Most of these factors are due to a males distorted view on gender roles and how masculinity is defined among men. .
The Importance of Gender Roles.
In a study to determine how males and females defined their idea of what it means to be "feminine" or "masculine" researchers found that a large portion of men associated masculinity with "forcefulness/assertiveness" (Personal Definitions of Masculinity). Most males define their masculinity in terms of control and power. This supports the idea that most men assess their masculinity with the amount of power and control they have in their lives. ".35% of the men described their masculinity as having a forceful/aggressive component" (Personal Definitions of Masculinity). An article that analyzed masculinity ideologies by using the Male Norms Inventory found that, " men endorse traditional masculinity ideology to greater extent than do women, and, in most studies, sex has a larger effect size than race/ethnicity" (A Review of Research on Masculinity Ideologies). There is evidence that men place a higher importance on their masculinity as a part of their identity more than any other factor like, sex, race, and social class. .
Most men are able to appropriately implement features of power and control minimally in their lives. However, there are men who place a huge importance of masculinity as a major component in their lives, the term "gender self-definition" refers to this (Personal Definitions of Masculinity). This concept becomes distorted when a male places a huge stress on obtaining their masculine roles and will go through great lengths to live by their definition Define what Gender self-definition actually means.
Background - Male Social Norms.
The most common reason why men associate masculinity with assertiveness, control, and power is due in part to the stress that is placed on the idea of a masculine gender role.