Cultural Identity, Meaning Search, and Life Satisfaction: Collectivism as a Moderator

Abstract

This study sought to clarify the mixed correlations between meaning search and life satisfaction observed among participants from collectivist cultures and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms. It was hypothesized that cultural identity may predict greater meaning search, and the effect of meaning search on life satisfaction may be moderated by individual-level collectivism. These hypotheses were tested with a cross-sectional design (Study 1) and a longitudinal design (Study 2). Study 1 (n = 954) revealed that cultural identity was associated with higher meaning search, and higher meaning search was associated with greater life satisfaction; collectivism moderated the latter association. Study 2 (n = 158) tested two types of meaning search: constructive meaning search and ruminative meaning search. Results from the half-longitudinal mediation analyses showed that T1 cultural identity positively predicted T2 constructive meaning search, and T1 constructive meaning search positively predicted T2 life satisfaction; these results did not hold for ruminative meaning search. Moderation analyses, again, demonstrated a moderating role of collectivism. As such, the positive relationship between meaning search and life satisfaction was held among participants with low collectivism, but not among those with high collectivism. This research echoes the call for testing accessible cultural mindsets and highlights the necessity of doing so.