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Pancultural explanations for life satisfaction: adding relationship harmony to self-esteem
V S Kwan1, M H Bond, T M Singelis
1Department of Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|November 19, 1997
Summary
Relationship harmony and self-esteem both predict life satisfaction. Cultural factors influence their relative importance, with relationship harmony being more significant in collectivist cultures like Hong Kong.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cross-cultural psychology
- Social psychology
Background:
- Life satisfaction is a key indicator of well-being.
- Self-esteem and relationship harmony are proposed predictors of life satisfaction.
- Cultural differences may influence the interplay of these factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the additive effect of relationship harmony and self-esteem on life satisfaction.
- To investigate cultural variations in the predictive power of relationship harmony and self-esteem.
- To explore the mediating roles of self-esteem and relationship harmony in the relationship between self-construals, personality factors, and life satisfaction across cultures.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study using student samples from the United States and Hong Kong.
- Statistical analysis to assess predictive relationships and mediation effects.
- Utilized established measures for self-esteem, relationship harmony, self-construals, and personality factors.
Main Results:
- Relationship harmony and self-esteem showed an additive effect in predicting life satisfaction.
- Relationship harmony was a stronger predictor of self-esteem in Hong Kong compared to the United States, aligning with collectivist cultural dynamics.
- Independent and interdependent self-construals, along with the Big Five personality factors, influenced life satisfaction through self-esteem and relationship harmony in both cultures.
Conclusions:
- Relationship harmony is a significant, culture-general predictor of life satisfaction, alongside self-esteem.
- Cultural collectivism influences the relative importance of relationship harmony.
- Self-esteem and relationship harmony act as crucial mediators for culture-general determinants of life satisfaction.