Stephen Black writes on >The claim was that heterosexual males now do it >[male-male kissing], at least in Britain, and it's >becoming acceptable, if not common.
I note the study claim is based on a limited number of English university students, not heterosexual males in general, though elsewhere Anderson claims it is much more widespread: "these kissing behaviours are happening all over the country": http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/04/straight-men-kissing-homophobia >The elusive research paper advancing this claim has now >surfaced. It's available at: http://tinyurl.com/4sbjyto I don't profess to know what goes on in British universities in recent times, but I do have reasons why I think the claims made by Anderson et al should be treated with caution. Judging by the articles he has co-authored, cited on his University website to which I previously linked, a major academic raison d'être is to show there is increasing overlap between heterosexual and homosexual behaviour. This evidently arises from his professional and life experience: "[Anderson is] an American Sociologist specializing in the field of masculinities, sport and sexuality. Prior to becoming a sociologist, Anderson coached the boys' distance running team at Huntington Beach High School, in Orange County, California. After coaching for eight years, he revealed his sexuality to the school's administration in the spring of 1993, at the age of 25… In his autobiography, Trailblazing: America's First Openly Gay High School Coach, Anderson recounts the hardships he and his runners endured after he came out… "Later Anderson moved to the UK to begin teaching at the University of Bath… Since going back to school Anderson has found tremendous success, lecturing at countless universities and performing extensive research on sexuality." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Anderson_(sociologist) In the article in question the authors state: "In conducting this study, we acknowledge that it was based on an interpretive framework…" Eh? What's all that about? A study is a study is a study. The conducting of a study should not be "based on an interpretative framework", that's what you do after you finish the study. A small sample of the interviewees were from a university in the Midlands. I emailed the highly sociable son of a friend of mine who was a student at one of the largest universities in the Midlands (Warwick University) two years ago, that is, overlapping with the period during which the study was undertaken. In reply to my question "I've come across a website article that claims that non-sexual kissing between men is widespread among English university students, including kissing on the lips. What do you say to that from your experience at Warwick?", he gave a one word reply: "Rubbish!" I'm not suggesting that is in any way conclusive, of course, though if the male-male kissing behaviour were as prevalent at universities as Anderson would have us believe, I think the young man in question would have seen something of it. Re Anderson's attitude to his research field, I've already pointed out a certain lack of objectivity from an article in which he was interviewed: >It began on the professional soccer field, where >players often share exuberant kisses after goals. I watch the highlights of the top English leagues on TV regularly, and that is a gross overstatement, though no doubt Anderson would like it to be true. I'm tempted to say it's wish-fulfilment on Anderson's part rather that fact – "rarely" would be more accurate than "often", and even then "share [sic] exuberant kisses" gives a completely false impression. I'd like to see a replication of the study on a larger scale led by someone who doesn't have such an evident academic and personal vested interest in the results before accepting that heterosexual male-male kissing is prevalent in British universities, or indeed more generally. Not for the first time, I ask whatever happened to the time-honoured notion of the requirement for replication when academics get busy promoting their own findings in the popular press? Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London [email protected] http://www.esterson.org --------------- From: [email protected] Subject: Men kissing men, more on Date: Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:43:39 -0500 Under the all-too-cute header "You can't handle the smooch!", we were discussing a recent claim of Eric Anderson, an American turned Brit sociologist, about male-on-male kissing. The claim was that heterosexual males now do it, at least in Britain, and it's becoming acceptable, if not common. The elusive research paper advancing this claim has now surfaced. It's available at: http://tinyurl.com/4sbjyto The reference is: Anderson, E. et al (2011). ``I Kiss Them Because I Love Them´´: The Emergence of Heterosexual Men Kissing in British Institutes of Education. Arch Sex Behav DOI 10.1007/s10508-010-9678-0 It's possibly still in press: this is the version posted on Anderson's website at http://www.ericandersonphd.com His claim has been met with understandable incredulity, both on our list and off it. For example, you might check out a recent article in _The Guardian_ at http://tinyurl.com/2vh45c8 and in particular some of the comments which follow (e.g. "tomyorkshire"). Anderson's article makes interesting reading. His sample is admittedly small and covers only a limited number of institutions (three, to be exact), but the methodology appears adequate at first glance. Some of the detailed quotes and anecdotes in the paper are startling in their embrace * of this allegedly new phenomenon. We need more than a few good men on this one, of course. The article includes the questionnaire which he used in his survey. Some on this list might want to try it out in their classrooms, or turn students loose with it. The critical question, no. 4 " I notice that straight men now kiss each other on nights out or in pubs. Have you ever kissed another friend, even just once this way?" deserves comment (and not just for "pub"). It appears to be leading the interviewee. I think it's defensible, though, as a means to encourage him to report what he otherwise might be reluctant to say. On the other hand, even to ask that question in some locations in the US could put the interviewer at risk. Stephen * pun intended -------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada e-mail: sblack at ubishops.ca --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=9237 or send a blank email to leave-9237-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
