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They’re often portrayed as selfish and thuggish, but it seems that male millennials may have a softer side.

A new study by researchers from the University of British Columbia has revealed that young men are likely to be selfless, socially engaged and health-conscious.

In the study, the researchers surveyed 630 men aged 15-29 in Western Canada about their values.

The results revealed that the most strongly endorsed value was selflessness, with 91 per cent of the men agreeing that that a man should help other people.

(Image: Getty)

Openness also ranked highly, with 88 per cent saying that a man should be open to new ideas, new experiences, and new people.

More traditionally ‘male’ values ranked lower on the scale.

While 75 per cent of the men said a man should have physical strength, 83 per cent said they should have emotional strength.

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Professor John Oliffe, who led the study, said: “Young Canadian men seem to be holding masculine values that are distinctly different from those of previous generations.

“These values may run counter to long-standing claims that young men are typically hedonistic, hypercompetitive, and that they risk or neglect their health.”

The researchers believe the findings could be useful for designing more effective men's health-care programs.

Professor Oliffe added: “The life expectancy gap is closing between men and women, and I hope that additional gains are mustered through these emerging health-related values - and our continued work in men's health.”