The psychology of the Guyanese man and COVID-19

There has been uproar in our society about why, despite there being an information overload on the novel coronavirus, that most men still seem to be overlooking safety precautions by not wearing masks, not practicing social distancing and “liming” when they should be at home.

In the case of persons infected in Guyana, most are men, including eight of the ten deaths recorded so far.

So we must now surely ask ourselves, with all this information being put out on a daily basis, why are our menfolk still not listening?

To answer this question, we must look at the psychology of the Guyanese man.

Cultural norms: In our very macho society, men believe that doing certain things makes them look or feel less than a man. A lot of it is ingrained into the Guyanese man from very young—the importance of the clothes he wears, the way he walks and talks, the need to be hard and not show emotions, and not have anyone disrespect him. “Be a man,” they are told, and any man not adhering to these “norms “is made to feel like he isn’t manly enough. He may likely be told he is gay if he wears pink, speaks gently, cries or shows his emotions. In particular, anything that is associated with the show of emotions, gentleness and a general concern with safety is associated with womanliness. Now with this in mind, can you imagine asking the “macho man” to wear a mask? If you convince yourself that you’re invincible and that “nothing” can touch you, the callous attitude towards mask use is understandable.

Risk taking: Evolutionary psychologists believe that it’s in men’s nature to want to compete and show off and that they are more likely to engage in risky behaviour, which in turn shapes their decision making.

Downplay of illnesses: Men generally tend to downplay illnesses whereas women tend to be more concerned and to take more precautions on the whole. I think most Guyanese men have told themselves that this is just another flu and even if they have symptoms, they might ignore them until they become too severe to ignore.

Confirmation bias: Another significant aspect to consider as it relates to why men are more likely to ignore calls to adhere to safety precautions is the simple fact that it is easier for us to follow and listen to “information” that supports our beliefs. For instance, if you have leaders in certain countries saying that coronavirus is a hoax or that it can be killed by hot temperatures, then we tell ourselves that we have nothing to fear and that it might be one big “conspiracy theory,” making it easier to ignore real medical and scientific evidence.

Mental health: Studies conducted in the UK showed that young men aged 19 to 24 were more likely to ignore lockdown and safety advice if they were depressed. Unlike women who talk and share their feelings, a man’s way of coping with depression is typically hanging out with friends and “talking” over drinks. Being depressed and being told you cannot go out means that men who are depressed will do exactly this. On the other hand, men who were diagnosed with anxiety were more likely to listen to medical advice on good hygiene and social distancing.

Alicia Roopnaraine is a Psychologist at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Psychiatric Department. You can send questions or comments to her at aliciaroopnaraine@gmail.com