Research Projects - University of Houston
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College of Education
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Research Projects

Masculinity and Violent Stimuli

In our lab we aim to better understand men’s psychological and physiological responses to viewing violent stimuli. As an example, one research team member is studying the effect that viewing violent stimuli, such as mixed martial arts fighting, has on state aggression and cortisol levels in men.

Measuring Sexual Entitlement

Previous research has shown that sexual narcissism in men is associated with sexual aggression. A sub-category of behavior within sexual narcissism is sexual entitlement, defined as “the belief that the fulfillment of one’s sexual desires was a personal right.” Our lab is exploring how this presents in men’s sexual behaviors.

Binge Drinking

Binge drinking is dangerous and can lead to many negative behavioral and health outcomes. However, binge drinking behavior is often seen as a marker of masculinity. We are interested in exploring such behavior and the aspects of masculinity that can be either risk or protective factors in increasing or decreasing the likelihood of binge drinking.

Counselor Training

The effectiveness of novice counselors may be influenced by the extent to which they see themselves as similar to or different from their clients. Our lab is designing a study to examine these differences and the outcomes they have in counselor training.

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Measurement Scales

The MAGIC Lab has designed several original scales to measure aspects of masculinity. To have access to the scales, please fill out the permission form and email it to magiclabUH@gmail.com.

  • The Dating Attitudes Inventory measures masculine ideology that rationalizes the abuse of women. The 20-item measure consists of two subscales: rationalization of abuse and dominance and control. For more information, see this manuscript:
    • Schwartz, J. P., Kelley, F. A., & Kohli, N. (2012). The development and initial validation of the dating attitudes inventory: A measure of the gender context of dating violence in men. Journal of interpersonal violence, 27(10), 1959-1986.

  • The Male Body Attitudes Scale measures men’s perceptions of their bodies. This scale may be useful for researchers assessing male body image and clinicians who work with men in a variety of sites such as eating disorder programs, college counseling centers, schools and private practice. The 20-item measure consists of three subscales: low body fat, muscularity and height. For more information, see this manuscript:
    • Tylka, T. L., Bergeron, D., & Schwartz, J. P. (2005). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Male Body Attitudes Scale (MBAS). Body Image, 2(2), 161-175.