamination of masculine dynamics is being undertaken. Methodologically, the mytho-poetic approach employs didactic instruction, readings of poetry, mythic storytelling, music and movement, personal testimonials, and enactments of ritual to explore the psychology of men. Conceptually, it offers a compelling set of ideas about the nature and responsibilities of a new or revitalized masculinity. At the center of this thinking is a call for a greater masculine presence in the socialization process, especially that involving male offspring, and a proposed archetypal model of a mature, integrated masculinity. These ideas form the most coherent expression of the possible form of a postpatriarchal, postfeminist model of masculinity.