ABSTRACT
A basic problem in measuring machismo has been in defining machismo. Some scholars conceptualize machismo as Latino male identity; however, others suggest it defines individuals from a variety of ethnoracial identities, genders, sexualities, socioeconomic classes, and sexual preferences. There has been a failure to distinguish machismo from similar constructs, or to contextualize it within a larger theory. Measures have usually served to reinforce insufficiently elaborated theory rather than reflect the various evolving conceptualizations of masculinities. Inadequate definitions of machismo lead to inadequate measurement and these inadequate measures then “confirm” the original weak theory or definition of machismo. We review definitions of machismo, comment briefly on psychometric issues related to its measure (e.g., discriminant validity), and anchor these within a larger context of gender studies and psychological theory.
