Re-exploration of subjective well-being determinants: Full-model approach with extended cross-contextual analysis

Abstract

Despite the numerous studies on the determinants of subjective wellbeing (SWB), there are still under-researched areas as follows: a full-model approach allowing un-confounded and robust estimations, extension of cross-contextual approaches, and an account of recent changes in Hofstede value dimensions. The present study aims to overcome those limitations with analyses of 59 countries from 1981 to 2013, rendering the following main findings. Individual education’s effect was methodologically affected by the reference category level of dummy variables. I found weak influence of GPRGE (governance, political rights, and gender equality) and individualism, which were associable with the ambivalent nature of intellectual autonomy. Regarding cross-contextual effects, I found that people from underdeveloped societies keep more to current pleasure, and that demand for welfare is higher in affluent and individualistic societies. A culture of uncertainty avoidance reduced the effect of national employment, because of its demotivating aspects in the workplace. Overall, variables related with hedonism, social relation, and wealth showed coherently strong effects, but social progress factors had weak relevance.

Keywords: life satisfaction, happiness, robust effects, cross-contextual approach, Hofstede value dimensions, social quality