SUV drivin' , war supportin', shrub lovin' homophobes explained well here:

[SHRED]

Men overcompensate when their masculinity is threatened, Cornell study shows
By Daniel Aloi

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Threaten a man's masculinity and he will assume more macho attitudes, according to a study by a Cornell University researcher.

"I found that if you made men more insecure about their masculinity, they displayed more homophobic attitudes, tended to support the Iraq War more and would be more willing to purchase an SUV over another type of vehicle," said Robb Willer, a sociology doctoral candidate at Cornell. Willer is presenting his findings Aug. 15 at the American Sociological Association's 100th annual meeting in Philadelphia.

"Masculine overcompensation is the idea that men who are insecure about their masculinity will behave in an extremely masculine way as compensation. I wanted to test this idea and also explore whether overcompensation could help explain some attitudes like support for war and animosity to homosexuals," Willer said.

Willer administered a gender identity survey to a sample of male and female Cornell undergraduates in the fall of 2004. Participants were randomly assigned to receive feedback that their responses indicated either a masculine or a feminine identity. While women's responses were unchanged regardless of the feedback they received, men's reactions "were strongly affected by this feedback," Willer said.

MORE>>> http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug05/soc.gender.dea.html

[Strawman]

1. Book by Stephen Ducat: The Wimp Factor makes this argument also

And I think it's absolutely right.

[happyslug]

2. Remember the Definition of a Bully

As a Wimp with the Upper hand.

[Strawman]

3. John Bolton

Ass kisser to the powerful, and a total dick to his subordinates.

[ismnotwasm]

4. That has always be an opinion of mine

I'm glad to see it backed by a study. I also think far right-wing mentalities are similar to chronic criminal minds.

[madeline_con]

5. Waste of money....

We already knew this. No "study" was necessary.

I'm going to try for a grant to study how long it takes to raost various species of ants with a magnifying glass, given wind direction and cloud cover.

[Strawman]

9. It doesn't hurt to put our assumptions to the test scientifically

and see if they withstand scrutiny. I think it's an interesting and valuable study.

[Gildor Inglorion]

6. Poor, dear, threatened heterosexual men...so fragile...

such delicate, easily shattered feelings. Too bad their insecurity leads to violence, bloodshed, and murder. The world is full of strutting, overcompensating bullies; always has been, probably always will be. Right now it seems they have absolute control of everything, at least in this country. Maybe there's a solution, but I frankly can't imagine what it could be.

:puke:

[wli]

7. I guess some guys do that.

Other guys don't care, and smooch other guys when prompted in such a manner to make the point they don't give a damn.

[Ilsa]

8. My husband just likes trucks and SUV's.

He doesn't need his masculinity insulted or questioned.

[mixedview]

10. Women do this too. IMO, females who are excessively feminine are insecure

about their femininity. There is no word for this, though - I've seen it referred to as "fecho" (instead of macho).

They tend to wear lots of pink, only associate with other females, act girly, see everything in terms of gender.. the whole "Sex and the City" attitude. It's so transparent, just like the macho men who need to go around showing everybody how manly they are.

I stay very far way from women like this - I much prefer someone who is comfortable with herself, and not always trying to prove her "girl power".

[SHRED]

11. so true

very observant!