Cultural and Personal Values and Consumer Well-Being

This chapter examines the relationship between cultural and personal values and their impact on well-being. It begins by exploring three influential theories on cultural values—Inglehart’s value dimensions, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and Schwartz’s cultural value orientations—to gain insights into how cultural values influence the well-being of individuals in a society. Moving from cultural values to personal values, the chapter then explores theories and empirical evidence on the connections between personal values and well-being, using the perspective of Self-Determination Theory. To this end, the chapter examines the Goal Contents Theory, Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, and the Self-Concordance Model. Finally, based on the theoretical and empirical evidence reviewed, the chapter concludes with practical policy recommendations to enhance consumer well-being.