Masculinity: the properties that most often define the male gender; acting in a way or manner that is representative of a male; displaying traits such as strength, power, etc. (wordnet.princeton.edu).
Meaning: are subjective responses we make to objects and situations we experience and come across during our life. Our subjective responses is why we feel and what we picture when we encounter some kind of experience. For example, if you had a beloved golden retriever as a child, you may picture yourself playing with them again and have a feeling of happiness whenever you see one. On the other hand, if as a small child you were chased by a golden retriever you may picture that experience when you see a golden retriever and feel fear (DeFleur, Kearney, Plax, & DeFleur, 2005). Click here for an example of how people's experiences affect the meaning they have toward something.
