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The Quality of Life in China

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Abstract

The Asia Barometer Survey of 2,000 respondents reveals that substantial majorities of the Chinese people experience feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and accomplishment. In fact, the proportion experiencing these indicators of a high quality of life are larger in China than in some more prosperous countries. Favorable historical comparison, sustained high economic growth, satisfaction with interpersonal life, and a high percentage of married people are among the explanations for China’s prevalence of subjective well-being. The Chinese people’s high levels of satisfaction with their interpersonal, material, and nonmaterial life domains, their positive assessments of their relative living standards, and their high rate of marriage are three direct positive influences on subjective well-being. Value priorities and other demographic characteristics also have indirect bearings on subjective well-being in China.

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... Quality of Life (QOL) and well-being (WB) are multidimensional concepts that measure objective and subjective life conditions of individuals or societies (Rapley 2003;Shu and Zhu 2014). Philosophers in both the East and West believe that well-being is not only about seeking pleasure, but also about "striving for perfection that represents the realization of one's true potential" (Bruni 2010, p. 391). ...
... They include intensified income and wealth inequality, environmental pollution, health care shortage, aging population, and human rights violations (World Bank 2021; Chaney 2017). The state continues its one-party rule and controls all of the vital institutions and industries, including government, military, courts, natural resources, energy, telecommunications, and banking (Shu and Zhu 2014). ...
... hand, only a minority are satisfied with the public life sphere including the environment, public safety, the democratic system, and the social welfare system. Those dissatisfied with the social welfare system are nearly four times as numerous as the satisfied (Shu and Zhu 2014). ...
... In recent decades, China's economic success has improved the quality of life of Chinese people, evidenced by longer life expectancy, increased income, more educational attainment, and substantially improved subjective wellbeing (Shu and Zhu 2009). Since the rising subjective wellbeing (SWB) is situated in the context of a transitional economy with rapid economic growth accompanied by severe inequalities (Bian and Logan 1996;Wu and Li 2017), scholars are naturally curious about its determinants and the mechanisms driving it. ...
... In recent years, with increasingly available social survey data, Chinese people's SWB has become a hot topic in social science research (Appleton and Song 2008;Asadullah, Xiao, and Yeoh 2018;Chyi and Mao 2012;Ren and Treiman 2015;Shu and Zhu 2009;Tang 2014;Wang and Xie 2015;Wu and Li 2017;Xin and Smyth 2010;Zhao 2012;Zhou and Xie 2016). As mentioned, some of the findings listed below are consistent with global patterns, while others show the uniqueness of the Chinese context. ...
... Second, in China, state power and individuals' political status are central in shaping the quality of life, career opportunities, and access to resources and welfare (Appleton and Song 2008;McLaughlin 2017;Shu and Zhu 2009;Walder 2003). Affiliation with the Communist Party and employment in the state-owned sectors (vis-a-vis private sectors) are positively associated with an advantageous situation in China's distributional system, which implies a positive impact on SWB. ...
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This paper investigates disparities in subjective well-being in China by analyzing the Chinese General Social Survey (2003-2015). Our hierarchical age-period-cohort (HAPC) models reveal how Chinese Communist Party membership, the urban-rural divide, and cohort differences have jointly shaped levels of happiness. Interestingly, the significance of political status in shaping happiness varies profoundly across birth cohorts and locations of residence. In earlier cohorts (19101948), Communist Party members in rural areas have a considerable advantage over non-members, but this advantage gradually diminishes later, except the 1977-1985 cohort. The advantage of urban party membership keeps increasing up to the cohort born during 1957-1965 but declines rapidly after that. Findings suggest that in the planned economy, political status plays a central role in promoting subjective well-being especially in urban China; the transition to a market economy in post-Mao China has reduced political disparities among younger cohorts, mainly for urban residents.
... Although there is an increasing interest in studying subjective well-being (SWB) in China [12,13], most studies have been conducted in urban areas [14][15][16][17], with only a few available for rural areas [18][19][20]. The Household Health Survey (HHS) 2010 (n = 8,000, aged 15-102 years) was carried out in both urban and rural areas, and a validated Chinese version of a question on self-reported happiness, adopted from the World Values Survey, was included to measure SWB. ...
... Most studies on SWB have been performed in Western countries [89,94,[99][100][101]; however, there is increasing interest in studying SWB in China as well [12,13]. In China, most studies have been conducted in urban areas [14][15][16][17], with only a few available for rural areas [18][19][20]. ...
... In China, most studies have been conducted in urban areas [14][15][16][17], with only a few available for rural areas [18][19][20]. Findings from studies of SWB in China [13][14][15][16][17][18][19] are similar to findings from Western countries [89,90,94,100]. There is typically a Ushaped relationship between age and SWB, indicating the lowest SWB among the middle-aged group. ...
... Nonetheless, these studies rarely consider the impact of historical context across the life course. A national study of subjective wellbeing in China based on a 2006 sample also found a negative age effect for those aged 40-49, but it is unclear whether this is indicative of a convex age effect or a negative cohort effect for those born in 1957-1966(Shu and Zhu, 2009). Our work seeks to clarify the relative influences of these two factors. ...
... Economic growth gives people the feeling that opportunities exist and that it is within their power to improve their lives (Whyte, 2010). Chinese people compare their relative economic prosperity to memories of economic difficulties in their childhood and youth and arrive at a favorable assessment of their present situation (Shu and Zhu, 2009;Whyte, 2010). Both spatial and temporal analyses of data from the CGSS have verified a rising sense of life satisfaction in line with economic growth (Wu and Li, 2017;Zhou and Xie, 2016). ...
Article
This paper analyzes the intersection of individual lives and historical context by examining how cohort membership, historical conditions, and individual maturation influence subjective well-being in urban China. We use cross-classified multilevel models and repeated measures of happiness from seven waves of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS 2003–2013, N = 43,308). The results indicate that individuals born between 1956 and 1961 experienced setbacks at various pivotal moments throughout their life, including education, employment, economic stability, and social connections, and this cohort reports a lower overall sense of happiness when compared to other cohorts. The effect of aging on happiness comprises a U-shaped pattern; the middle-aged are the least happy. We observe an upward trend in happiness from 2003 to 2013. These results are confirmed by using subjective socioeconomic status (SES) as an alternative measure of well-being from CGSS 2003 and CGSS 2005 (N = 11,992). This paper contributes to studies of market transition by identifying the birth cohort as an important mechanism of inequality. It also augments the life-course paradigm by highlighting the significance of timing when individual lives intersect with historical context.
... It is found that economic development could change residence types, improve medical conditions, and reduce depression levels (Cen and Yan, 2022). Sustained economic growth instills a sense of optimism in residents and improves mental health (Shu and Zhu, 2009), and stable and high-quality residence living conditions are associated with lower depressive symptoms (Liang, 2020). However, most of previous studies are limited to analyzing individuals' mental health in the context of social participation and social support, rarely from the perspectives of social relationships. ...
... Sustainable high economic growth makes residents feel free and optimistic, thus a better economy can reduce stress and compensate for the damaging effects of market transition, thereby improving the residents' mental health (Yu, 2008). There is no exception that the continued economic growth instills a sense of optimism among residents and improves their mental health (Shu and Zhu, 2009), and a stable and high-quality residence environment is associated with lower depressive symptoms (Liang, 2020). As the core index of countrywide financial accounting, the regional gross national product (GDP) is vital to measure the economic development degree of a region. ...
Article
Objectives: Weak ties are becoming mainstream in daily relationships and play an essential role in the improvement of individuals' mental health. Despite growing concerns on depression, inclusion of weak ties is limited. To address the gap, this study empirically shed light on the role of weak ties on individual depression in the context of economic development. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) with a sample of 16,545 individuals. A moderated mediation model is constructed to evaluate the impact of economic development (GDP) on the degrees of depression, the mediating effect of weak ties, and the moderating effect of residents' residence types (living in urban or rural areas). Results: Economic development exerts a significant direct impact on depression (β=-1.027, p<0.001). Weak ties are significantly negatively correlated with depression (β=-0.574, p<0.001), and act as a mediator between economic development and local individual depression. In addition, the residence type plays a moderating role between economic development and weak ties (β=0.193, p<0.001). That is, living in urban areas would introduce the higher the level of weak ties. Conclusions: Higher economic development is largely conducive to alleviating the degrees of depression, weak ties play a mediating role in economic development and depression, and residence types have a positive moderating effect on the economic development and weak ties.
