Dimensions of national culture as predictors of cross-national differences in subjective well-being

Abstract

The value of predicting cross-national variations in Subjective Well-Being (SWB) from Hofstede's dimensions of national culture (1980) was examined using data collected in 36 nations. The Hofstede dimensions were: Individualism - Collectivism (IDV), Power Distance (PDI), Masculinity - Femininity (MAS), and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI). With factors other than the Hofstede dimensions of national culture (National Wealth/Purchasing Power, Civil Rights and Income Social Comparison) being equal across nations, low UAI succeeded in predicting high national levels of SWB. As anticipated, a significant negative interaction was observed between MAS and National Wealth in predicting national SWB levels: in the poorer countries Masculinity correlated positively with SWB, whereas a negative association was observed for the subset of richer countries. Relatively speaking, feminine-rich countries reported the highest SWB levels. The predictive capability of MAS × National Wealth was independent of that of UAI. The predictive capabilities of MAS × National Wealth and UAI were both independent of national character. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.