The role of positive and negative emotions in life satisfaction judgment across nations.
Abstract
This study examined how the frequency of positive and negative emotions is related to life satisfaction across nations. Participants were 8,557 people from 46 countries who reported on their life satisfaction and frequency of positive and negative emotions. Multilevel analyses showed that across nations, the experience of positive emotions was more strongly related to life satisfaction than the absence of negative emotions. Yet, the cultural dimensions of individualism and survival/self-expression moderated these relationships. Negative emotional experiences were more negatively related to life satisfaction in individualistic than in collectivistic nations, and positive emotional experiences had a larger positive relationship with life satisfaction in nations that stress self-expression than in nations that value survival. These findings show how emotional aspects of the good life vary with national culture and how this depends on the values that characterize one's society. Although to some degree, positive and negative emotions might be universally viewed as desirable and undesirable, respectively, there appear to be clear cultural differences in how relevant such emotional experiences are to quality of life.
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The unique link between positive emotions and subjective well-being above and beyond negative affect and psychopathology symptoms suggests that interventions targeting the positive emotion system may fill a particularly important gap left by extant treatments.
“The unique link between positive emotions and subjective well-being above and beyond negative affect and psychopathology symptoms34, 35 suggests that interventions targeting the positive emotion system may fill a particularly important gap left by extant treatments.”
From Upregulating the positive affect system in anxiety and depression: Outcomes of a positive activity intervention: <scp>Taylor et al.</scp> (2017) · cites this paper as [35]
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- Authors
- Kuppens, P., Realo, A., & Diener, E.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- University of Tartu (EE)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2008
- Volume
- 95
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 66-75
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2128987172
- Cited by
- 601
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 88 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 26
- FWCI
- 23.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Research Council (GOA/05/04)
- Estonian Science Foundation (6797)
- Estonian Ministry of Science and Education (182585s03)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Keywords
- positive emotions, negative emotions, life satisfaction, cross-national differences, individualism-collectivism, self-expression, survival value, cultural values, quality of life, emotional well-being
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Emotions, Female, Humans, Individuation, Judgment, Male, Personal Satisfaction, Personality Inventory, Quality of Life, Social Identification, Social Values
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