... Therefore, subjective wellbeing includes both emotional experiences and cognitive evaluations (life satisfaction). Some studies have shown that socioeconomic status is a strong determining factor of satisfaction in life domains (Gtmez and Morcl, 1994), that household income has a significant effect on Chinese life satisfaction (Shu and Zhu, 2009), and that perceived personal status discrepancy has a negative correlation with life satisfaction (Zagefka and Brown, 2005). ...
... Consistent with previous research (Zagefka and Brown, 2005;Shu and Zhu, 2009), we found that relative deprivation was a significant predictor of life satisfaction. This provided additional evidence for the negative effect of relative deprivation on adolescent life satisfaction. ...
Article
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With the COVID-19 pandemic, life satisfaction among college students has become a key issue at universities and in society. The current study explores the effects of belief in a just world and resilience on the relationship between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. A total of 787 college students from universities in China completed online questionnaires. Results showed that relative deprivation was negatively correlated with life satisfaction. Belief in a just world and resilience separately mediated the relationship between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. Moreover, a serial mediating effect of belief in a just world and resilience was observed between relative deprivation and life satisfaction. These findings suggest that relative deprivation may impair individuals' beliefs in a just world. Moreover, less belief in a just world may lower resilience and consequently decrease life satisfaction. This study enriches the research field of relative deprivation theory in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides a new interpretation and intervention perspective for improving college students' life satisfaction.
... As a result, the demands and expectations on dual-earner couples with younger children is so high that family responsibilities are more and more equally shared between partners (Xu & Hiew, 2016). Thus, in terms of the transition from traditional cultures to modern values we can expect to hardly find gender differences in young couples who are born after the 1980s (Shu & Zhu, 2009). It indicates that partners may be more vulnerable to daily life stressors and therefore expect and exchange similar coping behaviors. ...
... Therefore, results cannot be generalized to newlyweds or couples with older children. Second, couples who were born in the 1970s tend to be more traditional or collectivistic than couples born in the 1980s and 1990s, who tend to be more individualistic (Shu & Zhu, 2009). In order to account for this variability, we controlled for several important aspects (e.g., age, education, marital duration, number of children) to make the results more comparable. ...
Article
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Previous empirical studies show that stress occurring outside of the relationship (referred to as external stress) can spill over into couples’ relationships, influencing dyads’ behaviors and their relationship satisfaction. There is substantial evidence that the association between external stress and relationship satisfaction is explained by 2 mediators: internal stress and dyadic coping. However, the mediation processes of internal stress and dyadic coping have solely been examined in Western couples. Accordingly, the current study aimed to test these processes in a sample of 474 Chinese couples (N = 948) using the actor–partner interdependence mediation model. Results reveal that internal stress and dyadic coping can fully mediate the association between external stress and relationship satisfaction in Chinese couples for men and women in a similar way. These findings underscore the importance of moving beyond examining stress and dyadic coping processes among couples in Eastern cultures.
... This burgeoning body of research echoes not only a remarkable improvement in the QOL of the Chinese urban population but also the rural population. More specifically, there have been two streams American Review of China Studies of QOL research concerning contemporary China: (1) population-based studies that utilized nationally representative samples to explore a wide array of QOL determinants (e.g., Shu and Zhu 2009) and (2) regional or local studies that examined and compared QOL in and across various subpopulations, such as patients with chronic diseases, caregivers, and healthy individuals (Li et al. 2004;Zhang et al. 2009). While these scholarly investigations made invaluable contributions to QOL and public health research in post-reform China, there are several research caveats that need to be carefully addressed. ...
... As such, few of these studies examined the instruments' cross-cultural applicability, especially validity. Second, as noted above, much of the previous studies utilized a wide variety of QOL instruments, including but are not limited to, the Asia Barometer Survey (Shu and Zhu 2009), the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale (Ngai 2005), the European Quality of Life (EQ-5D) (Wang et al. 2005), the International Wellbeing Index (IWI) (Chen and Davey 2009), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) (Skevington et al. 2004). Although this diversity in research instrumentation is admirable, it makes comparisons across shtdies difficult. ...
Article
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Using a large community sample from urban China, this study retests the factorial and discriminant validity of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). Cross-sectional survey data are collected from 4,458 Chinese women ages 20 and above residing in five Chinese urban centers (Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Tianjin) in 2011. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicate that partially congruent with the field trial conducted by the WHOQOL group, the 23-item WHOQOL-BREF satisfactorily underlies the four latent quality of life (QOL) constructs: (1) physical, (2) psychological, (3) social relationships, and ( 4) environment. Moreover, subgroup comparisons suggest that the factorial structure, factor loadings, and errors of this CFA model are invariant across various geographic and socio-economic subgroups. Additionally, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models confirm the discriminant validity of the 23-item WHOQOLBREF, with the self-reported healthy respondents scoring significantly higher on the predicted overall QOL index and its four sub-indexes than those who were reportedly less healthy, net of statistical controls. By excluding one item measuring the physical domain, both the factorial validity and discriminant validity of the 23-item WHOQOLBREF instrument was established. Taken together, these results suggest that the 23-item WHOQOL-BREF is suitable for evaluating the QOL of adult women in urban China.
... Our results show that urban Chinese residents experienced a decrease in interpersonal trust and, in turn, an increase in depression during the 2000s. Previous researchers argue that China's sustained high economic growth elevated living standards considerably and instilled a sense of optimism, leading to citizens' relatively high level of subjective well-being (Shu and Zhu 2009). Research using cross-sectional data to examine psychological distress in China specifically indicates that residents in provinces that have experienced greater economic growth are less distressed (Yu 2008). ...
... By underlining the relative importance of trust, this study also makes a general contribution to the literature on former socialist countries' transitions to market-oriented economies. Not only are studies of the noneconomic consequences of market transitions relatively few, but previous research on the psychological impact of such transitions, particularly China's, predominately emphasizes individuals' economic well-being and the resultant sense of relative deprivation as the underlying explanation for unequal distributions of psychological outcomes (Shu and Zhu 2009;Smyth et al. 2010;Yu 2008;Zhao 2012). As China's case shows, although at a cross-sectional point, those with higher per-capita income, home ownership, and subjective class position are indeed less depressed, shifts in interpersonal trust, rather than changes in subjective economic well-being, are more predictive of alterations in depression during the 2000s. ...
Article
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Previous research sheds little light on changes in mental health conditions in former socialist countries that have undergone massive transformations. In this study, we utilize rarely available panel data from urban China to examine alterations in interpersonal trust, economic satisfaction, and psychological depression during the 2000s. We find that urban Chinese residents have become more satisfied with their economic conditions, but less trusting and, consequently, more depressed. Moreover, with increasing heterogeneity in urban areas, the gap between migrants and natives in trust has narrowed, resulting in a shrinking gap in depression. Conversely, the gaps in depression between coastal and inland residents and between political elites and others have widened, perhaps because of these groups’ different future outlooks. In general, our findings indicate that being in economically advantageous positions still benefits urban residents’ mental health. On the whole, however, Chinese urbanites have experienced more symptoms of psychological depression, despite their growing economic satisfaction with market reforms. The strong association between changes in trust and depression suggests that continued transformations of urban communities and rises in income inequality are likely to increasingly impact mental health through eroding interpersonal trust.
... Shu and Zhu (2009) andMollenkopf et al. (2004) ...
Article
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Question: How does personal wealth work out on ones happiness? Understanding of the effects of personal wealth on happiness is required for informed decision making in matters of saving and consumption. Method: In order to answer the question of how and to what extent personal wealth relates to happiness, we take stock of the available research findings on this issue, covering 198 findings observed in 123 studies. We use a new method of research synthesis in which research findings are described in a comparable format and entered in an online findings archive, the ’World Database of Happiness’, to which links are made from this text. This technique allows a condensed presentation of research findings while providing readers access to full details. Results: We found mostly positive relationships between assets and happiness, and negative relationships between debt and happiness. The few longitudinal studies suggest a causal effect of wealth on happiness. We found little difference across methods used and populations studied. Together, the available research findings imply that building wealth will typically add to happiness. However, the average effect sizes are small with an average of 0.11 for total assets and -0.21 for total debts.
... Shu and Zhu (2009) andMollenkopf et al. (2004) the Effects of Wealth on Happiness Differ Across Places and People? ...
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According to the article, spirituality should accompany economic development as one of the primary criteria for improving disciplines on the behavioral etiquette of the people while cooperating in socio-economic activities. The article also examines spirituality as a factor in economic poverty reduction, the importance of establishing a market economy based on strong spiritual values, the impact of society on centuries-old spiritual traditions, and the impact of the "human-society-state" system.
... Shu and Zhu (2009) andMollenkopf et al. (2004) ...
