Does It Pay to Be Authentic? Implications of Authenticity for Life Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being in a Collectivist Culture

Abstract

Extant literature has shown that authenticity is positively related with life satisfaction and psychological well-being. Nonetheless, most of the previous research has been conducted in Western and European individualistic countries. The association of authenticity with life satisfaction and psychological well-being in the Asian collectivist context remains unexplored. In addition, previous research has not investigated the psychological processes that link authenticity to life satisfaction and well-being. To void these gaps, the current research investigated the association of authenticity with life satisfaction and psychological well-being, while examining the mediating role of emotional expressiveness in these associations. For the present study, data were collected from 254 employees from India, a predominantly collectivist culture. Standardized measures were used to assess the research constructs. The results of the study show positive associations between authenticity, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Specifically, the results show that the greater the individuals’ authenticity, the higher their life satisfaction and psychological well-being. In addition, the research shows that individuals high on authenticity are more emotionally expressive than individuals who are low on authenticity. This research provides evidence regarding the implications of authenticity for individuals’ psychological health and well-being in Asian collectivist context.