--- title: "Psychologists Found Something Horrible About the Kind of Men Seeking Trad Wives" description: "A new analysis of nearly 600 young men found that affinity for the tradlife corresponds with overt resentment of women." date: "2026-04-11" modified: "2026-04-11" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/psychology-tradwife-sexism" categories: - "Brain" - "Future Society" - "Health & Medicine" - "Mental Health" - "Studies" --- # Psychologists Found Something Horrible About the Kind of Men Seeking Trad Wives ![A woman wearing a green and white checkered dress is cleaning an electric stovetop. They are holding a coil burner in one hand and wiping the stovetop surface with a cloth in the other hand. The stovetop has multiple coil burners, and a cup and saucer are placed on the counter nearby. The background is a solid orange color.]() *Getty Images* The [tradwife aesthetic](), as it's sold to women, is easy enough to understand. In our world of [social media addiction]() and [dead-end wage labor](), it can be tempting to find comfort in the sourdough fantasy of [post-war soda ads](): a retreat to a simpler, if not archaic, time in recent history. For men of the 21st century, the appeal is less obvious. Sure, there's the unavoidable romance of [conservative values]() some men feel affinity for, but that lifestyle came with plenty of limitations. Men were expected to [shoulder the finances]() of their entire families, while occasionally [sacrificing their lives]() in foreign wars — all without the solace of Zyn. Now, researchers at the University of Nevada are one step closer to understanding what drives men toward the traditional lifestyle. And it sure as hell isn't that white picket fence. In a [first-of-its kind study]() published in *Psychology of Women Quarterly*, researchers surveyed nearly 600 American men on their feelings toward the tradwife movement. Aged between 18 and 29, the participants were asked how they felt about men, women, and tradlife themes, while being screened for various attitudes like sexism and religious fervor. Indexing these responses, the psychologists narrowed down which factors correlated to support for the tradwife schtick. One key factor, researchers were startled to find, was "hostile sexism," defined as overtly negative beliefs about women. "We were taken aback," Rachael Robnett, a psychologist at the University of Nevada and lead author of the study [told the *Times of London*]() of the finding. Themes of heightened religiosity and heterosexual intimacy were also strong indicators. Originally, the team's assumption was that "benevolent sexism," a chivalrous and protective attitude toward women, would emerge as the primary factor driving men to the old fashioned lifestyle. "The type of man who strongly supports the tradwife movement is probably not what people would expect," Robnett told the *Times*. "It suggests that men \[who support that lifestyle\] rely on women for intimacy and resent that this is the case." **More on psychology:** *[Do You Cry More or Less Than the Average Person?]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()