Culture and Personality on Psychology Well-being Research

Abstract

The present study examined the interplay of personality and cultural factors in the prediction of the affective (e.g., emotional stability) and the cognitive (e.g., life satisfaction) components of psychological wellbeing (PWB).This study predicted that the influence of personality on life satisfaction is mediated by emotional stability (Study 1) and the relationship between emotional stability and life satisfaction is moderated by culture (study 2). As a consequence, they predicted that the influence of personality on life satisfaction is mediated by different cultures. College student participants from three cultures [Korea, China, Chosun (Chinese of Korean extraction)] completed measures of autonomy, self-esteem, emotional stability, and life satisfaction. As predicted, autonomy, selfesteem, emotional stability in all cultures, and emotional stability were stronger predictors on life satisfaction in democratic than the ones in socialistic cultures. The influence of autonomy and self-esteem on life satisfaction was largely mediated by individuals’ emotional stability. The results suggest that the influence of personality on the emotional component of PWB is pancultural, whereas the influence of personality on the cognitive component of PWB is moderated by different cultures. Results also suggest greater internalization of horizontal (personality) than vertical (regional) practices. Finally, implications and limitations of this study as well as suggestions for future studies are discussed.