What Makes A Man? It Depends Who's Asking
- British women want a well groomed 'man that can' who's good with his hands - For British men, knowledge of gadgets is the key to masculinity
(firmenpresse) - LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 11/07/11 -- British women want a man who can wire a plug and unblock a sink without becoming dishevelled or breaking a sweat. That's the finding of a study into what makes a man in today's Britain, but unfortunately, it doesn't match the view of those modern men.
The study, commissioned by the AA to mark their launch into the home emergency sector, found that women believe the top three defining qualities of a real man are being well groomed, handy around the home and a great driver. But the research, which looked at abilities, as opposed to emotions or parenting skills, shows that men are somewhat out of touch with what women want, instead choosing to believe that a grasp of modern technology and being successful in their career are the key features of a real man.
Whilst men and women may differ in their views on masculinity, the research found that men are eager not to disappoint and will perhaps embellish their DIY prowess in a bid to impress. The AA research found that half of all women believe their partners are very handy around the home and able to carry out complicated jobs without calling in experts. But the real picture is somewhat different - only one third of men (34%) actually feel confident in their ability to carry out the majority of DIY, repairs and maintenance around the home. This suggests that men are leading their wives and girlfriends to believe they are more competent than they actually are.
This is a trend that looks set to continue. The AA research also investigated the passing on of skills down through generations and found that the demise in basic DIY, repair and maintenance skills is largely due to the younger generation not being interested in learning these skills from their own fathers. One quarter (25%) of 25 to 34 year old men have refused their father's offer to teach them such skills, compared to just 2 per cent of over 65s.
This may be why more women are doing it for themselves. One in ten women say that their partner is hopeless around the house and that they do all the practical jobs. And in the 18-34 age group, more women than men (38% v 34%) say they are learning DIY skills from their father.
Jacqui Marson, a psychologist who specialises in women and happiness, says: "This study shows that men and women have a different view of masculinity in today's Britain. Women still place great store in a man's practical skills, but for many men, these are no longer an important part of their identity. This may be why many women are learning from their fathers, as they can't rely on their partners to help out."
Tom Stringer, Head of Home Rescue for the AA said: "It seems that there is little agreement from the sexes as to what makes a real man. Women appear to value the more traditional skills such as DIY but the 21st century man is keener to show his manliness through his ability to grasp technology.
"We have known for some time that DIY and home maintenance skills are on the wane and that increasingly people need someone they can trust to sort out problems around the home. This is exactly why we've launched our Home Emergency Response service."
Other key findings:
What makes a real man - the top five elements of masculinity
The AA is keen to hear customers' own stories as to whether they have or are, a 'man that can' or a 'man that can't'. Stories and pictures can be posted at and there will be a GBP 500 prize for the best or worst example plus your own AA utility belt to help with those jobs around the house! Full terms and conditions can be found on the website.
The research was carried out for the AA Home Emergency Response service by ICM. It was carried out in September 2010 amongst a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults.
About AA Home Emergency Response
AA Home Emergency Response cover provides a network of approved tradesmen available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are no call-out charges or policy excesses and for work carried out under the policy, parts and labour are guaranteed. Cover is available to both existing AA members and non members.
Customers wishing to find out more information should visit:
or call 0800 107 1031
Contacts:
Media Enquiries:
AA Press
Sue Beeson
01256 492874
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Brandon Stockwell
020 7638 9571
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Holly Clark
020 7638 9571
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Datum: 07.11.2011 - 12:19 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 1054185
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