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The Role of Cultural Heterogeneity in Strengthening the Link Between Family Relationships and Life Satisfaction in 50 Societies

Author

Listed:
  • Liman Man Wai Li

    (The Education University of Hong Kong)

  • Vivian Miu-Chi Lun

    (Lingnan University)

  • Michael Harris Bond

    (Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • June Chun Yeung

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • Eric Raymond Igou

    (University of Limerick)

  • Brian W. Haas

    (University of Georgia)

  • Stanislava Stoyanova

    (South-West University “Neofit Rilski”)

  • Fridanna Maricchiolo

    (University of Roma Tre)

  • John M. Zelenski

    (Carleton University)

  • Christin-Melanie Vauclair

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

  • Yukiko Uchida

    (Kyoto University)

  • Iva Poláčková Šolcová

    (Czech Academy of Sciences)

  • David Sirlopú

    (Universidad San Sebastián)

  • Joonha Park

    (Kyoto University)

  • Aleksandra Kosiarczyk

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Agata Kocimska-Zych

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Colin A. Capaldi

    (Carleton University)

  • Mladen Adamovic

    (King’s College London)

  • Charity S. Akotia

    (University of Ghana)

  • Isabelle Albert

    (University of Luxembourg)

  • Lily Appoh

    (Nord University)

  • Douglas Arevalo

    (Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas)

  • Arno Baltin

    (Tallinn University)

  • Patrick Denoux

    (Université Toulouse II)

  • Alejandra Domínguez-Espinosa

    (Iberoamerican University)

  • Carla Sofia Esteves

    (Universidade Católica Portuguesa)

  • Vladimer Gamsakhurdia

    (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University)

  • Márta Fülöp

    (Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church
    Research Centre of Natural Sciences)

  • 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

    (Bahçeşehir University)

  • Natalia Kascakova

    (Palacky University
    Psychiatric Clinic Pro Mente Sana)

  • Lucie Klůzová Kračmárová

    (Czech Academy of Sciences)

  • Olga Kostoula

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz)

  • Nicole Kronberger

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz)

  • Anna Kwiatkowska

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • J. Hannah Lee

    (Indiana University Northwest)

  • Xinhui Liu

    (Universidad del Desarollo)

  • Magdalena Łużniak-Piecha

    (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities)

  • Arina Malyonova

    (Dostoevsky Omsk State University)

  • Pablo Eduardo Barrientos Marroquin

    (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

    (National University of Medical Sciences)

  • 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 del Oeste
    Universidad National de Hurlingham)

  • 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)

  • Vivian L. Vignoles

    (University of Sussex)

  • Cai Xing

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Kuba Krys

    (Polish Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

We argue that the importance of family relationships for individual well-being varies across societies as a function of a society’s degree of cultural heterogeneity. To examine the role of family relationships, we analyzed the responses from 13,009 participants in 50 societies on their life satisfaction across societies varying in their levels of historical and contemporary cultural heterogeneity. Such heterogeneity creates differences in the frequency of interacting with unfamiliar groups, which leads families to become more central to their members’ satisfaction with life. Multi-level analyses showed that historical and contemporary cultural heterogeneity moderated the pattern such that greater historical or contemporary cultural heterogeneity of society promoted a stronger positive relation between family relationship satisfaction and individual life satisfaction. Our results also revealed that the moderating role of historical cultural heterogeneity was more reliable than that of contemporary cultural heterogeneity. These findings demonstrate the importance of societal demography in shaping people’s psychological processes in different historical periods, suggesting a universal, trans-historical cultural process.

Suggested Citation

  • Liman Man Wai Li & Vivian Miu-Chi Lun & Michael Harris Bond & June Chun Yeung & Eric Raymond Igou & Brian W. Haas & Stanislava Stoyanova & Fridanna Maricchiolo & John M. Zelenski & Christin-Melanie Va, 2024. "The Role of Cultural Heterogeneity in Strengthening the Link Between Family Relationships and Life Satisfaction in 50 Societies," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 1-25, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:25:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-024-00768-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-024-00768-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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