The Implicit Affiliation Motive, Evaluations of Social Life Events, and Life Satisfaction: Findings from a Cross-Cultural Study with German and Zambian Adolescents

Abstract

Positively and negatively evaluated life events are associated with individuals’ life satisfaction. In the present study, we tested whether the link between individuals’ evaluations of life events in the social domain and their satisfaction with life is moderated by their implicit affiliation motive. Adolescent participants were recruited in Germany and Zambia. First, data on the implicit affiliation motive and life satisfaction were gathered. Approximately six to eight months later, adolescents reported on their life satisfaction again and indicated the recent occurrence of life events in the social domain. Moreover, they reported on the affective quality of those events. Analyses showed that positive evaluations of social life events predict life satisfaction only among adolescents characterized by a strong affiliation motive. This moderation effect was not qualified by individuals’ cultural background. Findings are discussed with respect to universal effects of implicit motives on individuals’ life satisfaction.