Life values and subjective well-being among university students across cultures : Comparison of Czech, North Indian and South Indian samples
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| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | There is a growing interest in cross-cultural comparison of level of well-being and its determinants across nations. The current study explores the role of life values in subjective well-being in two different countries: Czech Republic and India, which differ in many of the cultural dimensions, specifically in individualism, power distance, long term orientation, and uncertainty avoidance. The main objective of this study was to compare levels of affective and cognitive components of subjective well-being and preferences of life values among university students in Czech Republic and India (North and South sample). We hypothesized significant cultural differences in the level of well-being determined by preference of specific life values. Data were obtained through an online anonymous questionnaire and processed using IBM SPSS23. The sample consisted of 165 Czech, 168 North Indian, and 187 South Indian respondents (309 male, 211 female, aged 17 to 33). Subjective well-being was measured by two scales: The Satisfaction with Life Scale to measure the cognitive component and The Happiness Measure to measure the affective component. Life values were measured by The Valued Living Questionnaire. Data was analyzed via descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, linear regression analysis, independent-samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The results indicate statistically significant differences between Czech, North Indian and South Indian samples in subjective well-being and preference of life values. North Indian students are happier and more satisfied with their lives than the Southern peers. South Indian students are more satisfied with their lives than Czechs. In the whole sample, females scored significantly higher in life satisfaction and intensity of happiness than males. Perceived importance of the life value Family and satisfaction with this value were placed on the top places among all samples. The life values Citizenship and Friends showed significant relationships to subjective well-being only for Indian samples. The results revealed culturally specific context and differences in the level of subjective well-being and life values. The outcomes suggest that happiness and life satisfaction can be compared across cultures and even in the two samples of one country and used as an indicator of how well students thrive in a society. |