VOlUME 05 ISSUE 04 April 2026
Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, DrPH
Adjunct Professor, Northern Caribbean University [NCU], Manchester, Jamaica, WI
DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i4n30Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT
This study examines the rise of masculine behavioural traits among females and the increasing feminisation of males in contemporary Black societies, with particular attention to psychosocial, economic, and cultural determinants. The current study is grounded in social role theory, gender role strain theory, and structural inequality frameworks, which suggest that gender roles change in response to economic pressures, family structure changes, and shifting social norms. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 250 participants across urban communities to assess perceptions of gender roles, family structure, employment patterns, education, and behavioural traits traditionally classified as masculine or feminine. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the predictors of masculine traits in females and feminine traits in males. The findings indicate that female economic independence, single-mother households, and male unemployment were significant predictors of increased masculinity among females, while father absence, maternal dominance, and educational environments were significant predictors of feminisation among males. The regression model explained 48% of the variance in gender role behavioural changes (R² = 0.48), indicating strong explanatory power for the model. This study concludes that gender role changes in contemporary Black societies are primarily structural and socioeconomic rather than biological, driven by shifts in labour markets, education, and family structures. The findings have implications for family stability, identity formation, and social policy.
KEYWORDS:gender roles, masculinity, femininity, Black society, family structure, psychosocial development
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Cite this Article:Bourne, P. A. (2026). Socioeconomic and Psychosocial Determinants of Gender Role Transformation in Contemporary Black Societies: Examining the Rise of Female Masculinity and Male Feminisation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCHS, 5(4), 828-841. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i4n30