Understanding Masculinity

Although a significant amount of research has accounted for gender from a social constructionist perspective, research specifically examining the construction of masculinity is still a relatively new endeavor. Additionally, although gender is accounted for in various family communication theories, no theory specifically accounts for gender formation within the context of family interaction. The purpose of this study is to examine sons’ narratives of their recollections of father-son interactions to help us to better understand how men constitute masculinity in particular familial relationships. Although the purpose is to examine the themes of father-son interactions, the themes of masculinity are also salient. Therefore, this study also illuminates common masculine themes as reported in men’s stories of their fathers. Twenty-one men (age 18 or older) participated in semi-structured interviews. This data yielded insight into the importance of affectionate communication between fathers and sons, which is foundational to men's idealistic descriptions of fatherhood and masculine self-identification.