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NZ Study Shows Only 3% of Men Exhibit “Toxic Masculinity”
- By The Financial District
- 6 hours ago
- 1 min read
Only a small subset of men exhibit what researchers define as “toxic masculinity,” according to a new study that narrows the definition of problematic male behavior.
The research, involving about 15,000 heterosexual men in New Zealand, identified five distinct masculinity profiles and found that only one could be classified as toxic, Vishwam Sankaran reported for The Independent.
“Toxic masculinity” has become an online buzzword describing stereotypically masculine traits such as dominance and aggression that can be harmful to society.
Psychologists analyzed data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, in which participants answered questions related to eight indicators of “problematic masculinity,” including disagreeableness, narcissism, and sexual prejudice.
Participants also responded to questions measuring hostile sexism—overtly negative attitudes toward women—and benevolent sexism, which includes seemingly positive but restrictive stereotypes.
Researchers used statistical analysis to identify distinct subgroups based on these traits.
The study found five masculinity profiles. The largest group, comprising about 35 percent of respondents, scored low on toxic traits.
Two other large groups, together accounting for about 53 percent, showed low-to-moderate scores and were labeled “atoxic,” reflecting a general absence of problematic attitudes.
About seven percent of participants were classified as “benevolent toxic,” displaying moderate levels of disagreeableness, narcissism, and opposition to domestic violence prevention, alongside elevated sexual prejudice.
The smallest group—around three percent—was labeled “hostile toxic,” scoring highest on disagreeableness, hostile sexism, opposition to domestic violence prevention, narcissism, and social dominance orientation.
