The role of life values in subjective well-being in university students across cultures: Comparison of Czech, South African, and Maltese samples
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | In our cross-cultural comparative study, we compared the level of subjective well-being among South African, Czech and Maltese university students and explored the link between life values and cognitive and affective components of subjective well-being. The research sample (N = 390, aged 18 to 30 years, M = 21.58) consisted of 110 South African, 165 Czech and 115 Maltese university students, who completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Happiness Measure, and the Valued Living Questionnaire. Basic demographic data were also obtained. Non-random convenience sampling was used for participant recruitment. The data were analysed using the IBM SPSS 18 software. The results of analysis showed that the level of life satisfaction did not differ significantly between the Czech sample (m = 23.64) and the Maltese sample (m = 22.84), who both scored around the average according to the norms (i.e. 20 to 24; Diener, 2006). However, South African students tended to be significantly more satisfied with their lives than the two other groups (m = 25.57). Regarding the intensity of experienced happiness as measured by the Happiness Measure, the Czech sample (m = 6.98) and the Maltese sample (m = 6.80) did not differ significantly. Average experienced happiness was significantly higher in South African respondents who scored above-average (m = 7.42). Cultural differences in both predictors of subjective well-being and hierarchy of life values between all three samples were explored. Our study has shown that cultures might differ in the amount of importance they assign to various life values, and that cognitive and affective components of SWB might be predicted by unique variables. |