A global study explored what makes people most prosperous in different countries. (Image courtesy of Luciano Lozano via Getty Images)
What does it mean to live a good life? For centuries, philosophers, scientists, and people from different cultures have tried to answer this question. Each tradition offers its own interpretation, but all agree that a good life is not only about feeling happy, but also about achieving wholeness.
In recent years, researchers have turned their attention to the concept of flourishing as a multifaceted state of well-being that includes positive emotions, engagement, meaningful relationships, purpose, and achievement—an idea that dates back to Aristotle’s “eudaimonia” but has been reimagined in contemporary well-being scholarship.
Prosperity is not just about your inner state and well-being. It is about making sure that your entire life is of good quality, including the people around you and the environment you live in. Aspects such as your home, your neighborhood, your educational or work environment, your friendships – all of these are important.
We are a group of psychologists, sociologists, and epidemiologists involved in an international project called the Global Prosperity Study. Our goal is simple: to identify patterns of human prosperity across cultures.
Are people in certain countries more prosperous than in others? What factors have the greatest impact on individual well-being? Are there actions that can improve quality of life? Understanding these trends over time can help shape policies and programs aimed at increasing global human prosperity.
What is the focus of this research on prosperity?
The Global Flourishing Study is a five-year project that annually surveys more than 200,000 participants from 22 countries, using a nationally representative sample to analyze health and well-being. We have more than 40 researchers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, and institutions.
In partnership with Gallup Inc., we surveyed people about their lives, happiness, health, childhood, and attitudes toward their finances.
The study looks at six aspects of living a thriving life:
We attempted to quantify participants' success on each of these dimensions using a scale from 0 to 10. In addition to using the Secure Flourishing indicator from the Harvard Human Flourishing Program, we also added additional questions to explore other factors that influence levels of flourishing.
For example, we assessed well-being through questions about optimism, peace, and life balance. Health was measured by asking about pain, depression, and physical activity. Social relationships were assessed through questions about trust, loneliness, and support.
Who is thriving and why?
Early results from our research show that some countries and certain groups of people enjoy higher levels of prosperity than others.
We were surprised to find that in many countries, young people have not done as well as older people. Previous research suggested that well-being follows a U-shaped curve over the life course, with the lowest point in midlife. Our new data suggest that young people today face increasing challenges in mental health, financial instability, and loss of meaning, breaking the traditional U-shaped curve of well-being.
Married people are more likely to report greater levels of support, better relationships, and deeper meaning in life.
People who have jobs—whether they work for themselves or for someone else—also tend to feel more secure and happier than those looking for work.
Lu
Sourse: www.livescience.com
