Belief in scientific-technological progress and life satisfaction: The role of personal control
Stavrova,O. Ehlebracht,Daniel Fetchenhauer,Detlef
Stavrova,O.
Ehlebracht,Daniel
Fetchenhauer,Detlef
Abstract
While numerous studies have examined the positive association between religious beliefs and subjective wellbeing, there is a notable absence of research addressing the potential role of secular beliefs as a source of happiness and life satisfaction. Drawing from literature on compensatory control, the present research fills this void by exploring the association between belief in scientific-technological progress and life satisfaction, investigating its underlying mechanism and examining cross-cultural moderators. The results showed that belief in scientific-technological progress is a stronger predictor of life satisfaction than religious beliefs in a nationally representative sample of the Dutch population (Study 1) and across 69 out of 72 countries (Study 2). Additional analyses highlighted the role of personal control beliefs as the mechanism driving this effect: a strong belief in scientific-technological progress was associated with an enhanced sense of personal control, which in turn contributed to higher life satisfaction. Consistent with previous research on "shared reality" and person-culture fit, the beneficial consequences of an individual's belief in scientific-technological progress were enhanced when this belief was widely held within a specific culture.
Description
Date
2016-07
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Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Journal Issue
Keywords
Beliefs, Belief in scientific-technological progress, Life satisfaction, Compensatory control, Person-culture fit, SELF-RATED HEALTH, COMPENSATORY CONTROL, PEOPLE HAPPY, EFFECT SIZE, RELIGIOSITY, STRESS, WORLD, STRATEGIES, ADULTHOOD, MEDIATOR
Citation
Stavrova, O, Ehlebracht, D & Fetchenhauer, D 2016, 'Belief in scientific-technological progress and life satisfaction : The role of personal control', Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 96, pp. 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.03.013