Chapter
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Most people want to be happy and many look out for opportunities to achieve a more satisfying life. Following a happiness training is an option, but the effectiveness of such training is being questioned. In this research synthesis we assessed: 1) whether happiness training techniques add to the happiness of their users, 2) how much happiness training techniques add to happiness, 3) how long the effect of happiness training lasts, 4) what kinds of training techniques work best, and 5) what types of groups of people profit from taking happiness training. We took stock of the available research and found 106 reports of effect studies on training techniques, which together yielded 314 findings. These findings are available in an online ‘findings archive’, the World Database of Happiness. Using links to this source allows us to condense information in tabular overviews, while providing the reader with access to much detail. Happiness training techniques seem to do what they are designed to do: 96% of the studies showed a gain in happiness post intervention and at follow-up, about half of the positive results were statistically significant. Studies with cross-sectional designs and studies that used control groups showed more mixed results. The average effect of happiness training was approximately 5% of the scale range. We conclude that taking a form of happiness training is advisable for individuals looking for a more satisfying life. Since happier workers tend to be more productive, organizations would be wise to provide such training techniques for their workforce.
... Many planners, politicians, governmental and non-governmental organisations have tried to change the situation of derelict areas by improving QOL (Massam, 2002). This requires quantification, so QOL assessment has been attempted in many countries by different academic studies (Lane, 1989;Risser et al., 2006;Trip, 2007;Williams et al., 2008;Shu & Zhu, 2009;European Union, 2013;Węziak-Białowolska, 2016). Despite these studies, it is not very clear what are the key determinants of QOL in decaying urban areas and in those keeping valuable traditional tissues. ...
Article
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Historical city centres are quite often left out of the urban development process, especially when population growth is very rapid. Therefore, they are confronted with severe difficulties affecting the quality of life (QOL) of their residents. An adequate QOL is essential to anchor the local population in these valuable historical areas. Keeping their traditional ways of life is critical to preserve their heritage, but almost no comprehensive study has been done on the subject in Iran. To address this deficiency, a multivariable analysis was carried out based on an extensive survey that counted with the participation of more than 1800 inhabitants of the old city centres of Yazd, Ardakan, Naeen and Kashan. The QOL (dependent variable) was related to 21 independent variables, covering a wide range of physical, social, economic, environmental, and institutional aspects, selected from a thorough review of the theoretical literature. To discover the patterns underlying the collected data, several different parametric and non-parametric algorithms such as CHAID, Logistic Regression, NEURAL NET, C5.0 and C&R Tree have been examined. The C5.0 model showed the highest overall accuracy and was used to select the best predictors of QOL satisfaction for the residents of these city areas: 1) quality of buildings and streets, 2) safety and security, 3) administrative services and 4) vehicle accessibility. The knowledge gathered should assist Iranian decision-makers and planners develop comprehensive regeneration plans for historical city areas and better incorporate social sustainability aspects.
... Shu and Zhu (2009) andMollenkopf et al. (2004) ...
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Question: How does personal wealth work out on ones happiness? Understanding of the effects of personal wealth on happiness is required for informed decision making in matters of saving and consumption. Method: In order to answer the question of how and to what extent personal wealth relates to happiness, we take stock of the available research findings on this issue, covering 198 findings observed in 123 studies. We use a new method of research synthesis in which research findings are described in a comparable format and entered in an online findings archive, the 'World Database of Happiness', to which links are made from this text. This technique allows a condensed presentation of research findings while providing readers access to full details. Results: We found mostly positive relationships between assets and happiness, and negative relationships between debt and happiness. The few longitudinal studies suggest a causal effect of wealth on happiness. We found little difference across methods used and populations studied. Together, the available research findings imply that building wealth will typically add to happiness. However, the average effect sizes are small with an average of 0.11 for total assets and -0.21 for total debts.
... In recent years, improving the quality of life of target populations has emerged as a key objective of many development agencies and national governments across the world. For the People's Republic of China, the results of the analysis of the Asia Barometer Survey of 2000 Chinese respondents by Shu and Zhu (2009) reveals that substantial majorities of the Chinese people experience feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and accomplishment. The proportion experiencing these indicators of a high quality of life are larger in China than in some more prosperous countries. ...
Article
Little is known about the political determinants of subjective well-being across nations. The objective of the study presented in this article is to single out the importance of a variety of determinants on the perceived quality of life in China, aiming, in particular, to understand the role and the importance of political conditions. Using individual level data from a survey conducted in Ya’an Municipality of Sichuan Province, our analysis shows that not only the personal situation and the local environment, but also the performance of one’s town/township government, as well as political trust are relevant for citizens’ subjective well-being. However, if political trust is important for satisfaction with life, this is predominantly an effect of trust in local government. In the Chinese context, our findings confirm that citizens’ quality of life is influenced by the legitimacy of the political order, conceived in terms of output-legitimacy, i.e., the perception of governmental performance.
... An increasing number of Chinese are embracing some marriage values considered important by Westerners, such as love and mutual respect (Xia & Zhou, 2003), while their traditional cultural values are still ingrained in their marital dynamics. As with Westerners, Chinese married couples are more likely to experience happiness and accomplishment than divorced, separated, or widowed individuals (Shu & Zhu, 2009). Moreover, marital distress is detrimental to a couple's personal health in the West, as well as in Asian countries such as China (Miller et al., 2013). ...
... 4) Psychology variables including discrimination and loneliness are also influencing factors on LS (Borg et al., 2006). 5) Socio-demographic factors have been proved a key factor affecting LS in previous studies (Ferreira et al., 2013;Shu & Zhu, 2009;Sing, 2009), which including age, gender, education, household income and marital status, therefore, are also investigated in this study (shown in Tables 1 and 2). ...
Article
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Although the PM2.5 concept was put forward in 1997, it came into Chinese people's sight in 2011, and became a household name in 2013 in China. Previous studies did not involve this indicator, so we need to re-examine and compare the effects of objective air quality data and subjective perception on Life satisfaction (LS). The data were collected from Xi'an, a megacity of Northwest China. Particles smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and Air quality index (AQI) acquired from air quality stations were used to calculate pollutant concentrations near the vicinity of subjects’ home by Geographical information system (GIS) software. In this paper, the ordinal logistic regression models are used to explain ratings of LS in terms of the objective air pollution data, social and economic variables. The results indicate that the objective air pollution data has significant and negative effects on LS of the surveyed respondents. However, when the subjective perception of air pollution is considered in the regression models, it shows that the subjective perception of air pollution has a significant negative impact on LS, while the effects of PM2.5, NO2, SO2, and AQI on the LS become insignificant. Furthermore, the research significances and policy suggestions are discussed in this paper. Graphic abstract
... Although we focus on facts in the first place in this article, we will note some tentative explanations for observed correlations, typically to call the attention of the reader to possible causal effects behind the observed correlations. 7. Shu and Zhu (2009) in China; Mollenkopf et al. (2004) in six nations. 8. Rossi and Weber (1996) 9. Bucchianeri (2011) 10. ...
Article
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There is a considerable amount of research on the effect of income on happiness, but only a limited number of studies have considered how the spending of income works out on one’s happiness. In this article, we take stock of the scattered findings on the relation between consumption and happiness. We cover 379 research findings observed in 99 empirical studies. We use a new method of research synthesis, in which research findings are first described in a comparable format and then entered in an online “findings archive” (World Database of Happiness). This technique allows a condensed presentation of the many research findings, while providing readers access to the full results through hyperlinks from the text. Our systematic review reveals some unexpected findings, but does not provide a conclusive answer to the question of what patterns of consumption provide the most happiness for what type of people. Suggestions for further research are provided.
... Such profound social and economic transformations have received extensive attention and given rise to an invigorating scholarly debate on the changing patterns of social inequalities during the market transition (Nee 1989(Nee , 1996Nee and Cao 1999;Xie and Hannum 1996;Zhao and Zhou 2017;Zhou 2000Zhou , 2004. Most studies engaged in this debate, however, have typically focused on tangible socioeconomic rewards, including income and housing (Bian 2002), while devoting much less attention to other important life outcomes, such as health and quality of life (for exceptions, see Shu and Zhu 2009, for an example). As China has undergone a substantial increase in living standards, physical and mental health issues (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] in 2003) have also emerged as major public and scholarly concerns. ...
Article
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Synthesizing the theory of fundamental causes in the health literature with the stratification research on transitional economies, this paper investigates how the multidimensional socioeconomic status (SES), especially education and communist party membership, is associated with three self-rated health outcomes in urban China. Using data from the 2013 Chinese General Social Survey, we find that party membership is associated with better self-rated health, higher health-related quality of life and work, and lower levels of self-rated depression, whereas the effect of education is somewhat more elusive than it usually is in Western societies. Our findings suggest that the effects of socioeconomic indicators are better understood by being contextualized in a sociopolitical environment. It is also fruitful to include both global (education, income, employment status, and subjective SES) and local measures of SES (party membership and housing ownership) in exploring their associations with health in the world’s largest transitional society.
