‘Like a fish in the water’ : personal culture-structure fit and subjective well-being
Event Title
International Interdisciplinary Conference: Advances in Comparative Culturology
Location
MBG06, Lam Woo Lecture Theatre, Patrick Lee Wan Keung Academic Building, Lingnan University
Start Date
16-5-2025 2:30 PM
End Date
16-5-2025 3:00 PM
Language
English
Description
This presentation introduces the concept of structural fit—the alignment between individuals’ personal cultural orientations and the broader societal context—and examines its implications for subjective well-being (SWB) across two domains: gender norms and perceptions of democracy. Drawing on data from the joint EVS/WVS 2017–2022 across more than 85 countries, we explore how SWB is influenced by the fit between (1) personal gender norms and public gender norms, (2) personal gender norms and societal gender equality, (3) personal perceptions of democracy and collective societal representations, and (4) personal perceptions and expert evaluations of democratic quality. Across both studies, findings consistently show that cultural congruence between the individual and society is associated with higher SWB, particularly when individuals hold progressive gender views or positive perceptions of democracy in societies that share or support these views. Importantly, this cultural fit effect is stronger than the objective fit with institutional indicators like gender equality or expert democracy scores. However, we also find asymmetries: while alignment with positive collective perceptions enhances well-being, alignment with negative public views does not offer similar benefits. Together, these studies highlight the importance of integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on person–environment fit and provide new insights into how the congruence between personal and public culture contributes to well-being in a global context.
Document Type
Presentation
Recommended Citation
Olivos, F. (2025, May 16). ‘Like a fish in the water’: personal culture-structure fit and subjective well-being. Presented at the International Interdisciplinary Conference: Advances in Comparative Culturology, Lingnan University, Hong Kong.
‘Like a fish in the water’ : personal culture-structure fit and subjective well-being
MBG06, Lam Woo Lecture Theatre, Patrick Lee Wan Keung Academic Building, Lingnan University
This presentation introduces the concept of structural fit—the alignment between individuals’ personal cultural orientations and the broader societal context—and examines its implications for subjective well-being (SWB) across two domains: gender norms and perceptions of democracy. Drawing on data from the joint EVS/WVS 2017–2022 across more than 85 countries, we explore how SWB is influenced by the fit between (1) personal gender norms and public gender norms, (2) personal gender norms and societal gender equality, (3) personal perceptions of democracy and collective societal representations, and (4) personal perceptions and expert evaluations of democratic quality. Across both studies, findings consistently show that cultural congruence between the individual and society is associated with higher SWB, particularly when individuals hold progressive gender views or positive perceptions of democracy in societies that share or support these views. Importantly, this cultural fit effect is stronger than the objective fit with institutional indicators like gender equality or expert democracy scores. However, we also find asymmetries: while alignment with positive collective perceptions enhances well-being, alignment with negative public views does not offer similar benefits. Together, these studies highlight the importance of integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on person–environment fit and provide new insights into how the congruence between personal and public culture contributes to well-being in a global context.
Additional Information
Speaker
Francisco OLIVOS (Lingnan University)
Dr. Olivos is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. He holds a PhD in Sociology from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as master’s degrees in Sociology and Social Research from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and in Sociology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His research lies at the intersection of cultural sociology, subjective well-being, and social stratification, with a strong emphasis on quantitative and computational methods. He was recently awarded a General Research Fund (GRF) grant from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong to examine the implications of person–environment fit for subjective well-being using cross-national data. As a versatile quantitative researcher, he employs a wide range of techniques, including multilevel modeling, factorial surveys, and computational text analysis. His work spans various substantive areas and has been published in leading journals such as The British Journal of Sociology, Journal of Happiness Studies, Poetics, European Societies, and Social Science & Medicine. Notably, his research using computational text analysis has also appeared in Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency and Review of Education.