Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
1-2020
Abstract
Past research has found a mixed relationship between age and subjective well-being. The current research advances the understanding of these findings by incorporating a cultural perspective. We tested whether the relationship between age and well-being is moderated by uncertainty avoidance, a cultural dimension dealing with society’s tolerance for ambiguity. In Study 1 (N = 64,228), using a multilevel approach with an international database, we found that older age was associated with lower well-being in countries higher in uncertainty avoidance but not in countries lower in uncertainty avoidance. Further, this cultural variation was mediated by a sense of control. In Study 2 (N = 1,025), we compared a culture with low uncertainty avoidance (the United States) with a culture with high uncertainty avoidance (Romania) and found a consistent pattern: Age was negatively associated with well-being in Romania but not in the United States. This cultural difference was mediated by the use of contrasting coping strategies associated with different levels of a sense of control.
Keywords
aging, culture, open data, open materials, uncertainty avoidance, well-being
Discipline
Gerontology | Social Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Psychological Science
Volume
31
Issue
1
First Page
51
Last Page
64
ISSN
0956-7976
Identifier
10.1177/0956797619887348
Publisher
SAGE Publications (UK and US)
Citation
LAWRIE, Smaranda, EOM, Kimin, MOZA, Daniela, GAVRELIUC, Alin, & KIM, Heejung S..(2020). Cultural variability in the association between age and well-being: The role of uncertainty avoidance. Psychological Science, 31(1), 51-64.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3115
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797619887348