Cultural variability in the association between age and well-being: The role of uncertainty avoidance

• Main Authors: LAWRIE, Smaranda, EOM, Kimin, MOZA, Daniela, GAVRELIUC, Alin, KIM, Heejung S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2020
• Subjects: aging; culture; open data; open materials; uncertainty avoidance; well-being; Gerontology; Social Psychology
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3115; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4372/viewcontent/Cultural_variability_in_the_association_between_age_and_well_av.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Past research has found a mixed relationship between age and subjective well-being. The current research advances the understanding of these findings by incorporating a cultural perspective. We tested whether the relationship between age and well-being is moderated by uncertainty avoidance, a cultural dimension dealing with society’s tolerance for ambiguity. In Study 1 (N = 64,228), using a multilevel approach with an international database, we found that older age was associated with lower well-being in countries higher in uncertainty avoidance but not in countries lower in uncertainty avoidance. Further, this cultural variation was mediated by a sense of control. In Study 2 (N = 1,025), we compared a culture with low uncertainty avoidance (the United States) with a culture with high uncertainty avoidance (Romania) and found a consistent pattern: Age was negatively associated with well-being in Romania but not in the United States. This cultural difference was mediated by the use of contrasting coping strategies associated with different levels of a sense of control.