Happiness Meanders Study: A Cross-Cultural Dataset on Happiness, Emotions, and Models of Selfhood Across 48 Countries, 2019

12,361 participants from 48 countries across six continents were recruited through academic networks and local collaborators for the Happiness Meanders Study, which explored cultural variations in individual and family well-being, ideal and actual happiness, emotional experiences and expressions, and cultural models of selfhood. Overall, 60.3% of participants identified as female, 39.2% as male, 0.4% as other, and 0.1% left the question about gender blank; the mean age of participants was 25.24 years (SD = 9.55). <br><br> Upon providing consent, participants completed a 25-minute questionnaire including the following measures: <br> 1. Satisfaction with Life Scale - Actual: Individual version (Diener et al., 1985)<br> 2. Satisfaction with Life Scale - Actual: Family version (inspired by Diener et al., 1985)<br> 3. Interdependent Happiness Scale - Actual: Individual version (Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015)<br> 4. Interdependent Happiness Scale - Actual: Family version (inspired by Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015)<br> 5. Cultural Models of Selfhood Scale (Vignoles et al., 2016)<br> 6. Emotional Experience and Expression Inventory (inspired by the the Affect Valuation Index; Tsai, Knutson, & Fung, 2006)<br> 7. Satisfaction with Life Scale - Ideal: Individual version (inspired by Diener et al., 1985)<br> 8. Satisfaction with Life Scale - Ideal: Family version (inspired by Diener et al., 1985)<br> 9. Interdependent Happiness Scale - Ideal: Individual version (inspired by Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015)<br> 10. Interdependent Happiness Scale - Ideal: Family version (inspired by Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015)<br> 11. Satisfaction with other life domains (health, personal financial situation, family financial situation, achievements, relationship with family, relationship with friends, relationship with other people, capabilities, personal growth)<br> 12. Sociodemographic items <br><br> Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Ethics Board for Research Projects at the Institute of Psychology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (ERB approval number #7/11/2017). Additional approvals were obtained from local Institutional Ethic Committees where required.