Self, the Hyphen Between Culture and Subjective Well-being
Author(s)
Suh, Eunkook M.
Abstract
Suh addresses one important variable, the self. He finds that factors such as self-esteem and self-consistency, which are both believed to be central to optimal functioning in the western nations of Europe and North America, are not such strong correlates of life satisfaction in East Asian cultures. Suh also shows how the relation of affective happiness and life satisfaction varies across societies. In brief, individualists use their emotions more to judge their life satisfaction, whereas collectivists tend to rely more heavily on social appraisals.
