Masculine personality traits predict drinking after romantic fights

A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships investigates how personality traits associated with masculinity and femininity influence alcohol use following romantic conflicts. The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of masculine orientation are more likely to drink alcohol after a disagreement, largely due to the intense negative emotions they experience.

Psychological research has historically examined alcohol consumption through the lens of biological sex. Previous studies have consistently shown that men tend to consume alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than women. Men also tend to experience a higher rate of alcohol-related health problems.

However, recent trends indicate a shift in these patterns. Rates of heavy drinking among young adult women are increasing and converging with those of men. Women also tend to progress from heavy drinking to dependence more quickly than men, a phenomenon known as telescoping.

Given these shifts, relying solely on biological sex to explain drinking behaviors may lack necessary precision. The authors of the new study sought to investigate gender role orientations as a more nuanced predictor. These orientations refer to the degree to which an individual identifies with behaviors and interests traditionally ascribed to men or women.

People of any biological sex can possess high or low levels of masculine and feminine traits. The researchers proposed that these personality dimensions might better explain why some individuals turn to alcohol after a fight with their partner. They specifically aimed to understand the role of emotion regulation in this process.

People often use alcohol to manage their emotional states. Some individuals drink to cope with negative feelings, while others drink to enhance positive ones. Relationship conflicts typically elicit strong negative emotions, such as anger or sadness.

Yet, conflict resolution can also generate positive emotions, such as relief or a sense of connection. The research team investigated whether specific emotional responses to conflict act as a mechanism linking gender role orientations to drinking behavior. They hypothesized that the types of emotions felt would differ based on these personality orientations.

To test their hypotheses, the researchers recruited a sample of 410 adults. Participants were residents of the United States and Canada. To be eligible, individuals had to be in a committed romantic relationship for at least three months.

They also needed to be regular consumers of alcohol. This was defined as having consumed at least 12 alcoholic drinks within the past year. The average age of the participants was approximately 36 years old.

The study utilized an online survey format to collect data. Participants first provided demographic information, including their biological sex and gender identity. They then completed the Open Sex-Role Inventory to assess their gender role orientations.

This inventory measures masculine and feminine traits on two separate dimensions. Items assessing masculine orientation included statements about interests in mechanics or military service. Items assessing feminine orientation included statements regarding journaling or decorating personal items.

Participants were then asked to recall and describe the most significant disagreement they had with their partner in the past 30 days. They rated the intensity of various emotions experienced during or after this conflict. The rating scale ranged from 0, representing “not at all,” to 100, representing “very intensely felt.”

The researchers provided a list of specific emotions for these ratings. This list included negative states such as feeling powerless, angry, ashamed, and lonely. It also included positive states such as feeling validated, understood, and connected.

Following the emotion ratings, participants reported their alcohol use. They indicated whether they drank alcohol after the described conflict. If they did drink, they estimated the specific number of drinks consumed.

The researchers employed a statistical technique called zero-inflated negative binomial modeling. This approach allowed them to analyze two distinct aspects of drinking behavior simultaneously. One part of the model predicted the likelihood of drinking at all, while the other predicted the number of drinks consumed among those who drank.

The results indicated that masculine orientation was a significant predictor of post-conflict drinking. Individuals with higher scores on the masculinity scale had greater odds of consuming alcohol after a disagreement. This association held true even after accounting for biological sex.

In terms of emotional responses, masculine orientation was linked to a wide array of negative feelings. These individuals reported higher intensities of sadness, disgust, powerlessness, and anger. They also reported feeling unheard and lonely.

Conversely, feminine orientation was not directly associated with the likelihood of drinking alcohol after a conflict. However, it was associated with a different profile of emotional experiences. High scores in femininity were linked to positive emotions like happiness and feeling understood.

Despite the association with positive affect, feminine orientation was also linked to specific negative emotions. These included feelings of vulnerability, embarrassment, and jealousy. This suggests a complex emotional landscape for individuals with high feminine traits during conflicts.

The study found that negative emotions were a strong driver of alcohol use for the entire sample. Experiencing higher levels of negative affect significantly increased the odds of drinking. It also predicted the consumption of a greater number of drinks.

This pattern was consistent across all specific negative emotions measured. Feelings of anxiety, fear, sadness, and anger all predicted increased alcohol use. In contrast, positive emotions generally did not predict drinking behavior or the amount consumed.

The researchers then performed analyses to determine if emotions explained the link between personality and drinking. They found that negative emotions fully explained the relationship between masculine orientation and alcohol use. The tendency for masculine individuals to drink was largely due to the intense negative feelings they experienced.

For feminine orientation, the pathway to drinking was indirect. Although there was no direct main effect, specific emotions served as connecting links. Feminine orientation was associated with drinking through feelings of anxiety, fear, and guilt.

This suggests that for those with high feminine traits, drinking may be a coping mechanism for internalizing distress. The study also found that jealousy was a mediator for both masculine and feminine orientations. This indicates that feelings of jealousy may be a universal trigger for alcohol use in romantic conflicts.

Positive emotions like validation and relief also played a minor role in the indirect pathways for feminine orientation. This implies that some individuals might use alcohol to celebrate or enhance the positive feelings of conflict resolution. However, the dominant driver remained negative affect.

There are some limitations to the study. The reliance on retrospective self-reports introduces the potential for memory bias. Participants may not have perfectly recalled their emotions or drink counts from a conflict that occurred up to a month prior.

Additionally, the sample was restricted to regular drinkers. The findings may not generalize to individuals who drink rarely or those who abstain from alcohol completely. The study also cannot definitively establish causality due to its cross-sectional design.

It is possible that the act of drinking influenced the emotions recalled by the participants. For example, drinking might have exacerbated feelings of sadness or alleviated feelings of anxiety. Future research would benefit from using real-time tracking methods to capture these events as they happen.

The study did not account for the resolution status of the conflict. Whether a fight was resolved or remained ongoing could significantly impact emotional responses and subsequent drinking. Future investigations should include measures of conflict resolution.

The study, “Masculine and feminine orientations on emotions and alcohol use in response to romantic conflict,” was authored by Lindsey M. Rodriguez, Jennifer Leckey, Sean Mackinnon, Clayton Neighbors, Simon B. Sherry, Catrina G. Brown, Raquel Nogueira-Arjona and Sherry H. Stewart.