On the other hand, men who are not as rigid about their masculinity do not consider the difference in income as important, thus having a better relationship with their partner.
The study by Patrick Coughlin and Jay Wade from Fordham University is based on a survey of 47 men, who had a female partner with a higher income.
Through an on-line survey, researchers assessed their beliefs about masculinity, the quality of their relationships, and the importance of the disparity in income between them and their female partners, according to a Fordham statement.
They found, on the one hand, that the stronger a man's endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology, the more likely he was to report a low-quality romantic relationship, and the more he perceived the difference in incomes as important.
On the other hand, the more a man endorsed non-traditional masculinity ideology, the more likely he was to have a high-quality relationship with his female partner and not place too much importance on the income disparity.
"Our results demonstrate the importance of masculinity ideology in understanding how and why men with higher-earning partners will have low or high quality romantic relationships. The findings are relevant to men who are married as well as non-married men in a romantic relationship," researchers said.
According to the report, published on-line in Springer's journal Sex Roles, the breadwinner role is still the accepted norm in marriage, which supports the husband's power and authority in the family.
It is therefore reasonable for a man who earns less than his female partner to feel removed from this traditional gender role, and feel a void because he does not fulfill this role, the report said.