... Results indicate that English fluency is significantly related to job satisfaction, life accomplishment and happiness while global exposure has significant effects especially on job satisfaction and life accomplishment. Individual level globalization measures are also used to examine the determinants of quality of life for Asian countries (Inoguchi&Fujii, 2009;Park, 2009;Sing, 2009;Shu & Zhu, 2009;Tambyah, Tan, & Kau, 2009;). From Asian Barometer Survey data set, a global life index is derived from information about English fluency, traveling internationally, watching foreign TV programs, international job contacts, and communication with people overseas. ...
Article
As being a multidimensional concept, globalization may influence nations positively or negatively. Although the relationship between life satisfaction and globalization has been investigated by several studies, the impact of globalization on satisfaction in different domains of life are under-researched. This study analyzes the impacts of individuals’ globalization assessment on their satisfaction in different domains of life. Data set is obtained from a survey conducted for individuals from different countries for the year 2014. The survey asks individuals about their opinions on globalization and life satisfaction. The effects of the assessment of globalization variables and socio-demographic factors are estimated via the partial proportional odds model for each satisfaction variable. Results show that individuals who internalize the positive sides of globalization are more likely to be highly satisfied in different areas in their life. Consequently, how people perceive globalization helps to explain their satisfaction in different domains of life. Results also reveal some potential demographic outcomes for satisfaction in different domains of life and most of those results are consistent with the literature.
... Deliberate efforts to promote Confucian values are undertaken through popular media, schools, and government officials (Chaibong, 2004;Englehart, 2000). This has resulted in the unprecedented growth of the East Asian economy (Shu & Zhu, 2009). Furthermore, values focus on ideals (Hitlin & Piliavin, 2004) and can therefore be imbibed from the life and teachings of highly influential persons. ...
... Comparison between the size of correlations yielded with measures of both the affective and cognitive component of happiness was possible in the case of 'time on internet', where the negative correlation with a cognitive measure of happiness was stronger than with a measure that also taps affective experience (Tambyah 2009). This pattern does not appear in the study of Shu & Zhu (2009). The Tambyah finding would fit the theory that use of social media feeds discontent, because users tend to exaggerate how well they are doing. ...
Article
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Healthy eating adds to health and thereby contributes to a longer life, but will it also add to a happier life? Some people do not like healthy food, and since we spend a considerable amount of our life eating, healthy eating could make their life less enjoyable. Is there such a trade-off between healthy eating and happiness? Or instead a trade-on, healthy eating adding to happiness? Or do the positive and negative effects balance? If there is an effect of healthy eating on happiness, is that effect similar for everybody? If not, what kind of people profit from healthy eating happiness wise and what kind of people do not? If healthy eating does add to happiness, does it add linearly or is there some optimum for healthy ingredients in one’s diet? I considered the results published in 20 research reports on the relation between nutrition and happiness, which together yielded 47 findings. I reviewed these findings, using a new technique. The findings were entered in an online ‘findings archive’, the World Database of Happiness, each described in a standardized format on a separate ‘findings page’ with a unique internet address. In this paper, I use links to these finding pages and this allows us to summarize the main trends in the findings in a few tabular schemes. Together, the findings provide strong evidence of a causal effect of healthy eating on happiness. Surprisingly, this effect is not fully mediated by better health. This pattern seems to be universal, the available studies show only minor variations across people, times and places. More than three portions of fruits and vegetables per day goes with the most happiness, how many more for what kind of persons is not yet established.
... Shu & Zhu (2009) in China,Mollenkopf et al (2004) in 6 nations,12 Rossi & Weber (1996) 13 Bucchcaniari(2011) ...
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There is a lot of research on the relationship between income and happiness, but little research into the relationship between wealth and happiness. Knowledge about the effects of wealth on happiness is required for informed decision making in matters of saving and consumption. In order to answer the questions of how and to what extent wealth relates to happiness, we take stock of the available research findings on this issue, covering 161 research findings observed in 113 studies. We use a new method of research synthesis, in which research findings are described in a comparable format and entered in an online ‘findings archive’, the World Database of Happiness, to which links are made from this text. This technique allows a condensed presentation of research findings, while providing readers access to full details. We found mostly positive relationships between assets and happiness, and negative relationships between debt and happiness. The size of the relationships is small, variations in wealth explain typically less than 1% of the variation in individual happiness. The correlations are slightly reduced when controlled for income and socio-demographic factors. The few longitudinal studies suggest a causal effect of wealth on happiness. We found little differences across methods used and populations studied. Together, the available research findings imply that building wealth will typically add to your happiness, though not by very much.
... Shu & Zhu (2009) in China,Mollenkopf et al (2004) in 6 nations,12 Rossi & Weber (1996) 13 Bucchcaniari(2011) ...
Chapter
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There is a lot of research on the relationship between income and happiness, but little research into the relationship between wealth and happiness. Knowledge about the effects of wealth on happiness is required for informed decision making in matters of saving and consumption. In order to answer the questions of how and to what extent wealth relates to happiness, we take stock of the available research findings on this issue, covering 161 research findings observed in 113 studies. We use a new method of research synthesis, in which research findings are described in a comparable format and entered in an online ‘findings archive’, the World Database of Happiness, to which links are made from this text. This technique allows a condensed presentation of research findings, while providing readers access to full details. We found mostly positive relationships between assets and happiness, and negative relationships between debt and happiness. The size of the relationships is small, variations in wealth explain typically less than 1% of the variation in individual happiness. The correlations are slightly reduced when controlled for income and socio-demographic factors. The few longitudinal studies suggest a causal effect of wealth on happiness. We found little differences across methods used and populations studied. Together, the available research findings imply that building wealth will typically add to your happiness, though not by very much.
... An increasing number of Chinese are embracing some marriage values considered important by Westerners, such as love and mutual respect (Xia & Zhou, 2003), while their traditional cultural values are still ingrained in their marital dynamics. As with Westerners, Chinese married couples are more likely to experience happiness and accomplishment than divorced, separated, or widowed individuals (Shu & Zhu, 2009). Moreover, marital distress is detrimental to a couple's personal health in the West, as well as in Asian countries such as China (Miller et al., 2013). ...
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Marital satisfaction is important for preserving one’s marriage and overall wellbeing. While the need to identify factors that enhance marital satisfaction is evident, contributions from the field of tourism remain scarce. This study examines several linkages between and among vacation travel, marital satisfaction, and subjective wellbeing through a thematic analysis of textual data from 22 semi-structured interviews. The results reveal that vacation travel enhances marital satisfaction and improves individuals’ subjective wellbeing. The study has identified four drivers for enhanced marital satisfaction, including Mutual Devotion, Reignited Passion, Strengthened Bond, and Open Communication. These drivers are manifested through various benefits of vacation travel, some of which also underlie the three outcomes of individual subjective wellbeing that emerged from the data. These outcomes are Social Support, Self-esteem, and Happiness. This study contributes to the knowledge on the role of vacation travel in enhancing marital relationship for Chinese couples in a society characterized by the convergence of Chinese traditions and Western values. As the evolving patterns of global mobility continue to intensify cultural interactions, the findings also shed light on the relationships between and among vacation travel, marital satisfaction, and subjective wellbeing beyond the Chinese population.
... 41 This seems to be true also in China where married people have a higher probability of experiencing happiness and accomplishment. 42 Family functioning and the relationship between the couples are important factors in adjustment to chronic illness. 43 In addition, return to work is another predictor for life satisfaction. ...
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Objectives: The information regarding to the long-term outcome of stroke after rehabilitation is limited in China. The aims were to investigate activities of daily living (ADLs) and life satisfaction after stroke in China within 3 years after rehabilitation, and to explore the possible predictors of life satisfaction. Methods: A longitudinal descriptive study was conducted to evaluate ADLs and life satisfaction of persons with stroke. Participants completed Life Satisfaction Checklist-11 (LiSat-11), and Barthel Index (BI) at discharge, 6, 12 months, and 3 years after discharge. Results: A total of 69 participants were followed at discharge, and 32 of them finished 3 years’ follow-up. BI increased significantly within 3 years compared with that at discharge (p < 0.01). Total score and all items of LiSat-11 indicated low satisfaction and was maintained relatively stable within 3 years except for a decreased satisfaction in “sexual life” (p < 0.05). Life satisfaction at 12 months was predicted by stroke severity, marital status, and return to work (R² = 0.38) and life satisfaction at 3 years was predicted by disability (R² = 0.27). Age was found as a predictor for items “Vocation” and “Leisure” (R² = 0.26 and 0.31, respectively). Conclusions: Functional independence in ADLs increased within 3 years after discharge from rehabilitation, while life satisfaction was reported low and constant. Life satisfaction was predicted by severity of stroke, marital status, and return back to work at 1 year post discharge and by disability at 3 years post discharge.
