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Originally Posted by abaya
Why do such thoughts need to be voiced? Why descend to that level?
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When men are alone together, be it on a jobsite, sportsteam, at a boarding school etc... a lot of dynamics come into play and immaturity is only one of many bonding mechanisms.
We're constantly testing each other for masculinity, forebearance and aptitude. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's tiresome, and sometimes it's scary (See "Hazing"), but it can be constant. So when you add a woman into the mix, either as a part of the group or as a passerby, guys will immediately and unifyingly shift focus away from themselves onto the new target.
The degree of this behaviour is also linked to setting of course. A locker room or construction site will be much tougher than a marketing meeting, but it's usually there in some form or another.
So to answer your question (but not excuse the behaviour) I believe that it's partly because of our wired attraction to women, but also as an escape from the roiling tension and jockying that underscores an all male environment.
Put another way: We're already at that level when you walk in the room.