1 research outputs found
Putting the âWeâ Into Wellâbeing: Using CollectivismâThemed Measures of WellâBeing Attenuates Wellâbeing's Association With Individualism
Studies repeatedly have documented that societal wellâbeing is associated with individualism. Most of these studies, however, have conceptualized/measured wellâbeing as individual life satisfactionâa type of wellâbeing that originates in Western research traditions. Drawing from the latest research on interdependent happiness and on family wellâbeing, we posit that people across cultures pursue different types of wellâbeing, and test whether more collectivismâthemed types of wellâbeing that originate in Confucian traditions also are associated with individualism. Based on data collected from 2,036 participants across 12 countries, we find support for the association between individual life satisfaction and individualism at the societal level, but show that wellâbeing's association with individualism is attenuated when some collectivismâthemed measures of wellâbeing are considered. Our article advances knowledge on the flourishing of societies by suggesting that individualism may not always be strongly linked with societal wellâbeing. Implications for public policies are signaled