NATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN REPORTED SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING - WHY DO THEY OCCUR

There are marked variations between nations in reported subjective wel l-being (SWB), but the explanations for this diversity have not been f ully explored. It is possible that the differences are entirely due to true variability in SWB, but it is also reasonable that the differenc es may be due to factors related to self-report measurement such as va riation across nations in whether it is desirable to say one is happy. At a substantive level, there might be differences in the norms gover ning the experience of emotion such that cultural differences in SWB a re due to affective regulation. Pacific Rim countries (e.g., Japan, th e People's Republic of China, and S. Korea) appear to have lower SWB t han their material circumstances warrant, and the U.S.A. has higher SW B than is predicted based on its income per person. The genesis of the se differences was explored by comparing students in S. Korea, Japan, and the People's Republic of China to students in the U.S.A., and it w as concluded that: (1) The Pacific Rim subjects score lower on both ha ppiness and life satisfaction in both absolute terms and when income i s controlled, (2) There probably is not a general negative response se t in the Pacific Rim which causes lower SWB, as evidenced by the fact that the Asians express dissatisfaction in some areas (e.g., education and self) but not in other areas (e.g., social relationships), (3) Ar tifacts are not causing the lower reported SWB, (4) The general suppre ssion of mood in the Pacific Rim is unlikely to be the cause of SWB di fferences, but Chinese students do appear to avoid negative affect, (5 ) SWB is no less important and salient in Japan and S. Korea, but does appear to be a less central concern in China, and (6) There are diffe rent patterns of well-being depending on whether life satisfaction or hedonic balance are considered.