SHYNESS, MASCULINE IDEOLOGY, PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS, AND EMOTIONAL INEXPRESSIVENESS - TESTING A MEDIATIONAL MODEL OF MENS INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCE

A model was tested in which emotional inexpressiveness fully mediates the relation of shyness, gender identity, and physical attractiveness with men's interpersonal competence. Structural equation modeling of t he results of Study 1 showed that fully and partially mediated (i.e., direct and indirect paths) models fit the data equally well. Study 2 m odifications to the model included replacing gender identity with masc uline ideology and conducting a multidimensional assessment of compete nce. Results indicated that the partially mediated model was better in explaining the data; however, the model was replicated in that emotio nal inexpressiveness mediated the relations of shyness and masculine i deology with interpersonal competence. Implications of the results for modification of the model and for counseling practice are discussed.