IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v24y2023i2d10.1007_s10902-022-00588-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Introduction to a Culturally Sensitive Measure of Well-Being: Combining Life Satisfaction and Interdependent Happiness Across 49 Different Cultures

Author

Listed:
  • Kuba Krys

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • Brian W. Haas

    (University of Georgia)

  • Eric Raymond Igou

    (University of Limerick)

  • Aleksandra Kosiarczyk

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Agata Kocimska-Bortnowska

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Anna Kwiatkowska

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • Vivian Miu-Chi Lun

    (Lingnan University)

  • Fridanna Maricchiolo

    (University of Roma Tre)

  • Joonha Park

    (NUCB Business School)

  • Iva Poláčková Šolcová

    (Czech Academy of Sciences)

  • David Sirlopú

    (Universidad San Sebastián)

  • Yukiko Uchida

    (Kyoto University
    Stanford University)

  • Christin-Melanie Vauclair

    (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), CIS-IUL)

  • Vivian L. Vignoles

    (University of Sussex)

  • John M. Zelenski

    (Carleton University)

  • Mladen Adamovic

    (King’s College)

  • Charity S. Akotia

    (University of Ghana)

  • Isabelle Albert

    (University of Luxembourg)

  • Lily Appoh

    (Nord University)

  • D. M. Arévalo Mira

    (HULAB)

  • Arno Baltin

    (Tallinn University)

  • Patrick Denoux

    (Université Toulouse II)

  • Alejandra Domínguez-Espinosa

    (Iberoamerican University)

  • Carla Sofia Esteves

    (Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima)

  • Vladimer Gamsakhurdia

    (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University)

  • Márta Fülöp

    (Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church
    Eötvös Loránd Research Network)

  • Ragna B. Garðarsdóttir

    (University of Iceland)

  • Alin Gavreliuc

    (West University of Timisoara)

  • Diana Boer

    (University of Koblenz)

  • David O. Igbokwe

    (Baze University Abuja)

  • İdil Işık

    (Istanbul Bilgi University)

  • Natalia Kascakova

    (Palacky University
    Psychiatric Clinic Pro Mente Sana)

  • Lucie Klůzová Kráčmarová

    (Czech Academy of Sciences
    Palacky University)

  • Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka

    (Gdansk University)

  • Olga Kostoula

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz)

  • Nicole Kronberger

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz)

  • J. Hannah Lee

    (Indiana University Northwest)

  • Xinhui Liu

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Magdalena Łużniak-Piecha

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Arina Malyonova

    (Dostoevsky Omsk State University)

  • Pablo Eduardo Barrientos

    (Universidad del Valle de Guatemala)

  • Tamara Mohorić

    (University of Rijeka)

  • Oriana Mosca

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Elke Murdock

    (University of Luxembourg)

  • Nur Fariza Mustaffa

    (International Islamic University Malaysia)

  • Martin Nader

    (Universidad ICESI)

  • Azar Nadi

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • Ayu Okvitawanli

    (Universitas Brawijaya)

  • Yvette Osch

    (Tilburg University)

  • Vassilis Pavlopoulos

    (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

  • Zoran Pavlović

    (University of Belgrade)

  • Muhammad Rizwan

    (University of Haripur)

  • Vladyslav Romashov

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • Espen Røysamb

    (University of Oslo)

  • Ruta Sargautyte

    (Vilnius University)

  • Beate Schwarz

    (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Heyla A. Selim

    (King Saud University)

  • Ursula Serdarevich

    (Universidad Nacional de La Matanza)

  • Maria Stogianni

    (Tilburg University)

  • Chien-Ru Sun

    (National Chengchi University)

  • Julien Teyssier

    (Université Toulouse II)

  • Wijnand A. P. Tilburg

    (University of Essex)

  • Claudio Torres

    (University of Brasilia)

