Reframing the gender gap: masculine ideology as a predictor of academic behaviors

Introduction Gender differences in academic performance are well-documented, with men showing lower retention and graduation rates, the psychological mechanisms underlying these disparities remain unclear. While gender differences in academic performance are well-documented, traditional approaches have relied on gender identity as the primary explanatory variable, yet this framing may obscure more nuanced behavioral and ideological factors at play. This study examines how masculine ideology influences academic behaviors and outcomes among college students, with implications for predicting retention and academic success. Methods Using SEM with a sample of 1,068 undergraduate students, we investigated how entity mindset, imposter phenomenon, and masculine ideology interact to affect study habits, help-seeking behaviors, and academic outcomes. Model comparisons were conducted to evaluate the relative explanatory power of masculine ideology versus gender identity in predicting academic success. Results Results indicate that students with traditional masculine ideology (TMI) who experienced imposter feelings were more likely to employ surface-level study approaches and exhibit maladaptive help-s Results eeking behaviors compared to those with non-traditional masculine ideology (NTMI). Help-seeking behaviors significantly predicted GPA and course grades, while study habits showed no significant direct effect on academic outcomes. Model comparisons revealed that masculine ideology provided greater explanatory power for predicting academic success than gender identity alone, suggesting that behavioral patterns associated with traditional masculine norms influence academic performance across genders and represent a critical leverage point for retention efforts. Discussion These findings support the development of targeted interventions that address masculine ideology’s influence on academic behaviors rather than traditional gender-based approaches, offering a more precise framework for identifying at-risk students and improving retention rates. Because the effects of traditional masculine norms on academic behavior transcend gender identity, interventions framed around gender categories alone may be insufficiently targeted. Future work should explore how institutional environments either reinforce or attenuate traditional masculine norms, and whether targeted messaging around help-seeking can shift outcomes for students regardless of gender identity.