Which term describes the behavior expected of men?

• A. Childhood
• B. Adulthood
• C. Masculinity
• D. Social order

Answer: (C)

Masculinity is the set of social expectations about how men should think, feel, dress, and behave. It’s learned through family, peers, media, and institutions, and often includes norms around toughness, emotional restraint, independence, and roles like the breadwinner. Importantly, these expectations vary across cultures and over time, and there isn’t just one fixed “masculine” standard. The other terms don’t capture this idea: childhood and adulthood are life stages, not behavior guidelines, and social order describes how society is organized rather than the specific behaviors expected of men.