... Assessing quality of life is not an easy task, because there is not one measure that can be used to determine quality of life. This problem can be observed both in domestic and foreign studies [Czapiński & Panek 2013, D'Agostini & Fantini 2008, Inoguchi & Fujii 2009Narayana 2009, Xiaoling & Yifei 2009. Researchers from various fields of science describe quality of life by means of different traits, often use different measurement units, which require different measurement methods. ...
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Abstract. The aim of the study was to specify the elements describing consumers’ behaviours and habits in terms of quality of life and to determine the relation between perceived quality of life and consumers’ behaviours and habits as well as the interaction between them. It is possible to make a cause-and-effect model describing the influence of consumers’ behaviours and habits on quality of life. The following behaviours should be taken into consideration when constructing the model of consumers’ behaviours affecting quality of life: market behaviours, aspects of organising nutrition in the household, consumers’ attitude to innovation, consumers’ nutritional awareness, the system of values and lifestyle. The authors of the study proposed the quality of life index showing quality of life from the perspective of a household as a determinant of quality. The research concept will enable investigation of relations between behaviours associated with food consumption and quality of life. Key words: quality of life, consumption, relation, behaviours, food habits, consumer. JAKOŚĆ ŻYCIA A ZACHOWANIA I ZWYCZAJE ŻYWIENIOWE KONSUMENTÓW Abstract. Celem pracy było dokonanie specyfikacji elementów opisujących zachowania i zwyczaje konsumentów w kontekście jakości życia oraz określenie relacji pomiędzy postrzeganą jakością życia a zachowaniami i zwyczajami konsumentów. Możliwe jest utworzenie modelu przyczynowo-skutkowego opisujacego wpływ zachowań i zwyczajów na jakość życia. W budowaniu modelu jako zachowania konsumentów, które mogą wpływać na jakość życia można przyjąć: zachowania rynkowe, aspekty organizacji żywienia w gospodarstwie domowym, nastawienie konsumentów względem innowacji, świadomość żywieniową konsumentów, system wartości oraz styl życia. Jako elementy określające jakość życia zaproponowano wskaźnik ujmujący jakość życia z perspektywy gospodarstwa domowego (poziom mikroekonomiczny). Przedstawiona koncepcja pozwoli na badanie relacji między zachowaniami związanymi z konsumpcją żywności a jakością życia. Słowa kluczowe: jakość życia, konsumpcja, relacja, zachowania, zwyczaje żywieniowe, konsument.
... Deliberate efforts to promote Confucian values are undertaken through popular media, schools, and government officials (Chaibong, 2004;Englehart, 2000). This has resulted in the unprecedented growth of the East Asian economy (Shu & Zhu, 2009). Furthermore, values focus on ideals (Hitlin & Piliavin, 2004) and can therefore be imbibed from the life and teachings of highly influential persons. ...
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Researchers have long been interested in the measurement of human values. Gandhi was a leading figure in the independence of India and also in the fight against racialism in South Africa. His teachings are invaluable and have inspired generations all over the world. Following standard procedure for scale development, we aim to identify the various Gandhian values that can be imbibed by an individual. We validate the applicability of the instrument by assessing its relationship with potentially related constructs like socially responsible consumption behavior and consumer frugality. We also assess its relationship with a negatively valenced construct of materialism. To develop the Gandhian values scale, we used a mix of both qualitative and quantitative methods. We conducted three data collection rounds corresponding with four separate phases of scale development. We ensured the stability of the Gandhian value scale across different contexts by testing and validating it across three different sets of sample. To the best of our knowledge, our scope of research is second only in the line of similar research like the Confucian values. Our primary contribution is the development and testing of a parsimonious Gandhian values scale that captures the value system of individuals.
... Being married was found as a median (70,71,73,75) or protective factor (72) of QoL in Chinese studies. That was in line with the result that high percentage of married people in Chinese population contributed to the high degree of subjective well-being (90). ...
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Background: Stroke survivors might perceive their quality of life (QoL) as being affected even years after onset. The purpose of this review was to go through the literature to identify factors related to QoL for persons with stroke in China and Western countries for possible similarities and differences in their respective cultural views. Method: A narrative literature review was conducted on the papers identified by searching PubMed, EBSCO/CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data that published up to November 2016. Factors predicting QoL after stroke were extracted, and comparisons were made between Chinese and Western studies respecting cultural aspects. Results: A total of 43 articles were included in this review, with 31 conducted in Western countries and 12 in China. Predictors of QoL included Demographic factors: age, gender, marital status, education level, socioeconomic status; Clinically related factors: severity of stroke, physical function, depression/anxiety, cognitive impairment, incontinence and other comorbidities; Environmental factors: residential status, social support, social participation; and Individual factors: coping strategies and self-perception. Being married and resident at home might be associated with the perception of QoL differently between Chinese and Western survivors. Conclusions: Most predictors of QoL in stroke survivors were the same in China and the Western countries. However, their QoL might be predicted differently regarding to the individualistic and collectivistic cultural differences.
... In the Chinese context, several studies have examined individual characteristics as determinants of life satisfaction, including Appleton and Song (2008), Knight et al. (2009), Shu and Zhu (2009), Smyth et al. (2010, and Liu and Shang (2012). Yet, little effort has been devoted to revealing the impact of public-sector performance on subjective wellbeing. ...
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It is generally agreed that decentralized decision-making is conducive to the efficient allocation of resources, but detrimental to the equitable redistribution of income. This paper is intended to investigate the effect of fiscal decentralization on the delivery of three social services in the Chinese context. Using the data from a nationally representative survey, we find that fiscal decentralization in China, in both expenditure and revenue measures, significantly improves individuals’ satisfaction with social services for the sick, for the elderly, and for the poor. However, in contrast to urban local residents, rural dwellers and unregistered city migrants under the household registration (hukou) system benefit substantially less from the decentralized delivery of social services. These findings are robust to alternative model specifications. Our evidence from China not only sheds new light on the debate over the impact of fiscal decentralization on income redistribution, but also contributes to understanding the role of institutions in determining subjective well-being and its unequal distribution among people.
... SWB is a hedonic model of well-being (Kahneman et al. 1999 ) that has become one of the most infl uential models among researchers in Chinese communities for studying well-being (Chen and Davey 2008 ;Knight and Gunatilaka 2009 ;Lu 2001 ;Shu and Zhu 2009 ). However, it is debatable whether a hedonic view is most appropriate for conceptualizing well-being among the Chinese. ...
Chapter
In this chapter, we will discuss some issues in multicultural positive psychology research. A general discussion on common methodological issues will be provided first. We will then discuss the following four methodological issues: linguistic equivalence, conceptual equivalence, metric equivalence, and functional equivalence. Linguistic equivalence is achieved if all items of two questionnaires in different languages have identical meanings. Conceptual equivalence refers to whether the same concept represents the same set of behaviour in different cultures. Metric equivalence focuses on the psychometric properties of the same questionnaire in different language versions. Functional equivalence refers to whether the same behaviour or concept plays the same function role in different cultures. Our research on well-being (happiness), posttraumatic growth, and character strengths among Chinese adults will be used for illustration. Since positive psychology is developed in the era of globalization, there is the need to better understand the nuances of culture and positive psychology.
... We propose that loneliness negatively influences life satisfaction. First, people in a collectivistic culture attach such great importance to maintaining interpersonal relationship harmony (Huo and Kong 2013;Li et al. 2014;Shu and Zhu 2009) that they may negatively appraise their quality of life when faced with such deficits in social relationships as loneliness (Ang et al. 2013). Second, accompanied by loneliness are feelings of hostility, pessimism, anxiety, and low self-esteem ) activating negative experiences in lonely people's daily lives and contributing to their decreased life satisfaction as a whole. ...
