The Complex Psychology Of Men: Understanding Masculinity

Humanity is complex, so much so that fully comprehending its motivations and behaviors still poses a challenge. In a vast space as human psychology, understanding specific nuances that define human structure is essential to arriving at a complex picture of how humans are. This is also why it’s integral to dive deep into the categorizations they’re primarily defined by—one of which is gender.

As much as people love to paint women as complicated, men are equally or even more so. However, unlike its counterpart, the complex psychology of men is commonly overlooked.

Society pays little to no effort in actually shedding some light on how their minds work, brushing it off and using masculinity’s independence as an excuse for the lack of curiosity.

Half of the population comprises men. It’s only fair to put effort into understanding the complex psychology of men. This will not only lead to better interactions with them but also bridge gaps among genders and promote male mental wellness.

The Foundations of the Complex Psychology of Men

Aside from discussing what he perceives as the impact of civilization on inner peace and rediscovering the wisdom of human nature, author Chet Shupe also regularly shares insightful essays. One of his recent writings centers on the complex psychology of men.

Titled “Why Men Love War,” the author piques his readers’ interest with a refreshing look at men’s thoughts and what shaped them.

This article highlights the fact that men can also be quite complex. But to get to the roots of this intricacy, it pays to understand that men, like everyone else, are a blend of social, environmental, and biological factors that shape their roles and how they perceive them to be.

Evolutionary Roots

“Evolution commissioned sisterhoods to be the caretakers of life and brotherhoods to be life’s protectors. So, evolution configured men’s feelings so that when facing danger, men value the lives of the people they are protecting more than they value their own, not by choice.”

– Chet Shupe

A pivotal factor Chet Shupe specifies as a contributor to the male complexity is evolution. He believes that evolution shaped men to be how they are today, hitting the nail right on the head.

Not only males but all of humanity’s principles and beliefs have evolutionary foundations that naturally guide them to step into specific roles. When it comes to understanding the complex psychology of men, Chet Shupe practiced an ideal path. He considered external forces that shaped how society views masculinity and how men fit into it.

Biological Influence

The male brain shapes how men behave and think, and how it differs from the female brain provides insights into men’s experiences. These differences in neurological foundations makes it easier to give a more nuanced understanding of the male psychology and what they really want.

Indeed, everyone is unique. For men, this shows in how uniquely connected and formed their neural circuits are and how their hormones act differently than women’s.

Social Conditioning

Evolutionary roots and biological influence mainly cover the “natural” side of how masculinity is shaped. But in terms of the interplay between nature versus nurture for the male identity, how does “nurture” come into the picture?

When looking into male psychology vs female psychology, there’s a stark difference in how society treats both genders growing up.

Men are mostly left unsupervised to practice and develop their masculinity, while women are pampered and closely taken care of because of their perceived softness and frailty. This feeds gender roles and expectations into their minds. These conditions make them think that men, unlike women, should “man up” and care for themselves because nobody else will.

The Modern Challenges of Masculinity

It’s been ages since society has been challenged on how people perceive masculinity. Yet, to this day, men still experience deep-seated challenges attached to gender. Despite there being a significant shift to emotional openness and a more welcoming understanding of the complex psychology of men, there are still existing factors that force men to reel back in.

Conflict Between Traditional and Modern Masculinity

Traditional masculinity sees men as stoic, dominant, and authoritative. However, modern masculinity welcomes them to be emotional, flexible, and soft. There is a significant distinction between both, which contributes to the internal struggle men experience that impacts their work, relationships, and, primarily, self-expression.

Emotional Expression

There is already a gradual shift in society accepting and embracing men’s emotional sides. However, men fear being judged or perceived as weak, so they still hesitate to step into their vulnerabilities. This often leads to them shutting out their emotional responses, which, in the long run, leads to damaging effects on their mental health.

Societal and Economic Pressures

A massive contributor to the complex psychology of men centers around the disconnect between the traditional and modern outlook. Traditionally, men are perceived as the providers.

Evolutionarily, they are the hunters, hunting and bringing in the resources. Despite the growing discussions of men’s and women’s equality, most of the social and economic pressures still fall on men’s shoulders. This impacts their self-worth, burdening them with the fear of failure.

Redefining Masculinity—A Healthier Perception of Its Evolving Nature

Understanding the complex psychology of men isn’t the only ingredient necessary to creating a healthier definition of masculinity. Instead, this lies in encouraging and empowering men to break free from these outdated norms. Society is at the forefront of upholding the evolving nature of masculinity. It’s where new foundations are established, and new perceptions are practiced.

Society benefits from mentally and emotionally healthy men. This should be more than enough reason to redefine a healthier view of manhood.

Essays like Chet Shupe’s Men Lovers of War are perfect materials that give society a glimpse of who they are trying to embrace more. This, along with the author’s book Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature, allows for a better understanding of humanity. Grab a copy today!