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Cultural Evolution Shifts the Source of Happiness from Religion to Subjective Freedom

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Minkov

    (Varna University of Management
    University of Tartu)

  • Christian Welzel

    (Leuphana University)

  • Michael Schachner

    (Hofstede Insights Inc.)

Abstract

Numerous studies have reported a positive individual-level association between happiness and two psychologically distinct states of mind: religious faith and subjective freedom (a feeling of life control). Although the strength of these relationships varies across countries, no general pattern driving this variation has been shown so far. After surveying 40,534 randomly selected respondents from 43 nations, we find that in countries where happiness is more closely related to religious faith, it is less strongly associated with subjective freedom, and vice versa. We have also identified the driving force behind this inverse relationship. Rising individualism and emancipative values, as an outcome of modernization, diminish the importance of religious faith for people’s happiness, while increasing the importance of subjective freedom. We conclude that the dominant emancipatory direction of cultural evolution favors freedom over religion.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Minkov & Christian Welzel & Michael Schachner, 2020. "Cultural Evolution Shifts the Source of Happiness from Religion to Subjective Freedom," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2873-2888, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:8:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00203-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00203-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mohsen Joshanloo, 2011. "Investigation of the Contribution of Spirituality and Religiousness to Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Iranian Young Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(6), pages 915-930, December.
    2. Frijters, Paul & Beatton, Tony, 2012. "The mystery of the U-shaped relationship between happiness and age," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 525-542.
    3. Jeff Levin, 2014. "Religion and Happiness Among Israeli Jews: Findings from the ISSP Religion III Survey," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 593-611, June.
    4. Christian Welzel & Ronald Inglehart, 2010. "Agency, Values, and Well-Being: A Human Development Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 43-63, May.
    5. Lim, Chaeyoon & Putnam, Robert David, 2010. "Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction," Scholarly Articles 11105537, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    6. Liesbeth Snoep, 2008. "Religiousness and happiness in three nations: a research note," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 207-211, June.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Dieudonne Mignamissi & Yselle Flora Malah Kuete, 2020. "What Makes Africans Happy?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(4), pages 2741-2754.
    3. Hock‐Eam Lim & Daigee Shaw & Le‐Yu Chen & Pei‐Shan Liao, 2023. "Distributional Effects of Freedom and Income on Life Satisfaction: Evidence from East Asian Chinese Societies," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 37(1), pages 113-143, March.
    4. Fernando Bruna, 2022. "Happy Cultures? A Multilevel Model of Well-Being with Individual and Contextual Human Values," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 55-77, November.

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