Male self-esteem is influenced by societal expectations, cultural beliefs, body image, sexual performance, and financial success. Meeting or exceeding expectations can increase self-esteem, while falling short can decrease it. Body image and sexual performance also play a role, as does financial success for some men.
Several different factors influence male self-esteem, defined as a man’s positive or negative opinions about himself. The most common factor is society’s expectations of a man and how an individual feels he lives up to those expectations, including his physical abilities and the way he goes about daily life, depending on how much importance he attaches to them. A man’s appearance, or the way he thinks he looks, can also play a role in male self-esteem. Sexual performance and financial success can also increase or decrease a man’s view of himself.
One of the primary factors influencing male self-esteem is the beliefs in an individual’s culture that dictate what a man should be like. In many cultures, a man is expected to be physically strong and, in some areas, mechanically capable. If an individual feels that they are falling short of these expectations, their self-esteem will likely suffer. Conversely, if an individual feels that they meet or exceed them, their self-esteem is likely to be very high.
In many cultures and societies, a man is expected to be cool, intelligent, and able to make tough decisions without showing any outward emotion. While this may be the common expectation, a person’s individual personality may not be able to do these things. If undue importance is placed on any expectation and an individual feels that they are not meeting these expectations, their view of themselves will be lowered. However, if little importance is given to outside rules or unwritten beliefs, these factors will probably not affect male self-esteem.
Body image also plays an important role in male self-esteem. Lack of muscle tone, excess body weight or signs of aging, perceived or not by the individual, can lower confidence in a man. Men with their own perceived ideal body type, dictated by health or societal views, are likely to be more confident. The role body image plays in male self-esteem is closely related to social expectations of a physically capable “real man,” as well as individual vanity.
Sexual performance can also have a dramatic effect on a man’s self-confidence in many ways. The ability to achieve and maintain an erection is one of the primary factors affecting self-esteem, although the ability to please a partner can also play a role. Men suffering from erectile dysfunction or other sexual performance issues often suffer from low self-esteem, depression and anxiety.
A man’s financial success can also play a role in how he views himself. For some men, this may be related to the actual amount of money he makes in his particular profession: more money often leads to more confidence, while less tends to decrease confidence. As with most factors affecting male self-esteem, however, financial success only increases or decreases confidence if an individual places it as a high priority. This is also often related to whether or not a man believes that he is contributing or adequately supporting his family.
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