#Culturalpsychology

A wave of cross-cultural psychology research is shedding light on why averages of happiness appear lower in East Asian societies compared with Western nations, even when incomes rise and life expectancy improves. The latest analysis points to five cultural mechanisms—rooted in how people see themselves, judge what counts as a good life, and navigate social norms—that may dampen everyday joy in East Asia. The gist is not that East Asian countries are poorer or less free, but that distinct cultural scripts shape how happiness is experienced, expressed, and measured.