Interest in assuming responsibilities is the focus because behavior such as paying child support may be influenced by other external conditions. Included in this concept is the practical aspect of, for instance, accompanying a partner for an abortion, and males' perceived level of obligation to the social role of father. Procreative responsibility refers to males' preferred and actual level or type of involvement and the personal sense of obligation. For those in involved and committed relationships, men may experience couvade syndrome (symbolic pregnancy). The micro and macro level influences affect this consciousness i.e., when cultural status symbols of employment are lacking, economically disadvantaged males may establish their masculinity and enhance their status through paternity and sexual prowess. This view may be fragmented and nebulous because of past orientation. Procreative consciousness is defined as a state of being within a reproductive realm of fecundity, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, childbirth, and children. The focus is also on factors affecting men's procreative consciousness and responsibility: cultural values and policies related to fertility and fatherhood, women's increased labor force participation, contraceptive services and AIDS, changing medical technology and childbirth policies, and gender role attitudes and socioeconomic status. The approach is to provide the concepts as sensitizing in the Blumerian tradition. The concepts of men's procreative consciousness and procreative responsibility by definition and in the interrelationships with the male's partner, father, and sex role identities are discussed.

Child models male