TY - JOUR
T1 - Downsides of an overly context-sensitive self
T2 - Implications from the culture and subjective well-being research
AU - Suh, Eunkook M.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - The self becomes context sensitive in service of the need to belong. When it comes to achieving personal happiness, an identity system that derives its worth and meaning excessively from its social context puts itself in a significantly disadvantageous position. This article integrates empirical findings and ideas from the self, subjective well-being, and cross-cultural literature and tries to offer insights to why East Asian cultural members report surprisingly low levels of happiness. The various cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and affective characteristics of the overly relation-oriented self are discussed as potential explanations. Implications for the study of self and culture are offered.
AB - The self becomes context sensitive in service of the need to belong. When it comes to achieving personal happiness, an identity system that derives its worth and meaning excessively from its social context puts itself in a significantly disadvantageous position. This article integrates empirical findings and ideas from the self, subjective well-being, and cross-cultural literature and tries to offer insights to why East Asian cultural members report surprisingly low levels of happiness. The various cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and affective characteristics of the overly relation-oriented self are discussed as potential explanations. Implications for the study of self and culture are offered.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00477.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00477.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 17995467
AN - SCOPUS:36048954423
VL - 75
SP - 1321
EP - 1343
JO - Journal of Personality
JF - Journal of Personality
SN - 0022-3506
IS - 6
ER -