Parental Factors Related to Male Roles Attitudes among Male University Students

Abstract

This study examined two aspects of male university students. The first aspect was the degree of their parents’ expectations of male roles. Results showed that participants felt that both parents expected many new male roles, while fathers expected less traditional roles. The second aspect was regarding how participants’ attitudes were influenced by parents’ education level and employment type, and by participants’ perception of their parents’ male roles expectations. Results showed that participants’ attitudes were strongly influenced by their father’s educational level and employment type, and by their perception of their mother’s expectations. These findings suggest that men tend to follow their father in choices regarding work and life, while they are directly affected by their mother’s expectations regarding male roles. The implications of these findings are discussed.