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Previous studies have shown a negative relationship between loneliness and one’s subjective well-being. However, it has not been fully examined within the Chinese context which highlights the importance of social relationship and interpersonal harmony for one’s life, and the mechanism between them has not been thoroughly explored. Based on social cognitive theory, this study examined the main effects of loneliness on individuals’ stress, depression, and life satisfaction, as well as the mediating effect of self-efficacy between them. Survey data were obtained from 444 Chinese undergraduates. The results of multiple regressions revealed that loneliness was negatively correlated with life satisfaction and positively correlated with stress and depression. Moreover, self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between loneliness and stress, as well as depression, and fully mediated the relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
... However, the above findings are slightly different from those observed in China. Shu and Zhu (2009) ways (Barton, 2009): (1) reducing the inequalities of access to housing, public facilities and transport by different socioeconomic groups and vulnerable groups in the population, such as the elderly or children; ...
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In Japan, more than half of the population is concentrated in three major metropolitan areas: Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, which have long attracted massive out-migration of young adults. The quality of life (QOL) of young adults in these major metropolises may be different from that of young adults in other cities. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of land use and transport on young adults’ QOL, by reflecting the influences of life choices in different domains, based on the life-oriented approach. Conceptually, QOL contains both personal and interpersonal components, where the former is a reflection of basic life needs embodied in health, job, residence and finance life domains and the latter expresses higher-ordered life needs embodied in social, leisure and recreation, education and learning, and family life domains. Using data collected from 539 young adults in Japanese cities in 2010 to estimate a structural equation model, it is found that young adults prefer to live in cities with compact, mixed and transit-oriented land use patterns. In addition, the young adults residing in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka are more satisfied with their life and are happier than those in other areas. Furthermore, young adults’ spiritual communications in family, social, leisure and recreation domains are more influential to their QOL than the other factors related to basic life needs.
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Our study presents fresh insight into the impacts of air-related information accessibility and policy awareness on citizen’s life satisfaction, through the lens of perceived air pollution sources. It is widely accepted that disclosing information about air pollution adversely affects an individual’s life satisfaction. However, the impact of information accessibility and public policy awareness on life satisfaction remains poorly understood in real-life contexts and their interrelationship warrants exploration. Earlier studies suggested that public scrutiny via information disclosure is a means to lower air pollution levels, potentially enhancing life satisfaction through improved air quality perception and reduced health risks. However, much of that research was based on the flawed presumption that all individuals can access and understand this officially disclosed information. They overlooked the actual availability of information and public reflections on relevant policies that were influenced by their perception of air pollution. This research gap highlights the need for in-depth evidence of the impacts of information accessibility and policy awareness on life satisfaction. Employing a covariance-based Structural Equation Modelling, our study analyses the views of 1867 Beijing residents in 2022. We assessed information accessibility, policy awareness, perceived air pollution sources, life satisfaction, and socio-demographic characteristics covering two time periods: a) before the COVID-19 pandemic and b) during its normalisation phase. Our findings reveal that both information accessibility and policy awareness significantly and positively affect life satisfaction in both periods. Moreover, the indirect parameter analysis underscores the presence of significant heterogeneity when considering the mediating role of impacts of perceived air pollutants. The results of this study offer a novel contribution regarding the relationship between air pollution information accessibility, policy awareness, and life satisfaction.
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Today, the world adopts various assessment tools and indices to measure quality of life (QoL) of different persons. The Personal Well-being Index (PWI) is a popular and validated tool used by developed countries to assess the QoL of their citizens. The PWI consists of seven major domains that define people’s QoL. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to explore the application of PWI in measuring the QoL of the visually impaired and blind (VI and B) persons in Sri Lanka, and to identify how QoL varies with their demographic characteristics. Primary data revealed among 64 VI&B, 34 blind and 30 visually impaired people from Hambanthota, was analysed based on vision level, age, gender, marital status, and the level of education. Results indicated that visually impaired (VI) respondents had a higher PWI value than that of the blind. Accordingly, the age group of 40–59 contributes to a higher PWI value than that of others; while the results signify that the PWI values basically depend on the levels of education the participants received. It is significant that the blind and the partially sighted people are concerned about their future security to a greater extent compared to the other domains in the PWI. Also, QoL was perceived to deteriorate with age. Thus, it is evident that efforts to improve QoL of people with visual disabilities requires priority to secure a fruitful and secure future for them.
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This study investigated the effects of ecological-level marketization, individual-level occupational status, and their interaction, on depression in residents in urban China. Population-based data ( N = 13,004) from the 2016 China Family Panel Survey were used. A multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear model explored whether and to what extent market transition measured by the marketization index (MI), occupational status measured by international socio-economic index (ISEI), and their interaction, affected people’s depression. Results showed that higher MI ( b = –.157, p < .001) and ISEI scores ( b = –.124, p < .001) were associated with lower levels of depression. However, residents with high occupational status might suffer a uniquely elevated level of depression when living in highly marketized cities ( b = .139, p < .05). Raising the public mental health awareness of residents with low occupational status from low marketized areas and that of residents with high occupational status from high marketized areas is warranted in societies undergoing rapid marketization, such as China.
Chapter
This chapter covers wellbeing research related to countries and cultures. Research shows that different countries and cultures place varying degrees of importance on wellbeing concepts such as hedonia, Eudaimonia, self-enhancement, self-transcendence, autonomy, and interpersonal harmony. The research also points to a host of methodological problems in measuring wellbeing concepts across countries and cultures. The chapter also covers comparative and cross-cultural research in wellbeing and related constructs. Lastly, levels of wellbeing of different world regions and selected countries are highlighted.
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Objective: Using a published quality of life model, to investigate the moderating roles played by social functioning and post-stroke depression in buffering the relationship between physical functioning and life satisfaction among elderly Chinese stroke survivors. Design: Cross-sectional survey through face-to-face interviews. Setting: Fangshan district of the Beijing Municipality in China. Participants: A representative random sample of 511 community-dwelling elderly Chinese stroke survivors aged 60 years or above. In total, 127 participants were categorized as stroke survivors with clinical depression and 384 without. Measures: Satisfaction With Life Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, International Residential Assessment Instrument Activities of Daily Living Hierarchy scale, International Residential Assessment Instrument Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Performance scale, De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and Lubben Social Network Scale. Results: Analyses revealed that the unique variance shown by social functioning (16%) is more important than physical functioning (5%) or depressive symptoms (12%) in promoting life satisfaction among all elderly stroke survivors. The moderation model denotes the interaction effect between depressed mood and physical functioning (β = .152 to .176, p < .001) for all stroke survivors. For stroke survivors without clinical depression, loneliness (β = .264 to .287, p < .001) and social support (β = .115 to .151, p < .05) buffered the relationship between physical functioning and life satisfaction; whereas for those with clinical depression, only loneliness (β = -.264 to .236, p < .05) moderated the corresponding relationship. Conclusions: Social functioning and post-stroke depression buffered the relationship between physical dependence and life satisfaction among elderly Chinese stroke survivors.
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A gender perspective is basically missing in the existing literature on subjective well-being (referred to as SWB) in China, and evidence of women’s SWB is scanty. Drawing from the theoretical framework of public/private-sphere separation, this article examines how married women’s happiness is affected by her personal achievement and characteristics of marriage matching, with particular reference to class and educational assortative marriage. Using pooled data from the Chinese General Social Surveys (2003–2013), the results of diagonal reference models and ordered logistic regression show a predominant role of husbands’ class positions in determining married women’s happiness. Meanwhile, women tend to be happier when they earn more, but their happiness decreases as they contribute more to household economy. When the effects of marriage matching and husbands’ characteristics are differentiated from those of women’s own class positions and education, there is no empirical evidence supporting a significant impact of assortative marriage per se on women’s happiness. This analysis reveals deeply internalized gender norms relating to marriage and family among Chinese women and suggests the possibility for such norms to be increasingly reinforced in the social context of two-sphere separation.
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Based on the findings of the Longitudinal Survey of Psychoactive Drug Abusers in Hong Kong, this chapter summarized the relevance of the significant relationship between life satisfaction and continuation/discontinuation of drug use as an important reference for the improvement of treatment and rehabilitation strategies for psychoactive drug abusers. It further addressed the current issue of incorporation of subjective well-being as one of the treatment and rehabilitation outcomes, citing some overseas examples in this regard and making an appeal for such an initiative to be developed in Hong Kong.
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Personality, cosmopolitanism, and value orientation can affect the life quality of families who lived in the city. The objective of the research was to analyze the effect of personality, cosmopolitanism, and value orientation on subjective life quality of family in Bogor City, West Java Province. This research used a cross sectional study design and involved 56 families. Data was collected by interview with wife using questionnaire. Furthermore, data was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation test and multiple linear regression. The result showed that family value, societal consciousness, and value orientation was correlated significantly with subjective life quality of family and also with two dimension of subjective life quality of family. Value orientation of traditionalism correlated significantly with subjective life quality of family and also with subjective life quality personal. Societal consciousness had an effect on subjective life quality of family and the dimensions of subjective life quality of family, subjective life quality social.
