15.02.2011, 13:51 3557

Patriotism makes for happier people

A new study has found that people who are satisfied with their country may become happier, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Almaty. February 15. Kazakhstan Today - A new study has found that people who are satisfied with their country may become happier, Kazakhstan Today reports.

The study finds particularly stronger connection between national satisfaction and happiness for people with low incomes and those living in poorer nations, English News reported.

The study was conducted by the Gallup organization, which polled 1,000 people in 128 of the 195 or so countries in the world.

Respondents were asked questions concerning their income, job satisfaction, and opinions on their life and country.

The findings show that good feelings about one's nation are correlated with a rosy outlook on his or her personal life.

This idealization seems most potent for those who are worse off financially, according to the study.

The association was present across the globe, but was strongest in poorer and non-Western nations, said study author Mike Morrison, a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign.

Wealthier and Western respondents linked their happiness more closely with individual factors, including health, job satisfaction and standard of living, than did poorer and non- Western respondents, according to the study.

Individuals with low income and those in poor countries may find patriotism appealing as a way of consoling themselves in rough times, Morrison said, adding that people in non-Western countries also tend to be less individualistic than Westerners, so they may get a bigger personal boost from warm feelings about their collective group.

The study shows that societal characteristics, not just individual traits, can influence happiness, study co-author Ed Diener, a happiness researcher at the University of Illinois, said.

This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.

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