Exploring the Factors that Propel Human Well-being
Researching Happiness and the Good Life
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While the pursuit of human well-being or happiness has long captured our hearts, scientific research into the topic is still in its infancy, and global consciousness about it has only begun to surface. One significant endeavor in this field is the World Happiness Report, published annually since 2012 by a group of institutions such as the University of Oxford, Gallup, and the United Nations. A new study, called the Global Flourishing Study (GFS), aims to broaden this investigation by aggregating panel data, enabling the tracking of individuals over time, and offering a wider array of assessments. Conducted on over 200,000 people in 22 countries across six continents, the initial findings of the GFS were published on April 30 in the prestigious Nature Mental Health journal. Here's what the study tells us.
What Fosters Human Thriving
Economic Perspectives
- Middle-income countries exhibit stronger performance than wealthier nations in domains like meaning, purpose, and social relationships, as demonstrated by nations such as Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines, which outrank countries like Japan, Turkey, and the UK[3].
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) does not reliably predict human flourishing, pointing to the importance of holistic well-being indicators that supersede traditional economic measurements[3].
Intergenerational Differences
- Younger generations (18-24-year-olds) note lower levels of flourishing compared to older cohorts in countries like the U.S., UK, Germany, and Australia[3].
- Flourishing levels tend to increase with age in most countries, suggesting a resilience or life-stage advantages among older populations[3].
Spiritual and Religious Aspects
- Attendance at religious services correlates significantly with human flourishing, even in predominantly secular societies like Sweden and Japan[3].
- Spirituality emerged as a common determinant across diverse cultures, linking to increased purpose and social connections[1][3].
Core Components of Human Flourishing
The study measures human flourishing across six domains:1. An individual's happiness and life satisfaction2. Mental and physical health3. Meaning and purpose4. Character and virtue5. Strong social relationships6. Financial and material stability[1]
These findings aim to guide policymakers and institutions in bridging well-being disparities, particularly for younger populations and developed nations lacking adequate social-spiritual infrastructure[1][3]. The GFS's commitment to open-source research ensures continued analysis of the long-term factors that drive human flourishing[4].
- The Global Flourishing Study (GFS), a new research endeavor, aims to broaden the scope of investigations into human well-being, using panel data to track individuals over time and offering diverse assessments.
- The study, conducted across six continents, involving over 200,000 people in 22 countries, includes the publication of its initial findings in the Nature Mental Health journal on April 30, 2023.
- Middle-income countries like Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines exhibit stronger performance in areas of meaning, purpose, and social relationships, when compared to wealthier nations such as Japan, Turkey, and the UK.
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) does not reliably predict human flourishing, emphasizing the importance of holistic well-being indicators that surpass traditional economic measurements.
- Younger generations (18-24-year-olds) in countries like the US, UK, Germany, and Australia report lower levels of human flourishing compared to older cohorts, and flourishing levels tend to increase with age in most countries.
- Attending religious services significantly correlates with human flourishing, even in predominantly secular societies like Sweden and Japan. Spirituality emerged as a common determinant across diverse cultures, linking to increased purpose and social connections.
- The GFS measures human flourishing across six core domains: an individual's happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, strong social relationships, and financial and material stability.
