What
My research area is focus on soft toys (i.e. stuffed animals) and human psychology . Previous research questions are from “Why adults need soft toys” to “Why some adults men feel ashamed when they need soft toys”. Through times of research, I assume that it’s not a simple social problem merely for adults men, but a growing experience that convinces males to be rational and powerful, which lack of sensible care for themselves.
For project 6, my research question will be: How do younger generation boys understand masculinity? Do they use stuffed animals to gain emotional support?
Why
This is a continuous research based on project 5. Last research through interviewing numbers of young adults, I recognize that “false” masculinity drives males and the society to be mentally unhealthy—Highly praising outer strength, but ignoring or even escaping the inner emotional needs.
I hope that through the emotional outlet of stuffed animals, more males around the world will realize the importance of inner emotional support, and more females will understand and be considerate of the men around them. Meanwhile, I also appeal to the society not to differentiate the love of soft toys by gender, since both men and women deserve support and company from cute “partners”.
How
I’ve made an anonymous questionnaire for teenager boys age 15-20 to know their perceptions of masculinity, comparing with previous research results aged 20-30, so as to test my assume for males’ growing experience to be the key variable of their perception of masculinity. Questionnaire has been distributed to a teenager club specializing for robots creating, school gyms, etc and gradually received answers.
Questionnaire: https://forms.gle/GEFDonAaKiH3Vk6KA
Moreover, I’m going to interview one of the teachers or coaches closest to these kids individually, asking for more interviewers’ mental health conditions: e.g. What is the general picture of boys he/she observes? What kind of teen boys might suffer from lacking emotional outlet? Then I will reach out personally to those boys who need extra emotional support by interviewing their growing environment. This is for knowing exactly how society could build a healthy concept of masculinity in young age children.
WHAT IF:
My findings are more socially relevant, since mainstream media focus more on Feminism, but women are calling for gender equality. Humans are born to be sensible and rational, but why shall we differentiate theses two in genders? I hope that research on soft toys can help males recognize their inner need for emotional support and rediscover masculinity, no matter what generations they are in.
If possible, I would seek out male mental health care organizations/ to work with soft toy brands, e.g. promoting charitable ads and campaigns to raise awareness of men’s mental health—This could be a commercial activity to place annually, to encourage men no matter in what age, to share the experience when they need emotional support, as well as expand consumer groups for soft toys. Therefore, both sides of stakeholders gain from the activity. After the end of the course, I could try working as an organizer for the brands company.
Current answers received in questionnaire:
