What makes you feel good? Well-being in a gender and mattering lens

Gender and mattering are two critical points in assessing people's well-being. If we consider that well-being derives from a condition of social justice and from contexts in which one's own value is recognized, we understand that the condition of inequality between men and women and discriminatory attitudes such as sexism represent a great enemy of well-being. Starting from these considerations, the present thesis aims to investigate the effect of gender discrimination and mattering on well-being. In order to pursue this aim, three empirical studies were conducted. that have investigated the variations in well-being based on, respectively, different cultural contexts, the effect of other psychological and demographic variables, and the effect of traumatic and extraordinary events, as the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 aimed to test the psychometric validity of the I COPPE scale, for the measure of well-being, through the comparison between two very different countries, such as Italy and Argentina. The results confirmed that the I COPPE scale can measure well-being in different contexts without its validity being affected by socio-cultural differences. Study 2 aimed to investigate the effects of belief in a just world, neosexism, on well-being of men and women, via mattering. In particular, it was hypothesized a model in which personal and general beliefs in a just world positively affect the dimensions of well-being. In contrast, neosexism has a negative effect on well-being, and these relationships are mediated by mattering. The results partially confirmed the mediation hypotheses, showing that the personal and general beliefs in a just world and the neosexism have affected many dimensions of well-being, through mattering. Finally Study 3 aimed to detect changes in well-being, across time during the COVID-19 pandemic. This longitudinal study was carried out in two waves (March 2020 and May 2020) and the results showed some differences in the levels of well-being of men and women during the lockdown, were found. In conclusion the results obtained from the studies have been extensively discussed in the light of gender dynamics and mattering. Indeed, this thesis emphasizes the need, made even more urgent by the current emergency situation, that European governments will promote social fairness in general and gender equality in particular, focusing on women's mattering. Only in a country where all citizens are treated equally and valued for their abilities it is possible that a positive attitude towards others, different from oneself, develops. Only without hatred, discrimination and sexism are it possible to promote the well-being of both men and women