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Culture-Specific Patterns in the Prediction of Life Satisfaction: Roles of Emotion, Relationship Quality, and Self-Esteem

University of California, Davis, sun-mee.kang{at}csun.edu, skang{at}csun.edu

Phillip R. Shaver

University of California, Davis

Stanley Sue

University of California, Davis

Kyung-Hwan Min

Seoul National University

Hauibin Jing

Sun Yet-Sen University

This study was conducted to explore the culture-specific roles of emotion, relationship quality, and self-esteem in determining life satisfaction. It was hypothesized that maintaining good interpersonal relationships would make individuals in collectivistic cultures not only feel good about their lives but also feel better about themselves. Furthermore, two emotion variables—emotional expression and emotion differentiation—were proposed as possible determinants of relationship quality. It was hypothesized that emotional expressiveness would be more important for maintaining good interpersonal relationships in individualistic societies but emotion differentiation would be more important in collectivistic cultures. These hypotheses were tested with Euro-American, Asian American, Korean, and Chinese groups using multigroup analyses in a structural equation model. Results supported all proposed hypotheses and indicated that emotion differentiation contributes to maintaining good interpersonal relationships in collectivistic cultures, which contributes to self-esteem and satisfaction with life.

Key Words: culture • emotion • interpersonal relationships • life satisfaction

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