Cross-cultural study of well-being among Finnish and American students : comparing the predictive power of value congruence and intrinsic life-goal fulfillment
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The focus of this study was to investigate to what degree two social psychological theories were capable to explain the experiences of well-being among Finnish and American students. The main interest of the study was, whether the intrinsic, psychological goal fulfillment predicts well-being better than the individuals' values' consistency with the prevailing environment. The study sample (N=229) consists of political science students collected from University of Helsinki and Utah State University. The study question was approached quantitatively via Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Aspirations Index (AT), and Schwartz' Value Survey (SVS). Along with providing answers to the hypotheses derived from the main study interest, the construct validity and measurement equivalence of Aspirations Index were examined. The scales and hypotheses were investigated via explorative and confirmatory factor analyses, correlations, and multiple hierachical regression analyses. Based on the previous research, the intrinsic life-goal fulfillment derived from self-determination theory was expected to predict the well-being to greater degree than the value congruence. This prediction was also confirmed in this study. More specifically, the attainment of extrinsic (wealth, fame and image) lifegoals was negatively or not related to well-being, whereas the intrinsic goals (personal growth, social relatedness, and community contribution) were positively related to well-being, excluding the attainment of community contribution. Against the predictions, the value congruence of Finnish students was not positively related to well-being, whereas the positive relationship was found from the American sample. According to adjusted R2 statistics, the attainment of enduring, deep, social relationships was the best predictor for students' well-being in both investigated countries. When the cross-cultural applicability of Aspirations Index was examined, the construct validity as well as the measurement equivalence of the scale were confirmed in this study. The most relevant references concerning the theoretical and methodological frames of the study were Deci & Ryan (1985), Schwartz (1992), Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin (1985), and Cohen, Cohen, West & Aiken (2003).
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Kaisa Kaseva
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2990183003