The Toxic World of Gendered Emotions: Men and Emotional Disclosure

Author Information

Rylie Foley

Abstract/Description

Previous research highlights that societal norms often condition men to view emotions like anger as acceptable and expected expressions of masculinity while discouraging vulnerability or sadness. These patterns align with traditional gender norms that prioritize dominance and emotional restraint. This study aims to explore how men disclose emotions such as anger and sadness and how the gender of the person they are speaking to influences these disclosures. Specifically, the study examines whether men are more open about sadness with female interviewers compared to male interviewers. Using a qualitative design, 16 male participants were interviewed with open-ended questions about their emotional experiences. Participants were randomly assigned to male or female interviewers, and their emotional expressions were analyzed through word count and systematic coding. Results revealed that anger was disclosed more frequently and extensively than sadness, supporting the hypothesis that anger is aligned with traditional masculine norms. However, the gender of the interviewer did not significantly impact the overall extent of emotional disclosure. This study underscores how deeply gender norms shape emotional expression and calls for further research into promoting healthier, more inclusive emotional disclosure practices.

Note on the Author

Rylie Foley is a senior at Bridgewater State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in both Sociology and Communication Disorders. Her research was completed in the Spring of 2024 under the mentorship of Dr. Laura R. Ramsey (Department of Psychology) and made possible with funding provided by Bridgewater State University's Undergraduate Research program. Rylie presented an earlier version of this paper at BSU's virtual Mid-Year Symposium. After graduating from BSU in Spring of 2026, she plans to return to BSU and begin graduate school, pursuing a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology.

Recommended Citation

Foley, Rylie (2025). The Toxic World of Gendered Emotions: Men and Emotional Disclosure. Undergraduate Review, 19, 189-198.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/undergrad_rev/vol19/iss1/18

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Articles published in The Undergraduate Review are the property of the individual contributors and may not be reprinted, reformatted, repurposed or duplicated, without the contributor’s consent.