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China has implemented a series of socioeconomic reforms since 1978. One of the reforms allows urban residents to purchase their own houses rather than renting houses from state institutions which has resulted in a rapid increase in home ownership. This paper estimates the impact of home ownership on life satisfaction in urban China on the basis of the 2010 wave of the China General Social Survey. Special attention is paid to the methodological problem of confoundedness between the determinants of home ownership and life satisfaction. Propensity score matching (PSM) is applied to control it. The results show that PSM reduces upward estimation bias caused by confoundedness and that it is more appropriate to control confoundedness than ordered probit regression. The estimates furthermore indicate that home ownership has a significant positive impact on life satisfaction of medium- and high income urban residents. For low income urban residents, the impact is also positive, though insignificant. The outcomes connect to the objectives of national development policy and thus have several important policy implications. First, the central and local governments, especially in provinces where it is still low, may want to continue stimulating home ownership as it enhances life satisfaction. Secondly, specific programs may be designed to make home ownership financially affordable for low income groups. Thirdly, local governments may want to initiate or intensify urban (renewal) programs to improve poor public facilities including public transportation, green space and sports accommodations in the immediate vicinity of depressing low income neighborhoods.
Chapter
Residents’ life choices are closely linked with quality of life (QOL), which can be roughly captured from essential life domains such as residence, health, social, education and learning, employment, family life, leisure and recreation, financial as well as travel behavior. Since different life choices are interdependent, land use and transport policies may influence residents’ life aspects and consequentially their QOL. Over time, residents’ life choices may change, particularly in response to life events, such as residential location changes or household structure changes. These changes may have an impact on individuals’ prospective travel needs and activity patterns, such as engagement in social and leisure activities, further potentially changing residents’ QOL as well. Considering that residential choices and travel decisions are part of residents’ life choices, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive and systematic investigation of life choices. Therefore, this study penetrates the concept of other life choices’ changes into the residential choices and travel behavior dynamic modeling, after controlling for the effects of changes in socio-demographics (mainly life events factors) over time. The preliminary study is an estimation of a structural equation model based on panel data. First, from a static viewpoint, the other life choices have a considerable effect on residents’ quality of life compared with the minor effects of residential choices and travel behavior. Second, from a dynamic viewpoint, the current other life choices and past other life choices play a prominent role in the current quality of life achievement, followed by smaller influences of current and past residential choices, key life events, and minor effects of current and past travel behavior. This study confirms the mediating effects of other life choices and suggests that ignoring other life choices relevant to residents’ essential life domains, such as health and leisure, and instead of emphasizing the straightforward impacts of land use and transport policies on QOL may not be effective because residents’ QOL is greatly influenced by other life choices or life event changes.
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This paper compares the findings of two sequential cross-sectional studies of Singaporeans conducted in 2001 and 2011 with regard to the stability of values and their influence on life satisfaction. Using supporting literature, we propose several hypotheses on the relationships between values and Singaporeans’ life satisfaction. We first report the means, importance ranks and changes in percentages for the values in the List of Values and the movements over the years. While values like security and sense of belonging have become more important, being well-respected has become less important over the decade. We then discuss the levels of life satisfaction, satisfaction with specific life domains and overall life satisfaction for Singaporeans, and the changes over 10 years. Using regression analyses and ANOVA, we examine the impact of shifting values and certain demographic variables on the life satisfaction of Singaporeans over the decade. Excitement and warm relationships with others were found to have a significant and positive influence on life satisfaction for both 2001 and 2011. The positive impact of self respect on life satisfaction was only significant in 2001, while security and sense of belonging had a significant negative and positive impact respectively on life satisfaction only in 2011. The effects of these values on life satisfaction were felt differently across age, gender, marital status, education, and income levels in 2001 and 2011. We conclude the paper with limitations and implications for policy making and future research.
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There is a growing trend in QOL studies in the development of country-specific measures of QOL, subjective indicators of QOL included. This chapter will describe research related to the development of country-specific measures of subjective well-being. We will begin by describing reports comparing subjective well-being of citizens of various countries, and then we will shift gears to addressing subjective well-being data from specific countries.
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Does the socioeconomic status (SES) that one's (ego's) network members (alters) occupy indicate social resources or social comparison standards in the dynamics of health across culture? Using nationally representative data simultaneously collected from the United States and urban China, this study examines two competing theories-social capital and comparative reference group-in the two societies and compares their different application across the two societies using two cultural explanations, relational dependence and self-evaluation motive. Social capital theory expects absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions to protect health, and the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions to harm health. But comparative reference group theory predicts the opposite. Additionally, the relational dependence explanation anticipates social capital theory to be more applicable to urban China and comparative reference group theory to be more applicable to the United States. The self-evaluation motive explanation expects the same pattern across the two societies in the examination of the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions but the opposite pattern in the analysis of absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions. This study focuses on depressive symptoms and measures accessed occupational status. Results are consistent with the self-evaluation motive explanation. They support both social capital theory and comparative reference group theory in the United States but only the latter theory in urban China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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In this paper, subjective well-being, as measured by survey questions on life satisfaction and happiness, is investigated from a sociological-comparative point of view. The central thesis is that happiness will be greater the more freedom a person has in her/his life decisions. It is hypothesized, therefore, that happiness will be higher in all those social contexts (micro and macro) which provide a person with greater freedom. Hence, happiness should be higher among the employed, among persons in higher positions and with higher incomes, and happiness should also be higher in free market and democratic, and in less stratified societies. A comparative empirical analysis (multilevel regression) is carried out, using survey data on 41 nations from the World Value Survey 1995–97. The finding that happiness is related significantly to the degree of individual freedom is fully confirmed. It also has been proven that people who live in circumstances providing more freedom of personal choice are happier. However, macro-social conditions are not directly relevant for personal freedom and happiness; this happens only through their perception and through their expected change (improvement or stagnation) in the future.
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In a sample of 59,169 persons in 42 nations, relations between marital status and subjective well-being were found to be very similar across the world. Although cultural variables were found to alter the size of certain relations between marital status and subjective well-being, the effect sizes were very small. Specifically, in terms of life satisfaction, the benefit of marriage over cohabitation was greater in collectivist than in individualist nations. In terms of positive emotions, the benefit of being married over being divorced or separated was smaller in collectivist than in individualist nations. In addition, in terms of negative emotions, the benefit of being married over being divorced or separated was smaller in nations with a high tolerance for divorce. Finally, the relations between marital status, culture, and subjective well-being did not differ by gender. Because of the small size of the effects of the cultural variables, the authors concluded that the relations between marital status and subjective well-being are very similar across the world.
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Several studies have been conducted on the topic of well-being. Most of them, however, have been done in industrialized countries where income is distributed relatively more equitatively and the population tends to be more homogeneous. This paper studies the relationship between subjective and economic well-being in Mexico, a country where the economic differences among the population are more clearly marked. According to the economic definition of well-being, higher levels of income are associated with higher levels of well-being through greater levels of material consumption. Taking into consideration this definition, it is worth asking just how important income is for an individual's happiness?Existing studies in psychology have found a positive correlation between economic well-being (socioeconomic status) and subjective well-being (happiness). However, this positive relationship is weak and a large percentage of human happiness remains unexplained. Although the mentioned studies make a good approximation of the existing relationship between income and happiness, the characteristics or specification of the function that generates the relationship between these two variables is often assumed to be linear and positive. The main objective of this paper is to investigate further the relationship between subjective and economic well-being. In this study different specifications and approaches are used to approximate the relationship between these variables. An empirical analysis is made from the results of a survey conducted in two Mexican cities. The investigation studies the impact of demographic, social, and economic variables on subjective well-being in Mexico. Several hypotheses are tested to identify the relationship between household income and individual well-being. It is found that income does not have a strong influence on neither well-being nor on the probability of happiness. However, people tend to overstress the impact that additional income would have on their subjective well-being. This fact could explain the importance that people place on increasing their income level, and it could possibly explain the relative sense of dissatisfaction once a higher income level is achieved. The relationship between income and the sense of basic need satisfaction is also explored. A main assumption in economic theory suggests the existence of a direct relationship between these variables; however, empirical results show this relationship to be extremely weak. Results indicate that subjective well-being is positively related to the sense of basic need satisfaction but not to income.
