Individual‐oriented and socially oriented cultural conceptions of subjective well‐being: Conceptual analysis and scale development

Abstract

Adopting a ‘cross‐cultural indigenous approach’ (CCI), we attempted a conceptual analysis of cultural conceptions of SWB in terms of individual‐oriented SWB (ISWB) and socially oriented SWB (SSWB) views. Also incorporating findings from our previous qualitative studies, a culturally balanced and fair measurement, The Individual‐oriented and Socially oriented cultural conceptions of SWB Scales (ISSWB) was developed and evaluated in two studies involving Chinese and American participants. The 51‐item version of the new measure showed good internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity. Further analysis showed that the Chinese possessed stronger SSWB than the Americans, while the Americans possessed stronger ISWB than the Chinese. There were also intracultural differences among the Chinese people. Overall, the studies showed the utility of ISSWB scales for future studies.

Fragility of Happiness Beliefs Across 15 National Groups

“…For instance, Lu and Gilmour (2006) found that their Chinese participants were more sociallyoriented (emphasizing the effect of others and the importance of fulfilling social duties) in their understanding of happiness than the Americans, whereas the Americans were more individually oriented. For example, Americans endorsed more strongly the beliefs that happiness is a born right, that happiness is personal successes, and that happiness should be actively pursued.…”

Criteria of Subjective Personal Well-Being: Socio-Cultural Determinancy

“…Вполне очевидно то, что различные культурные ориентации задают соответствующий вектор в оценке своей жизни и своего места в ней. Так, в результате исследований Л. Лу и Р. Гилмор сделан вывод о том, что китайцы обладают более социально ориентированным благополучием, а американцы -индивидуально ориентированным [16]. В наших исследованиях было показано, что у русских психологическое благополучие обусловливается культурной характеристикой «горизонтальный индивидуализм», у казахов -«горизонтальный коллективизм», наиболее вы-раженными в соответствующих выборках [1].…”

Culture, Self, and Subjective Well-Being: Cultural Psychological and Social Change Perspectives

“…Striving for personal happiness and the recognition of such striving (personal accountability and explicit pursuit) are the defining features of individual-oriented cultural conceptions of SWB, whereas role obligations and dialectical reservation (role obligations and dialectical balance) are the defining features of social-oriented cultural conceptions of SWB. Subsequent research (Lu & Gilmour, 2006) verified that Chinese both in Taiwan and mainland China endorsed individual-oriented and social-oriented cultural conceptions of SWB with nearly equal strengths. However, Chinese still endorsed stronger socialoriented SWB than Americans, while Americans endorsed stronger individual-oriented SWB than Chinese.…”