  • Cai Xing

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Michael Harris Bond

    (Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Abstract

How can one conclude that well-being is higher in country A than country B, when well-being is being measured according to the way people in country A think about well-being? We address this issue by proposing a new culturally sensitive method to comparing societal levels of well-being. We support our reasoning with data on life satisfaction and interdependent happiness focusing on individual and family, collected mostly from students, across forty-nine countries. We demonstrate that the relative idealization of the two types of well-being varies across cultural contexts and are associated with culturally different models of selfhood. Furthermore, we show that rankings of societal well-being based on life satisfaction tend to underestimate the contribution from interdependent happiness. We introduce a new culturally sensitive method for calculating societal well-being, and examine its construct validity by testing for associations with the experience of emotions and with individualism-collectivism. This new culturally sensitive approach represents a slight, yet important improvement in measuring well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuba Krys & Brian W. Haas & Eric Raymond Igou & Aleksandra Kosiarczyk & Agata Kocimska-Bortnowska & Anna Kwiatkowska & Vivian Miu-Chi Lun & Fridanna Maricchiolo & Joonha Park & Iva Poláčková Šolcová &, 2023. "Introduction to a Culturally Sensitive Measure of Well-Being: Combining Life Satisfaction and Interdependent Happiness Across 49 Different Cultures," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 607-627, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:24:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00588-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00588-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-022-00588-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-022-00588-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ed Diener & Christie Napa-Scollon & Shigehiro Oishi & Vivian Dzokoto & Eunkook Suh, 2000. "Positivity and the Construction of Life Satisfaction Judgments: Global Happiness is not the Sum of its Parts," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 159-176, June.
    2. Joseph Henrich & Steve J. Heine & Ara Norenzayan, 2010. "The Weirdest People in the World?," RatSWD Working Papers 139, German Data Forum (RatSWD).
    3. Mohsen Joshanloo & Veljko Jovanović & Tim Taylor, 2019. "A multidimensional understanding of prosperity and well-being at country level: Data-driven explorations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-31, October.
    4. Jesus Alfonso D. Datu & Ronnel B. King & Jana Patricia M. Valdez, 2016. "The Benefits of Socially-Oriented Happiness: Validation of the Interdependent Happiness Scale in the Philippines," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 631-649, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kuba Krys & Joonha Park & Agata Kocimska-Zych & Aleksandra Kosiarczyk & Heyla A. Selim & Agnieszka Wojtczuk-Turek & Brian W. Haas & Yukiko Uchida & Claudio Torres & Colin A. Capaldi & Michael Harris B, 2021. "Personal Life Satisfaction as a Measure of Societal Happiness is an Individualistic Presumption: Evidence from Fifty Countries," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2197-2214, June.
    2. Hind Dib‐slamani & Gilles Grolleau & Naoufel Mzoughi, 2021. "Is theft considered less severe when the victim is a foreign company?," Post-Print hal-03340844, HAL.
    3. Shi, Yun & Cui, Xiangyu & Zhou, Xunyu, 2020. "Beta and Coskewness Pricing: Perspective from Probability Weighting," SocArXiv 5rqhv, Center for Open Science.
    4. Stephen L. Cheung & Agnieszka Tymula & Xueting Wang, 2022. "Present bias for monetary and dietary rewards," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 25(4), pages 1202-1233, September.
    5. Plante, Charles & Lassoued, Rim & Phillips, Peter W.B., 2017. "The Social Determinants of Cognitive Bias: The Effects of Low Capability on Decision Making in a Framing Experiment," SocArXiv u62cx, Center for Open Science.
    6. John A. List, 2024. "Optimally generate policy-based evidence before scaling," Nature, Nature, vol. 626(7999), pages 491-499, February.
    7. Nicolas Jacquemet & Adam Zylbersztejn, 2014. "What drives failure to maximize payoffs in the lab? A test of the inequality aversion hypothesis," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 18(4), pages 243-264, December.
    8. Dai, Zhixin & Zheng, Jiwei & Zizzo, Daniel John, 2024. "Theories of reasoning and focal point play with a matched non-student sample," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    9. Jenny C Su & Chi-Yue Chiu & Wei-Fang Lin & Shigehiro Oishi, 2016. "Social Monitoring Matters for Deterring Social Deviance in Stable but Not Mobile Socio-Ecological Contexts," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-13, November.
    10. Goran Calic & Moren Lévesque & Anton Shevchenko, 2024. "On why women-owned businesses take more time to secure microloans," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 917-938, October.
    11. Sirola, Nina, 2023. "Going beyond the call of duty under conditions of economic threat: Integrating life history and temporal dilemma perspectives," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    12. Holli-Anne Passmore & Ying Yang & Sarena Sabine, 2022. "An Extended Replication Study of the Well-Being Intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI)," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2663-2683, August.
    13. Pamela Jakiela & Edward Miguel & Vera Velde, 2015. "You’ve earned it: estimating the impact of human capital on social preferences," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(3), pages 385-407, September.
    14. Epton, Tracy & Ghio, Daniela & Ballard, Lisa M. & Allen, Sarah F. & Kassianos, Angelos P. & Hewitt, Rachael & Swainston, Katherine & Fynn, Wendy Irene & Rowland, Vickie & Westbrook, Juliette & Jenkins, 2022. "Interventions to promote physical distancing behaviour during infectious disease pandemics or epidemics: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    15. Romina Boarini & Margherita Comola & Femke Keulenaer & Robert Manchin & Conal Smith, 2013. "Can Governments Boost People’s Sense of Well-Being? The Impact of Selected Labour Market and Health Policies on Life Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(1), pages 105-120, October.
    16. Leon D. Lotter & Amin Saberi & Justine Y. Hansen & Bratislav Misic & Casey Paquola & Gareth J. Barker & Arun L. W. Bokde & Sylvane Desrivières & Herta Flor & Antoine Grigis & Hugh Garavan & Penny Gowl, 2024. "Regional patterns of human cortex development correlate with underlying neurobiology," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    17. El Harbi, Sana & Bekir, Insaf & Grolleau, Gilles & Sutan, Angela, 2015. "Efficiency, equality, positionality: What do people maximize? Experimental vs. hypothetical evidence from Tunisia," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 77-84.
    18. Jorge Sinval & M. Joseph Sirgy & Dong-Jin Lee & João Marôco, 2020. "The Quality of Work Life Scale: Validity Evidence from Brazil and Portugal," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(5), pages 1323-1351, November.
    19. Cornand, Camille & Hubert, Paul, 2020. "On the external validity of experimental inflation forecasts: A comparison with five categories of field expectations," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    20. Steger, Diana & Schroeders, Ulrich & Wilhelm, Oliver, 2019. "On the dimensionality of crystallized intelligence: A smartphone-based assessment," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 76-85.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:24:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00588-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.