追求幸福—主觀幸福感的文化心理學研究

In Pursuit of Happiness: the Cultural Psychological Study of SWB

「幸福觀」是主觀幸福感的重要面向，但長久以來卻一直為西方主流心理學所忽視。我們相信將文化與主觀幸福感視為動態的交互建構是最佳的研究策略。採取上述的文化心理學立場，本文選擇性地回顧了我們在台灣進行的本土化研究，以開顯主觀幸福感領域中日漸成形的兩大重要議題：（1）幸福的觀念；（2）幸福的文化性相關因子。我們的研究指出，中華文化與西方文化中各有獨特的幸福觀念，而我們可以有系統地分析、抽離、以及測量這些觀念。歐美文化中「個人取向的幸福觀」主要由兩大元素組成：個人負責與直接追求；東亞文化中「社會取向的幸福觀」也主要由兩大元素組成：角色責任與辯證均衡。我們的研究還發現，文化除了直接型塑幸福觀，還會經由建構不同的自我觀來影響主觀幸福感的歷程，這些自我調控的機制進而決定了人們在追求幸福時的想法、感受、及行為。文末，我們也特別指出日漸明顯的雙文化並存現象。

In the present paper, we took the position that cultural conceptions of happiness are critical aspects of SWB, which has largely been neglected thus far. We argued that culture and SWB are most productively analyzed together as a dynamic of mutual constitution. Adopting a cultural psychological approach, we selectively reviewed our own indigenous Chinese research to illuminate on two evolving themes regarding SWB: (1) conceptions of happiness, and (2) cultural correlates of happiness. We have shown that distinct characteristics of the conception of happiness are prevalent in Chinese and Western cultures, which can be systematically analyzed, discerned, and measured. The individual-oriented Euro-American cultural conception of SWB is composed of two distinct characteristics: personal accountability and explicit pursuit. In contrast, the social-oriented East Asian cultural conception of SWB is composed of two distinct characteristics: role obligations and dialectical balance. We have also demonstrated that culture can impact on the SWB process through diverse self conceptions and their consonant beliefs. These self-regulatory mechanisms then determine how people think, feel and behave in the pursuit of SWB. Finally, we have underlined the emerging coexistence of contrasting cultural rudiments in the case of SWB.