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The Relation of Basic Psychological Needs, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Life Goals, and Collectivism with Subjective Well-Being: A Case in Macedonia

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Well-Being and Cultures

Part of the book series: Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology ((CAPP,volume 3))

Abstract

Recent research in the field of subjective well-being (SWB) emphasized the importance of genetic, motivational, and societal factors. Regarding motivational predictors, the aim of this study is to explore the relation between subjective well-being to basic psychological needs (BPN), intrinsic and extrinsic life goals (LG), and orientation toward collectivism, in Macedonian socioeconomic and cultural context – Macedonia being an ex-communist developing country. Sample of 242 undergraduates from natural, social, and technical studies was used. Correlation and regression analysis was done on scores for all variables. Results show that all BPNs and intrinsic LGs significantly correlated with SWB. That is congruent with the findings from developed countries, but contrary to them, SWB in this sample highly correlates also with extrinsic life goals. Further, pursuit and realization of extrinsic goal for status/fame is shown as significant predictor of SWB, while the intrinsic goal for contribution to the community is not. Results suggest that probably the realization of extrinsic goals has a complementary role to the achievement of intrinsic goals in satisfying one’s basic needs and increase of SWB. It is also found that SWB is positively related with the orientation toward collectivism. It could be interpreted that it is beneficial to be a collectivist in a collectivistic country because patterns of relations with the surrounding create more positive and less negative life experiences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Blvd Krste Misirkov bb, 1000, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

    Ognen Spasovski Ph.D.

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  1. Ognen Spasovski Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Ognen Spasovski Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Education, Aarhus University, Niels Juels Gade 84, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark

    Hans Henrik Knoop

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Luigi S, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G.B. Grassi 74, Milano, 20157, Italy

    Antonella Delle Fave

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Spasovski, O. (2013). The Relation of Basic Psychological Needs, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Life Goals, and Collectivism with Subjective Well-Being: A Case in Macedonia. In: Knoop, H., Delle Fave, A. (eds) Well-Being and Cultures. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4611-4_5

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