Norms are inherently social entities. The link between collectively shared social norms and individual well-being is an important juncture for social scientists as well as for applied social researchers. In this regard it is oftentimes contended that in a modern society the internalized norms of masculinity tend to form behavioral models that frequently contribute to young men’s forming an apathetic attitude toward their social responsibility, as well as to dissociation and indecision, and can worsen their emotional states and, eventually, lead to poorer well-being. The goals of the present research were two-fold and involved exploring the contents of the cultural norms of masculinity and evaluating their effect on mental well-being of young college males (based on a sample from National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (N = 215)). Grounded in the operationalization of Pearson & Marr conceptual framework, a formalized instrument was designed to measure the degree of consensuality of different norms of masculinity and to investigate their relationships with the mental well-being of the study participants. The study conducted in Kyiv in Spring 2024 collected self-reported cognitive data by means of an online form. The data analysis employed techniques of multidimensional analysis operating on multi-item scales. The findings show that a more pronounced expression of the normative traits that are marked as masculine serves as a predictor of higher mental well-being levels, more salient feeling of social belonging, more positive outlook on life and perceiving life events in a more constructive way. Granted that individual correspondence to sociocultural normativity in the domain of masculinity also positively affected psychological condition and the experience of social belonging of male participants, improving their well-being, it can be surmised that the destructive criticism of masculinity per se, radical reshaping of agreed-upon norms regulating masculinity and exposing the young men to the mixed signals of “what a man should be” can have harmful consequences for social adaptation and psychological well-being of male students. On the other hand, it is important to contextualize the criticism of masculinity within collectively meaningful axiological networks of a society and their contingencies. Specifically, congruence with socially desirable repertoires can confer a greater sense of responsibility, understanding one’s role in the group and developing one’s decision-making skills.
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