US study suggests “macho” men are hesitant to buy electric cars

A fresh study shines a light on the curious notion that some "ultra-macho" men might view electric vehicles (EVs) as a threat to their rugged image.

Electric vehicles (EVs) have often been hailed as the future of transportation, however, a recent study unveils an intriguing twist, indicating that some "ultra-macho" men hold a rather peculiar belief that EVs could tarnish their tough-guy image.

Dr. Michael Parent, a researcher from the University of Texas at Austin (UT), contends that men who prioritize projecting a stereotypical "real man" persona are more inclined to look down upon electric cars. They prefer high-performance gasoline vehicles as a symbol of masculinity, which raises an unexpected red flag for climate change efforts.

Dr. Parent notes, “Although the issue could be addressed through advertising, it would probably be better for education to address healthy gender role norms to reduce precarious masculinity in general. That is related to a broad set of negative behaviours including sexism, homophobia, aggression, and others.”

Dr. Parent's research journey involved delving into the concept of "masculine contingency" among 400 American men. Masculine contingency measures the extent to which an individual ties their self-worth to societal benchmarks of masculinity, encompassing traits like toughness, social status, and avoiding anything perceived as "feminine." These perceptions can either be grounded in reality or mere imagination, with participants asked to voice their agreement or disagreement with statements such as 'I can't respect myself if I don't live up to what it means to be a 'real man.''

The responses were then pitted against their car-buying habits and attitudes, exploring their preferences among gasoline/diesel, hybrid, or electric vehicles. Surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of men rated electric vehicles as their least preferred option, and a substantial portion of these individuals clung tightly to conventional notions of masculinity. Dr. Parent elucidates, “'Consumer good purchase decisions are made, to a degree, with consideration toward how those purchases reflect personal identities,” Dr Parent explained, “The prior literature has suggested that, overall, EVs may be appealing to men in terms of their fast acceleration and appeal as a technological innovation. However, among men, endorsement of masculinity contingency was linked to lowered preference for EVs.”

These intriguing findings emerge at a time when automotive titans are locked in a race to introduce groundbreaking EVs, driven by mounting environmental concerns surrounding traditional combustion engines.

Psychologist Louise Goddard-Crawley even suggests that these results might have evolutionary roots and draw on long-standing notions of dominance. She posits, "From an evolutionary perspective, throughout human evolution, traits associated with masculinity, such as physical strength and dominance, were advantageous for survival and reproduction,' she told MailOnline, “Traditional vehicles, with their loud engines and powerful performance, could symbolise these traits, making them more appealing to some individuals who value traditional masculinity. Electric cars, being quieter and perhaps perceived as less powerful, may be seen as deviating from these evolutionary ideals, leading to resistance among those who strongly identify with traditional gender norms.”

However, Dr. Parent acknowledges that his study has its limitations and concedes that there's no concrete evidence of a direct cause-and-effect link between masculinity and attitudes toward EVs. Furthermore, participants' car preferences were based on hypothetical scenarios rather than real-world purchasing decisions, adding a layer of complexity to the results. In summary, Dr. Parent notes, "It is likely that many men are susceptible to masculinity threats without being consciously aware of it and as such experimental research in the precarious masculinity paradigm on the topic of consumer research would be valuable… In sum, this study demonstrates a link between masculinity contingency and EV-related attitudes and purchase intentions, contributing to work on masculinities and consumer choices.”