Subjective well-being across the life course among non-industrialized populations
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2024-09-23, 2024-09-23
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Subjective well-being (SWB) is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood, declining to a midlife slump then improving thereafter. Improved SWB in later adulthood has been considered a paradox given age-related declines in health and social losses. While SWB has mostly been studied in high-income countries, it remains largely unexplored in rural subsistence populations lacking formal institutions that reliably promote social welfare. Here, we evaluate the age profile of SWB among: three small-scale subsistence societies (n=468; Study 1), forest-users from 23 low-income countries (n=6,987; Study 2), and Tsimane' horticulturalists (n=1,872; Study 3). Across multiple specifications, we find variability in SWB age profiles. In some cases we find no age-related differences in SWB, or even inverted-U shapes. Adjusting for confounders reduces observed age effects. Our findings highlight variability in average well-being trajectories over the life course. Ensuring successful aging will require greater focus on cultural and socioecological determinants of individual trajectories.