Deviating From Agentic Norms is Negatively Related to Young Men’s Well-Being and Satisfaction With Life

Abstract As deviating from ingroup norms can have negative consequences, we predicted that failing to meet perceived masculine norms would be associated with lower well-being and satisfaction with life for young men. We chose two countries that differed in the rigidity of gender norms (i.e., Norway and Poland) and conducted two cross-sectional, cross-national studies to test these hypotheses: an exploratory pilot study (Study 1) and a main study with preregistered hypotheses (Study 2). In Study 1, 238 young men (aged 16–25), 82 from Norway ( M age = 20.8 years, SD = 2.7) and 156 from Poland ( M age = 20.8, SD = 2.0), completed an online questionnaire about perceived gender norms and self-ratings of agentic and communal traits, well-being, and satisfaction with life. In Study 2, teenage boys (aged 16–19) in their 1st and 2nd year of high school participated (213 Norwegian boys: M age = 17.0, SD = 0.3; 507 Polish boys: M age = 16.4, SD = 0.6). The more the young men negatively deviated from the perceived masculine norms within their society, the lower their well-being and satisfaction with life, regardless of nationality. The negative relationship between norm deviation and well-being remained significant when controlling for self-ratings in agency. Our findings suggest that helping young men navigate masculinity more flexibly, by addressing the psychological toll of not meeting agentic norms and promoting acceptance of a broader range of traits, could support their well-being and guide effective interventions for educators and policymakers.