Gaby
A new study by a team of researchers from Harvard focused on the levels of well-being and happiness among populations in various countries around the world. They surveyed over 200,000 individuals from 22 nations, and some of the findings were quite surprising.
Leading the prosperity scale were Indonesia, Israel, the Philippines, Mexico, and Poland.
What Does Prosperity Mean?
According to the study, the variables used to measure prosperity included health, happiness, sense of purpose, mindset (character), social relationships, financial security, and spiritual well-being.
At the bottom of the list were Japan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, India, and Spain. Among the countries that ranked low were also prosperous Germany and Sweden. The United States came in at 12th place, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Researchers noted that their findings reaffirm the old adage that money doesn’t buy happiness.
“Prosperity is a multidimensional process, and different countries thrive in different ways,” the researchers pointed out.
In the report published in the journal Nature Mental Health, the team led by Professor Tyler VanderWeele stated, “The aim of the study is to expand our understanding of the factors that determine prosperity worldwide.” The scientists also observed that feelings of happiness and well-being do not always correlate with a country’s economic development.
One unexpected finding for the researchers was Indonesia’s rise to the top of the rankings. This country may not be the wealthiest, but it achieved a high score (8.3) due to strong social relationships and prosocial traits among its population that foster a sense of community.
Japan, which landed at the bottom of the scale with a disheartening score of 5.89, is a wealthy nation where people live long lives. However, Japanese respondents indicated that they do not feel happy.
The results also revealed a connection between age and levels of prosperity: older individuals reported higher well-being than younger ones. “On average, when combining data from the 22 countries, the level of prosperity remains relatively stable from ages 18 to 49, and then increases with age,” the researchers explained.
According to the researchers, the results raise important questions for the future progress of society. As the team noted, if “society ultimately wants to thrive, it must consider issues of age, development, and spiritual dynamics.”
