Modern men cry twice as much as their fathers, research suggests

Research suggests social stigma against men displaying vulnerability may be lessening

A new study has suggested that men are much more likely to cry publicly than their fathers' generation (iStock)

Modern men are twice as likely to cry in public as their fathers, new research suggests.

Research conducted on 2,000 men found that middle aged men cry in front of other people an average of 14 different times during their adult life. However, for the generation above, men report that they have only ever done so on 5 occasions.

It is thought that social stigma against men showing emotional vulnerability is waning. British men are not only crying more frequently and more openly but about more trivial things, rather than reserving tears exclusively for extreme events such as the death of a family member or birth of a child. The survey, commissioned by Universal Channel, found that nearly 8 in 10 British men have cried during an emotional television programme.

Psychologist Donna Dawson said of the findings: “Even though today’s society is more approving of public tears, there is still a lurking fear in many of us that the people witnessing it will make fun of us.

“Fictional TV shows are more likely to elicit tears because they allow a more pure, universal expression of grief- an emotional ‘unloading’- which is not tainted by the conflicting emotions of guilt, regret, confusion and anger that often accompany specific real-life situations. Conflicting emotions can stop or inhibit us from crying over a situation.”