Proceedings of the 7th World Conference on Research in Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
Exploring the Impact of Cultural and Socio-Economic Factors on Life Satisfaction: Study of Hungary and Jordan
Farah Abu Khadra, Lina Takruri, Zoltán Csapek, Bendegúz Kertai, Sára Jeges, Ákos Levente Tóth
ABSTRACT:
Life satisfaction, a part of subjective well-being, is often integrated with happiness but encompasses a broader assessment of overall well-being. Various research indicated its complexity and cross-cultural variations, affected by socio-economic and cultural factors. Hungary and Jordan are influenced by different economic developments, working conditions, environmental factors, social cohesion, and cultural backgrounds, which may contribute to different satisfaction levels. We aimed to explore which are the most important cultural and socio-economic between Hungary and Jordan that impact life satisfaction. We used data from multiple sources such as the World Happiness Report, the World Bank, the OECD Better Life Index, and the 2023 Inglehart and Welzer World Cultural Map. We identified countries similar to Hungary in CIRCLE 1 and Jordan in CIRCLE 2 based on cultural dimensions of “traditional vs. secular-rational” and “survival vs. self-expression” values, and then we collected socio-economic data (population size, GDP, income, jobs, social support, environment, health, education, safety, and poverty) on these countries. The findings from CIRCLE 1 and CRICLE 2 indicated notable disparities in cultural and socio-economic factors, with life satisfaction significantly influenced by 10% of cultural values and 70% of socio-economic factors, with income (p=0.008), social support (p<0.001), health (p=0.047) and education (p=0.034). In summary, our study explained the most important factors underlying differences in life satisfaction between Hungary and Jordan, affirming the validity of our conclusions by categorizing countries based on cultural values and revealing their interdependence with socio-economic factors, thus enhancing understanding of which these elements shape life satisfaction globally the most.
keywords: Life satisfaction, Hungary, Jordan, Cultural Values, Socioeconomic factors