PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN Oishi et al. / CROSS-CULTURAL VARIATIONS Cross-Cultural Variations in Predictors of Life Satisfaction: Perspectives From Needs and Values
The authors tested for cross-cultural difference in predictors of life satisfaction. In Study 1 (39 nations, N = 54,446) What predicts people's life satisfaction? To answer this question, subjective well-being (SWB) researchers have investigated various demographic and personality variables, ranging from income, education, and marital status to self-esteem, optimism, extraversion, and neuroticism (see Myers & Diener, 1995, for a review). Prior research has shown that personality variables such as self-esteem, optimism, and frequent positive emotional experiences predict one's level of life satisfaction (e.g.
