Gaby
A team of researchers from the University of Würzburg in Germany, led by psychologist Alma Scholz, has uncovered why men are often reluctant to adopt vegetarian or vegan diets. The root of the issue lies in the perception that these diets are somehow unmanly.
It’s worth noting that both vegans and vegetarians abstain from eating meat. However, veganism is a stricter diet, as it also prohibits the consumption of eggs, honey, milk, and dairy products.
Food for Men Should Have a Manly Name
The researchers asked 539 volunteers of both genders to evaluate four vegetarian dishes based on provided descriptions and determine how suitable they felt these dishes were for men versus women.
The descriptions included vegetarian versions of hamburgers, spaghetti carbonara, goulash, and salad, as reported by the Daily Mail. The researchers hypothesized that plant-based dishes might seem more acceptable to men if the descriptions featured more assertive, “masculine” language.
One half of the study participants were asked to evaluate what could be termed “manly” descriptions of the food. For instance, they encountered phrases like “terrifying hamburger” instead of “wow-factor hamburger,” or “hearty” goulash rather than “exquisite.” Descriptions that resonated with men included words like “greasy” and “juicy.” For the hamburger and spaghetti carbonara, they also used the phrase: “huge portions for a huge appetite.” The other half of the volunteers received neutral descriptions.
Male participants who received the “manly” descriptions of vegetarian dishes believed these options were less suitable for women. This suggests that a more masculine marketing approach for vegetarian products could make them seem less feminine, the researchers noted.
Interestingly, the male-oriented descriptions did not significantly alter women’s perceptions of these dishes.
Men Trapped by Stereotypes
As Alma Scholz suggested, perhaps “if we used even more masculine language to describe food, we could spark greater interest in men to eat it.” According to the researcher, the right marketing presentation of dishes could help mitigate men’s aversion to plant-based foods.
The study revealed that men are particularly sensitive to the idea that their food choices might make them appear less masculine. The stronger sex remains ensnared by an age-old stereotype that dictates a man should primarily eat meat.
The authors of the study noted that meat continues to be associated with strength and masculinity in food culture. Therefore, it is challenging for men to give it up.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Frontiers in Communication.
