Overview

• Published in Acta Psychologica and led by NTNU’s Hermundur Sigmundsson, the peer-reviewed study examines how motivation, meaning, and well-being interrelate across genders.
• Among 479 Icelandic participants (336 women, 143 men; average age 32), men scored higher on passion (4.02 vs 3.76) and self-efficacy (3.24 vs 3.14).
• No sex differences were found in grit, growth mindset, meaning in life, flourishing, or emotional reactivity.
• The strongest links included meaning with psychological well-being (r=0.66) and self-efficacy with positive affect (r=0.54), indicating that purpose and confidence underpin flourishing.
• The authors note limits from the gender imbalance, Iceland-only sample, and self-report data, urging larger cross-cultural studies, and they highlight mentorship and well-matched challenges as practical ways to build self-efficacy through flow and mastery.