Member Article

Drinking versus playing football

Some men drink heavily while watching football to compensate for not being ‘man enough’ to play the game, suggests a study from the University of Sussex.Men’s attitudes to how they develop their masculine identities can have great implications on their health – some men choose to demonstrate their masculinity through positive behaviour such as sport, while others take part in unhealthy activities, including drinking excessively, using illegal drugs and engaging in risky casual sex.Dr Richard de Visser, lead researcher on the study explains: “It seems that many young men aspire to an idea of masculinity that includes emotional and physical toughness, being the bread-winner, confidence in risk-taking and sexual confidence. A variety of behaviours, some that have a positive impact on health, some that have a negative, are employed to develop and demonstrate such masculine identities. “What is really interesting about the study, is the idea of using one type of typically masculine behaviour to compensate for another. For example, men who are not confident in their sporting abilities may try and make up for this by drinking excessively.”“If these findings are used effectively, they may be able to have an impact on the growing levels of anti-social behaviour such as binge-drinking, violence and illicit drug-use. Young men could be encouraged to develop a competence in a healthy typically male area – such as football – to resist social pressures to engage in unhealthy masculine behaviours.“The study forms part of an ongoing investigation into masculine identities by the Department of Psychology at the University of Sussex and full findings are due to be published in the Psychology and Health and the Journal of Health Psychology later this year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .