IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v25y2024i6d10.1007_s10902-024-00768-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-024-00768-1
    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/s10902-024-00768-1?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. Alberto Alesina & Paola Giuliano & Nathan Nunn, 2013. "On the Origins of Gender Roles: Women and the Plough," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 128(2), pages 469-530.
    2. Louis Putterman & David N. Weil, 2010. "Post-1500 Population Flows and The Long-Run Determinants of Economic Growth and Inequality," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(4), pages 1627-1682.
    3. Lim, Chaeyoon & Putnam, Robert David, 2010. "Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction," Scholarly Articles 11105537, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    4. Takeshi Hamamura & Liman Man Wai Li & Derwin Chan, 2017. "The Association Between Generalized Trust and Physical and Psychological Health Across Societies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 277-286, October.
    5. Ashley B. Love & Mark D. Holder, 2016. "Can Romantic Relationship Quality Mediate the Relation Between Psychopathy and Subjective Well-Being?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2407-2429, December.
    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. Clemens, Michael A. & Pritchett, Lant, 2019. "The new economic case for migration restrictions: An assessment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 153-164.
    2. Ertan, Arhan & Fiszbein, Martin & Putterman, Louis, 2016. "Who was colonized and when? A cross-country analysis of determinants," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 165-184.
    3. Carl-Johan Dalgaard & Holger Strulik, 2015. "The physiological foundations of the wealth of nations," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 37-73, March.
    4. Maseland, Robbert, 2021. "Contingent determinants," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    5. Justin Cook, C., 2014. "Potatoes, milk, and the Old World population boom," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 123-138.
    6. Oded Galor & Ömer Özak, 2016. "The Agricultural Origins of Time Preference," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(10), pages 3064-3103, October.
    7. Andrew Dickens, 2022. "Understanding Ethnolinguistic Differences: The Roles of Geography and Trade," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(643), pages 953-980.
    8. Eleonora Guarnieri & Ana Tur-Prats, 2023. "Cultural Distance and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 138(3), pages 1817-1861.
    9. Oded Galor & Viacheslav Savitskiy, 2018. "Climatic Roots of Loss Aversion," NBER Working Papers 25273, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Fredriksson, Per G. & Mohanty, Aatishya, 2021. "Sunlight and Culture," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 757-782.
    11. Paola Giuliano & Nathan Nunn, 2018. "Ancestral Characteristics of Modern Populations," Economic History of Developing Regions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Davis, Lewis S. & Mavisakalyan, Astghik, 2024. "Individualism and the legal status of prostitution," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 714-732.
    13. Israel Eruchimovitch & Moti Michaeli & Assaf Sarid, 2024. "On the coevolution of individualism and institutions," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 391-432, September.
    14. Ang, James B. & Madsen, Jakob B. & Wang, Wen, 2021. "Rice farming, culture and democracy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    15. Depetris-Chauvin, Emilio & Özak, Ömer, 2016. "The Origins and Long-Run Consequences of the Division of Labor," MPRA Paper 74703, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Thomas Dohmen & Benjamin Enke & Armin Falk & David Huffman & Uwe Sunde, 2016. "Patience and the Wealth of Nations," Working Papers 2016-012, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    17. Ying Bai & James Kai-sing Kung, 2022. "Surname distance and technology diffusion: the case of the adoption of maize in late imperial China," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 569-607, December.
    18. Anke Becker & Benjamin Enke & Armin Falk, 2020. "Ancient Origins of the Global Variation in Economic Preferences," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 110, pages 319-323, May.
    19. Galor, Oded & Ashraf, Quamrul, 2007. "Cultural Assimilation, Cultural Diffusion and the Origin of the Wealth of Nations," CEPR Discussion Papers 6444, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. Enrico Spolaore & Romain Wacziarg, 2013. "How Deep Are the Roots of Economic Development?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(2), pages 325-369, June.

    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:25:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-024-00768-1. 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.