“Real men” need keepsakes too: both Italian men and women use inanimate objects to cope with separation

BACKGROUND: Using tangible objects to alleviate distress contradicts the traditional masculinity that is stereotypically attributed to Italian men. This study tested whether the willingness to use a photograph of a romantic partner as a substitute for that person and as a cue for nostalgia in the situation of unavoidable separation depends on gender and conformity to the traditional masculine norms of Italian adults. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The study involved 119 Italian adults. Participants were randomly assigned to the separation or the connection condition. Next, they described the willingness to use a photograph of their partner as a substitute and as a cue for nostalgia; then we measured men’s differences in their conformity to masculine norms. RESULTS: We did not find support for the hypotheses that gender or traditional masculine norms impede using inanimate objects to regulate emotions. CONCLUSIONS: It is worth considering photographs as reminders of social bonds that are accessible for both men and women.