"Culture of honor" in some states takes deadly toll on men

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(CBS) "A real man doesn't let anyone push him around." If you agree with that that statement, you're buying in to the "culture of honor" that predominates in some parts of the country.

You could also be putting your life on the line, a new study suggests.

PICTURES - Macho States of America: Where honor turns homicidal

Men who think they should defend their reputation at all costs often resort to violent confrontations or take needless risks, which can lead to injury or death. Think of the man who feels he must not tolerate being cut off on the highway, or who won't back down when someone breaks in line.

"Our study shows that homicide rates are a lot higher in honor states," Dr. Ryan Brown, assistant professor of social/personality psychology at the University of Oklahoma, told CBS News. "And it's not just killing other people. Men in honor states commit suicide at higher rates."

The study, published in the journal Psychological and Personality Science, showed that rates of accidental death from drowning, automobile accidents, and similar causes were significantly higher in honor states - especially among white men.

More than 7,000 deaths a year are attributable to risk-taking associated with the culture of honor, HealthDay reported.

He compared the so-called "honor states" to "non-honor" states, in which the prevailing world view emphasizes not potential threats to honor but the dignity intrinsic to every person.

Which states abide by the culture of honor? In general, Dr. Brown said, those that were originally settled by poor immigrants of Scotch-Irish ancestry. "These people had incubated an honor culture over 800 or 900 years," he said. "They came to this country without much money but brought with them cultural norms that stressed defense of reputation."

But he said it was important for men - and women - to realize that what worked for poor immigrants centuries ago might not be such a good idea in modern-day America.

"When we respond needlessly to people around us, we put ourselves and those around us at greater risk of dying," he said. "Is it really all that honorable to drive recklessly when kids in the back seat?"

51 Photos

Macho States of America: Where honor turns homicidal

[modernninja]

Sorry, just had to rant...that really was an obtuse article...apologies to anyone I offended.

[modernninja]

Ummm...does anyone else here feel that this entire study is discriminatory against those who are of scottish heritage? Cultures of honor exist due to isolation and the development of unwritten social codes in the absence of governmental authority (or in some cases, in the face of it, as we see in urban gang cultures.) To attribute it to any race or ethnic group is stereotyping and borderline racism. Cultures of honor are created when a group feels that it loses a say in the matter of it's own self-determination, such as the Scottish and Irish in the case of English landlords forcing them into poverty (which is why these researchers, being predominately from such a culture, latch onto that for an explanation), or young urban gang members feeling that they have no influence on the world because they grow up without role models in an indifferent society. While males tend to be more aggressive in such cultures of honor, the same phenomenon can be seen in females as well...(so the article is sexist as well) While it isn't as prevalent, it still exists, and is a part of human nature.

With regards to these studies of where the so called "honor" states are, I would wager that the numbers coincide with a phenomenon of fewer population centers (i.e. cities), jobs, and overall governmental function. In the most blatant example, you'll see some areas with a single sheriff covering a large area by making social calls who simply functions as emergency response when the "culture of honor" can't resolve the problem within itself. Sort of like the inner city...you won't see the cops until someone calls them (usually resulting in death or hospitalization of at least one party), and the mantra of "no snitching" is widely prevalent. You stupid people with your PHD's need to get out and see the real world before you believe everything you see on a piece of paper. Book smarts do not equal street smarts.

How do I know this? I've lived in both environments, the proverbial town mouse meets country mouse. Cultures of Honor aren't limited to slack-jawed yokels or thug gangstas...it's all of us...

Now, it would be nice if CBS News got their information from something other than a poorly written wikipedia article...

[oldbluesmith]

If it were not for risky behavior there would not be a United States because after one day on board a tiny sailing vessel in the north atlantic all of the passengers would turn back to the European continent. So, God Bless the risk takers (pioneers).

[Dgunner]

Oklahoma has the "Make my day law". This law is for the protection of property and life and against personal injury.A five strand barbed wire fence is automatic no tresspassing and threating someone or thier family while standing on thier property can cost you your life.Oklahoma has less home invasions than any other state.The citizens of oklahoma like Montana assume everyone is armed and most are strapped.The state police say 3 out every 100 cars that meet you on two lane road are high on meth and have been awake since 1987.

[vielmann]

Yes, and Oklahoma is where Timothy McVeigh killed several people in a mass terrorist attack. Thanks, but no thanks.

[tsigili]

It is interesting to see how the media, twists things.

The truth is, if you are an ethical and idealistic person, you expect others to also be ethical, and to conduct themselves in an ethical manner.

The media would try to convince us.....that's a bad thing......when in fact, the lack of ethics and morals, is largely what's wrong, not only with our society, but with our government also.

[Americank17]

THIS PREDOMINATES IN THE SOUTH WHERE WOMEN PREASSURE THE MEN INTO THIS RIDICULOUS SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN'S ANTIQUE DOBLE STANDARD THE SOUTH HAS THE MOST WOMEN ON FOOD STAMPS AND WELFARE BECAUSE THEY KICK THEIR HUSBANDS OUT FOR NOT BEHAVING WITH THIS FALSE SENSE OF MANLY STRENGTH VERSUS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY BEING 50/50 NORMAL, IT HAPPENS ALSO AMONG BACKWARD CULTURES AND CERTAIN ETHNIC GROUPS ALL VERY FAKE AND RIDICULOUS FOR THE 1ST CENTURY! BLAME ROMANCE AND CHIVALRY SOUTHERN STYLE AND LATIN STYLE BOTH ABOUT THE SAME, MOST OTHERS WITH BRAINS AVOID THESE FRIGID AND VIOLENT FEMALES THAT ONLY GIVE IT UP IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY THRU CHIVALRY! HOW STUPID CAN THEY GET! BLAME THE WOMEN!

[kooooks]

What then is the agenda behind the words " honor state " and "dignity state" ? Who coined these terms? It is suprising to realize how the media can influence the thought of the masses through coined terms and repetition. This story runs a cheesy photo of a man that looks like a maniac associated with "culture of honor" and then associates an increased risk of death with it. Why is this being done and who is behind it?

[olbabee]

I am one but it's not honor but just the way I react to someone
saying something to me that is not true or someone stupid enough to decide I was the one they decided to mess with for really no reason. If I'm backed into a corner I will fight back
with words or if I have to I will knock them the f***out. Of course I am talking about men only. Never hit a woman. I'm 56 now but I had street fights all my life even working for years as a bouncer & was paid basically to fight. I don't reccomend doing this but you have to do what you have to do. I decided probably 40 years ago that life is too short to take unecessary
s*** from anyone at any time. I never bother anyone but there are people who will start things because that's the way they are............stupid.

[AlFranken]

I'm one of those people they are talking about. I go fricking nuts when someone cuts in line -- I WILL SAY SOMETHING -- and not only that, I will morally degrade him for the purpose of inciting to leave all together and forget about what he/she was going to buy.
BTW -- My Father has Scottish ancestry as his "cheap" behavior is testimony to that. ( he once wore plastic bags in the snow cuz he's too cheap to buy boots) but God bless him anyway.

[wtcmedic911]

This has to be so flawed. Here in NYC the urban creatures shoot and stab each other endlessly. day in and day out over a glance, a look, turf, colors, tags etc etc. This is BS make it a real study and include black, latinos into this then lets see if white males go off.

[erichsh]

Yup. I agree. Don't ever "disrespect" one of those urban creatures, lest you'd be a crime statistic too.