(NewsNation) — A new study appears to debunk the belief that men who are insecure about their penis size are more inclined to own guns to overcompensate.
The study, published in the American Journal of Men’s Health, examined survey data from 1,840 men across the United States and found the opposite: Men less dissatisfied with their penis size were more likely to personally own guns.
The analyses by the researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio consistently failed to support the hypothesis that males who are more dissatisfied with their penis size would be more likely to own guns.
The findings run counter to the commonly cited “psychosexual theory” that suggests some men acquire guns unconsciously or consciously to make up for perceived sexual inadequacies or lack of masculinity.
“Guns are clearly phallic symbols. Guns are clearly associated with masculinity. However, in our analyses, penis size dissatisfaction is unrelated to mental health,” the study authors wrote.
Among the key findings:
- Men who were less dissatisfied with their penis size were 11% more likely to own any gun and 20% more likely to own a military-style rifle.
- The inverse association between penis dissatisfaction and gun ownership was strongest for men ages 18-29 and 45-59 and weakest for those 60 and older.
- There was no difference in gun ownership rates between men who had tried penis enlargement methods and those who had not.
- Straight men and obese men tend to exhibit higher rates of gun ownership.
The study did not measure the survey respondents’ testosterone levels or their penis sizes. Instead, it relied on self-reports, which may not be very reliable. Data came from the 2023 Masculinity, Sexual Health, and Politics survey of American men.
The study’s authors say more research is needed on factors like testosterone levels and cultural constructs of manhood that could help explain gun ownership motivations.