Residents of poor nations have a greater sense of meaning in life than residents of wealthy nations

Psychological Science
Shigehiro Oishi, E Diener

Abstract

Using Gallup World Poll data, we examined the role of societal wealth for meaning in life across 132 nations. Although life satisfaction was substantially higher in wealthy nations than in poor nations, meaning in life was higher in poor nations than in wealthy nations. In part, meaning in life was higher in poor nations because people in those nations were more religious. The mediating role of religiosity remained significant after we controlled for potential third variables, such as education, fertility rate, and individualism. As Frankl (1963) stated in Man's Search for Meaning, it appears that meaning can be attained even under objectively dire living conditions, and religiosity plays an important role in this search.

References

Jan 1, 1990·Psychological Review·R F Baumeister
Dec 1, 1983·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·S Stack
Aug 1, 1998·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·L A King, C K Napa
Dec 18, 2001·Journal of Clinical Psychology·M J Edwards, R R Holden
Feb 2, 2006·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Laura A KingAmber K Del Gaiso
Jun 23, 2006·Twin Research and Human Genetics : the Official Journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·Bengt MuthénIrene Rebollo
Nov 18, 2006·Science·Kathleen D VohsMiranda R Goode
Jan 1, 2008·Social Forces; a Scientific Medium of Social Study and Interpretation·Sarah R Hayford, S Philip Morgan
Oct 31, 2012·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Ed DienerShigehiro Oishi
Apr 27, 2013·Psychological Science·Samantha J HeintzelmanLaura A King

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 24, 2015·Annual Review of Psychology·Ara Norenzayan
Oct 18, 2014·Frontiers in Psychology·Toon Kuppens, Thomas V Pollet
Apr 20, 2017·Journal of Personality·David B NewmanTodd M Thrash
Aug 24, 2017·Revista brasileira de psiquiatria : orgão oficial da Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria, Asociación Psiquiátrica de la América Latina·André R SimioniGiovanni A Salum
Jan 13, 2018·Frontiers in Psychology·Antonella Delle FaveFrancesco Patti
Dec 18, 2018·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Cindel J M WhiteMark Schaller
Jul 30, 2020·The International Journal of Social Psychiatry·Ahmed M Abdel-KhalekDavid Lester
Jun 8, 2018·PeerJ·Oleg N Medvedev, C Erik Landhuis
Jan 15, 2019·Collabra. Psychology·Ed DienerShigehiro Oishi
Dec 25, 2019·International Journal of Epidemiology·Michael Y NiGabriel M Leung
Mar 8, 2016·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·Ara NorenzayanJoseph Henrich
Aug 13, 2020·International Journal of Psychology : Journal International De Psychologie·Hisham Abu-RaiyaPninit Russo-Netzer
Sep 9, 2020·Annual Review of Psychology·Laura A King, Joshua A Hicks

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Mplus

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.