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Politicians and decision-makers in both developed and developing countries have sought to maximize economic growth on the basis of the belief that this leads to advances in the quality of life. This paper seeks to test whether this belief is well-founded. An application of the Diffusion Index to time-series data collected from a rapidly growing, low income country demonstrates that while higher national income makes for greater welfare the rate of welfare enhancement is almost independent of the rate of national income growth. On the basis of these findings, it is argued that the Gross National Product by itself may not be used as a reliable measure of human welfare. Finally, this paper suggests that in order to provide the maximum quality of life for the members of a given society, its national policy should be based on a much broader conception of welfare than is currently implied by the idea of GNP growthmanship.
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The question of what constitutes the good life has been pondered for millennia. Yet only in the last decades has the study of well-being become a scientific endeavor. This book is based on the idea that we can empirically study quality of life and make cross-society comparisons of subjective well-being (SWB). A potential problem in studying SWB across societies is that of cultural relativism: if societies have different values, the members of those societies will use different criteria in evaluating the success of their society. By examining, however, such aspects of SWB as whether people believe they are living correctly, whether they enjoy their lives, and whether others important to them believe they are living well, SWB can represent the degree to which people in a society are achieving the values they hold dear. The contributors analyze SWB in relation to money, age, gender, democracy, and other factors. Among the interesting findings is that although wealthy nations are on average happier than poor ones, people do not get happier as a wealthy nation grows wealthier. Bradford Books imprint
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Is liberal democracy appropriate for East Asia? In this provocative book, Daniel Bell argues for morally legitimate alternatives to Western-style liberal democracy in the region. Beyond Liberal Democracy, which continues the author's influential earlier work, is divided into three parts that correspond to the three main hallmarks of liberal democracy--human rights, democracy, and capitalism. These features have been modified substantially during their transmission to East Asian societies that have been shaped by nonliberal practices and values. Bell points to the dangers of implementing Western-style models and proposes alternative justifications and practices that may be more appropriate for East Asian societies. If human rights, democracy, and capitalism are to take root and produce beneficial outcomes in East Asia, Bell argues, they must be adjusted to contemporary East Asian political and economic realities and to the values of nonliberal East Asian political traditions such as Confucianism and Legalism. Local knowledge is therefore essential for realistic and morally informed contributions to debates on political reform in the region, as well as for mutual learning and enrichment of political theories. Beyond Liberal Democracy is indispensable reading for students and scholars of political theory, Asian studies, and human rights, as well as anyone concerned about China's political and economic future and how Western governments and organizations should engage with China.
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It may be tempting to view political development and democratization in East Asia from a global view and conclude that the contours of democracy will converge throughout the world. However, a close examination of the cultural and economic development of Asian societies suggests a contrary picture. The story of Asia is one of political and economic survival, in which political elites sought to legitimate their authority through the use of both traditional and modern symbols. Traditional communitarian values and the modern symbols of economic growth and materialism coexist in Asian political systems. The stability and legitimacy of Asian governments depend on the ability of political elites to balance these symbols. As globalization proceeds, the standard traditional and modern symbols have waned in their effectiveness. Therefore, democracy as a symbol and practice can provide new sources of legitimacy to these political systems. Compton's Asian political development model is tested with quantitative indicators and through a series of case studies. The three case studies—Japan, South Korea, and Thailand—build on each other through a rigorous historical comparison. While the case studies themselves are interesting, he makes connections to the model and tests the congruence of these cases to the model, and concludes that the model's validity is predicated on the internal environment, including culture and economy. Of particular interest to scholars, students, and researchers involved with comparative and Asian politics, political development, and political culture.
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This paper argues that institutional conditions in the form of the extent and form of democracy have systematic and sizeable effects on individual well-being, in addition to demographic and economic factors. Using recent interview data from 6,000 residents of Switzerland, we show that individuals are cet. par. happier, the better developed the institutions of direct democracy are in their area of residence. This also applies to a second institution, the degree of government decentralisation (federalism). Finally, we are able to support some of the earlier results for other countries and periods with new data also based on a survey with a large sample size. In particular, we find that the unemployed are to a great extent less happy than employed persons, and that a higher household income level only raises happiness to a small extent
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American culture and theories of well-being have each proposed two diverging paths to happiness: one based on obtaining rewards such as fame, attractiveness, and wealth, and the other based on striving for intimacy, personal growth, and contribution to the community. Accordingly, Kasser and Ryan (1993, 1996, in press)suggested that people’s personal goals can either be extrinsic (i.e., oriented toward rewards and praise) or intrinsic (i.e., oriented toward the satisfaction of psychological needs). This chapter presents results from several studies which demonstrate that individuals oriented toward materialistic, extrinsic goals are more likely to experience a lower quality of life than individuals oriented toward intrinsic goals. Further, extrinsically oriented individuals are shown to have shorter, more conflictual, and more competitive relationships with others, thus impacting the quality of life of those around them. In sum, the pursuit of personal goals for money, fame and attractiveness is shown to lead to a lower quality of life than the goals of relatedness, self-acceptance, and community feeling.
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An attempt is made in this paper to establish a foundation for a theory of materialism and quality of life. The theory posits that overall life satisfaction (quality of life) is partly determined by satisfaction with standard of living. Satisfaction with standard of living, in turn, is determined by evaluations of one's actual standard of living compared to a set goal. Materialists experience greater dissatisfaction with their standard of living than nonmaterialists, which in turn spills over to overall life causing dissatisfaction with life in general. Materialists experience dissatisfaction with their standard of living because they set standard of living goals that are inflated and unrealistically high. These goals set by materialists are more influenced by affective-based expectations (such as ideal, deserved, and need-based expectations) than cognitive-based ones (such as predictive, past, and ability based expectations). Materialists' ideal standard-of-living expectations are influenced by social comparisons involving remote referents, more so than comparisons involving standards that are situationally imposed. Examples of situationally-imposed standards are perceptions of wealth, income, and material possessions of family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and so on. In contrast, examples of standards based on remote sources are perceptions of standard of living of others in one's community, town, state, country, other countries; perceptions of standard of living of others based on gender, age, education, ethnicity, occupation, and social class. This tendency to use remote referents in social comparisons may account for materialists' inflated and value-laden expectations of their standard of living. Materialists' deserved standard-of-living expectations are influenced by the tendency to engage in equity comparisons involving income and work. Thus, materialists compare themselves with others that seem to have more income and worked no harder. These equity comparisons generate feelings of inequity, injustice, anger, or envy. These emotions may also account for materialists' inflated and value-laden expectations of their standard of living. Materialists' standard-of-living expectations based on minimum needs are influenced by the tendency to spend more than generate income. This proclivity to overconsume and underproduce may be partly responsible for materialists' inflated and value-laden expectations of their standard of living.
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Studies into the consequences of pursuing a materialisticlifestyle have found that materialism is negatively related tolife satisfaction. While most of these studies have beenconducted using American samples, the few reported studies usingAustralian samples have limitations that the current study soughtto address. Using a sample of 162 Australian adults and animproved methodology, a negative relationship was found, in thatthose individuals who were high in materialism were lesssatisfied with their `life as a whole' and with specific `lifedomains' than those who were low in materialism. The implicationsof these findings for future research are discussed.
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This paper presents evidence for regarding well-being and ill-being as distinct, although not orthogonal dimensions. It is suggested that well-being and ill-being may be like measures of quantitative and verbal ability in intelligence tests. For some purposes (e.g. for admitting students to particular courses of study) it may be sensible to use only one of the measures. For other purposes a combined measure-I.Q.-is appropriate. In this study we employ Indices of Well-Being and Ill-Being and a combined measure, Balance of Well-Being and Ill-Being. Using data from the first wave (1981) of an Australian panel study (N=942), four measures of well-being and three measures of ill-being were factor analysed, confirming the existence of distinct dimensions. The value of the distinctions was underlined by findings indicating that well-being and ill-being have different correlates and causes. Wellbeing depends more than ill-being on the personality traits of extraversion and optimism, and also on the existence of supportive social networks. Ill-being is more strongly related to SES, poor health and low scoring on the trait “personal competence”,. Overall, however, it was found that more variance can be accounted for in the Balance of Well-Being and Ill-Being Index than in the separate indices of Well-Being and Ill-Being.
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While the incidence of extreme poverty fell dramatically in China over 1980–2001, progress was uneven over time and across provinces. Rural areas accounted for the bulk of the gains to the poor, though migration to urban areas helped. Rural economic growth was far more important to national poverty reduction than urban economic growth; agriculture played a far more important role than the secondary or tertiary sources of GDP. Taxation of farmers and inflation hurt the poor; local government spending helped them in absolute terms; external trade had little short-term impact. Provinces starting with relatively high inequality saw slower progress against poverty, due both to lower growth and a lower growth elasticity of poverty reduction.
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