Event: Please join us to learn more about research related to University of Michigan undergraduate men, friendships, and well-being. The event will include a presentation followed by small-group discussion and collaboration opportunities. 
Presenters: Ricky M. Granderson is a Ph.D. candidate in Social Psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center. His research examines the boundaries of physical intimacy within men’s same-sex friendships, focusing on the cues and psychological phenomenon that shape these experiences. This work is part of Ricky’s broader research agenda, which seeks to understand and remediate the “crisis of connection” facing contemporary American men.Anna K. Wood (she/her) is a dual PhD candidate in social work and sociology. Her dissertation project looks at masculine socialization processes, with particular attention to how men are socialized through, with, and alongside violence. She also studies how formal institutional processes for responding to violence on college campuses impact student communities and friendships. Anna's work challenges traditional advocacy approaches that often position men solely as contributors to the problem. Anna argues for the necessity of engaging young men in positive, constructive dialogues about masculine socialization to foster more effective prevention strategies.Facilitators: Anne Huhman (SAPAC), Joy Pehlke (Wolverine Wellness), Markie Silverman (UHC/CAPS)
Research: Drawing on data from more than 470 University of Michigan undergraduate men collected during the 2024–2025 academic year, Push & Pull examines how these men fare across multiple markers of social well-being and explores their experiences with teasing and relational aggression within close friend networks. The presentation also shares mixed-methods findings on men’s confidence in their ability to intervene when a friend is experiencing relational aggression or mental health challenges, highlighting both areas of strength and opportunities for growth. Results are discussed in the context of implications for campus programming and a roadmap for future research and reporting on these issues.