Kuba Krys, a psychological scientist at the Polish Academy of Sciences, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the cultural nuances of well-being. According to Krys and his colleagues, well-being is a complex network of interdependent components, with individuals and cultures valuing different aspects of well-being. Some may prioritize happiness above all, while others may focus on a sense of meaning or spirituality.
This “recipe” for well-being may vary across cultures… potentially reflecting the lasting effects of ecological conditions. Researchers suggest that cultures found in more benign geographic regions, with cool, navigable waters, fewer pathogens, and a low risk of natural disasters, may place a higher value on happiness.
Historically, individuals in these societies had the means to devote more resources to pursuing happiness, “which could have contributed to the emphasis on this aspect of well-being.” This discussion highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to measuring well-being, “one that takes into account cultural differences and ecological factors.” By acknowledging these complexities… we can work towards a more culturally informed understanding of well-being. This research underscores the importance of considering the historical context in which cultures develop their values and priorities.
Originally published in the Association for Psychological Science – APS.
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In The News:
Well-being , in addition to economic development, is one of the primary compasses that international policymakers use to guide decisions about how to serve a given society, said Kuba Krys, a psychological scientist who studies the cultural nuances of well-being at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Reevaluating how we measure well-being could be an important step toward conducting more culturally informed science, he asserted.
“If subjective well-being is a network of interdependent components, then various ‘ideal mixtures’ of these components are plausible. Some people may idealize happiness above all, others may idealize sense of meaning over happiness, and yet others may idealize spirituality over happiness,” Krys and colleagues wrote. “The ‘recipe’ may vary across people and cultures.”
These cultural differences could reflect the longstanding effects of ecological conditions, Krys and colleagues suggest. WEIRD societies tend to occupy more benign geographic regions with cool, navigable waters, fewer pathogens, and a low risk of natural disasters. These cultures may place a high value on happiness because, historically, people could afford to spend more resources pursuing it, the researchers explained.
