Too much machismo could get you killed, a new study finds. In places where there is a strong sense of a “culture of honor” – where there is great value placed in defending reputation – there is a higher risk of accidental death. It is most common in Southern and Western states including Wyoming, South Carolina and Texas. The sorts of places where this “culture of honor” exists are where, historically, there are dangers of rustling, low police presence and few natural resources, according to the Social Psychological and Personality Science study. The sort of people who believe in and abide by this “culture of honor” may respond more aggressively to triggers, researchers said. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma compared rates of accidental death – from over-exertion, drowning and car wrecks – from 1999 to 2006 in “honor” states and “non-honor” states, such as New York, Wisconsin and Ohio. They found that the accidental death rate in cities located in “honor” states is 14% higher than those in “non-honor” states. And in rural areas in “honor” states, the accidental death rate is 19% higher than those in “non-honor” states. As many as 7,000 deaths a year could be attributed to accidental death because of a “culture of honor,” researchers said.
