Traditional Masculinity Ideology and Political Protests in Authoritarian Regimes: Unpacking the Role of Attitudes Toward Political Authorities

Limited research has explored the connection between traditional masculinity ideology (TMI) and political attitudes, focusing on adherence to political ideologies and approval of specific leaders aligning with traditional masculinity. This investigation delves into the association between TMI and attitudes toward political protests in an authoritarian regime. The study was conducted in Russia, which is characterized by an authoritarian political regime and comparatively low levels of gender equality. Encompassing men residing in Russia (N-1 = 825, N-2 = 614), our findings revealed that TMI is positively associated with attitudes toward repression against political opposition but negatively associated with attitudes toward political protests. However, these associations were mediated by authoritarian submission, signifying confidence in the imperative to obey political authorities. Notably, only the general TMI factor evinced indirect effects on political attitudes. We further discuss the underlying reasons and potential limitations of the obtained results.