In an era where the culture of consumption accelerates, and it becomes easier to get rid of damaged items than to try to repair them, the passion of some men for repairing the broken remains a noticeable phenomenon. Many men face the broken pieces as a personal challenge that links the hand to the mind, and gives a sense of achievement and psychological calm.
And in many homes, there is a man who does not hesitate to open the maintenance tool box and spends hours adjusting, assembling, or fixing things, even if he could buy a new replacement.
This inclination is not merely a habit, but a deep psychological phenomenon where the sense of competence intersects with the desire to control the surrounding environment. So what makes repair more beneficial than disposal for some men?
A Sense of Competence and Capability
One of the most significant psychological reasons behind men's attraction to fixing things is the self-efficacy generated by this activity.
A behavioral psychological study refers to this activity as the "IKEA Effect," describing it as a cognitive bias that makes individuals value the products or items they participate in making or assembling themselves more highly than their objective value, even if they are simple or of lesser quality than expert creations.
The study results show that this attachment is not only born from effort alone but from the completion of a successful achievement, as manual work becomes a source of self-admiration and competence only when it yields a completed product.
And the study named this phenomenon after the Swedish furniture company "IKEA," confirming that repairing, assembling, or rebuilding something is a behavior that gives men greater value and a sense of control and achievement, compared to those who buy the product ready-made, and this result is not just a consumption preference, but reflects an internal appreciation of self that stems from the ability to make a direct impact in the material world.
Manual labor in repair links the mind to the hand and gives men an immediate experience of their work's outcome, like a damaged item being restored to its normal state, a problem being solved, or a tool regaining its function—which constitutes a visible but small moment of achievement, in contrast to pure mental tasks that leave no tangible impact on the surrounding environment.
Masculine Identity
Many psychological and social studies and articles suggest that the social concept of masculinity often links the ability to repair with competence and responsibility.
In this context, some experts believe that a man's sense during problem-solving enhances his feelings of control and dominance.
And the matter is not always about the nature of the tasks themselves, but also about how the brain processes practical problems. From childhood, boys in some environments are exposed to activities focusing on building, dismantling, and assembling, which enhances their skills in assembling parts and understanding material functions, and may later develop into a hobby.
Small Achievements.. Daily Psychological Fuel
Striving to repair a small piece daily nourishes the sense of immediate achievement, an aspect corroborated by positive psychology, as small, repeated achievements are considered an important component for psychological relaxation, giving men a sense of progress and control over their reality.
Multiple scientific research has found that manual arts and crafts—from carving to repairing devices—can reduce stress and improve mood, even if they are simple, because they give the mind a break from abstract thinking and focus attention on tangible tasks.
These small moments of achievement are considered psychological fuel, as they enhance self-esteem and give a sense of efficacy, a feeling rare in a daily life dominated by cognitive, virtual, or routine work.
And many men feel satisfied when they ""repair what time has damaged"" or ""restore something back to its nature"," feelings that new, ready-made items do not provide.
The Relationship Between Hand and Mind
Psychologists explain a concept known as the state of "Flow," a state of deep focus in which a person is immersed in a task that requires balanced concentration and challenge, resulting in mental calm and psychological activity.
In the context of repair, the manual labor that requires simple training and ongoing interaction with mistakes conceals anxiety and shifts attention to solving the problem step by step, thereby alleviating stress and calming the nerves.
This integration between the hand and the mind not only provides a physical result but also creates a psychologically enhancing experience and a sense of control over your environment, showing that you are capable of improving it—at least at that moment—and reordering your world.
Keeping Old Items
Some men also try to preserve old items because they are linked to memory. A study published in the Current Issues in Personality Psychology (CIPP), a leading journal in the field, found that both genders sometimes use tangible items as a way to cope with stress, separation, or changes in life, a pattern that may overlap with the desire to repair and maintain items rather than discard them.
In a consumption-driven culture that encourages quick disposal, repairing items acts against a prevailing trend in society, linking value with use and creativity, and giving men a sense they are not just consuming, but preserving and reusing.
And there are increasing opinions in sustainable happiness studies that repair enhances a person's feeling of purpose and the relationship between the self and its environment, which is associated with reducing feelings of helplessness resulting from a culture of quick disposal.
Why are some men more drawn to this behavior?
The inclination of some to repair things cannot be explained by gender alone, but it may intersect in its purpose with what evolutionary psychology and social psychology affirm, which is that competence and control over the environment are common motivations among humans, but may be more pronounced among groups that link their identity to practical, tangible achievements.
When a man achieves success in repairing something, even if simple, he gains material evidence of his competence and ability to solve problems, a connection that links the hand and mind in a clear productive relationship, generating a positive psychological feeling that reflects on the general mood.
In conclusion, the act of repairing items is not always about practical efficacy or the desire for economic savings, but it is an act that carries with it a sense of capability, control, and achievement, leaving behind a state of mental calm and focus, and providing moments of meaning in a world rushing towards disposal and consumption.
