What does this research mean for the field?

Subjective self-reported flourishing and objective national indicators are only modestly correlated across countries, demonstrating that societal wellbeing is multidimensional and that economic development does not strictly dictate, and can sometimes hinder, subjective flourishing. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate multidimensional national wellbeing by comparing comprehensive self-reported flourishing indicators against objective societal metrics across 22 countries.

August 24, 2026Discover Global SocietyOpen Access

A comparative “report card” wellbeing assessment of 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study

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Authors

TLTim LomasHarvard University RPR. Noah PadgettHarvard University JRJames L. Ritchie-DunhamThe University of Texas at Austin

Discussion

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Implication

Cross-sectional comparative analysis reveals a weak correlation between subjective and objective flourishing across 22 nations, suggesting single economic metrics cannot capture overall wellbeing.

Key Points

To evaluate multidimensional national wellbeing by comparing comprehensive self-reported flourishing indicators against objective societal metrics across 22 countries.
Analyzed survey data from 207,919 participants across 22 countries within the Global Flourishing Study (GFS).
Assessed 77 self-reported flourishing indicators alongside 34 national-level objective societal metrics.
Calculated correlation coefficients between a 12-item subjective flourishing index and a 7-indicator objective flourishing index at both individual and national levels.
Correlation between self-reported and objective flourishing was modest at the individual level (r = 0.32) and weakened further when evaluated using country means (r = 0.15).
Countries mapped across distinct quadrants of subjective versus objective flourishing; for example, Poland scored high on both, Indonesia scored high primarily on subjective metrics, Japan scored high mainly on objective metrics, and South Africa scored low on both.
Economic development appeared partially uncoupled from self-reported flourishing and potentially acted as a hindrance by destabilizing community bonds and traditions.

Cite This Study

Lomas et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8c0086bca056c88e6df4f2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-026-00502-7

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August 24, 2026Discover Global SocietyOpen Access

A comparative “report card” wellbeing assessment of 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

TLTim LomasHarvard University RPR. Noah PadgettHarvard University JRJames L. Ritchie-DunhamThe University of Texas at Austin

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Cross-sectional comparative analysis reveals a weak correlation between subjective and objective flourishing across 22 nations, suggesting single economic metrics cannot capture overall wellbeing.

Key Points

To evaluate multidimensional national wellbeing by comparing comprehensive self-reported flourishing indicators against objective societal metrics across 22 countries.
Analyzed survey data from 207,919 participants across 22 countries within the Global Flourishing Study (GFS).
Assessed 77 self-reported flourishing indicators alongside 34 national-level objective societal metrics.
Calculated correlation coefficients between a 12-item subjective flourishing index and a 7-indicator objective flourishing index at both individual and national levels.
Correlation between self-reported and objective flourishing was modest at the individual level (r = 0.32) and weakened further when evaluated using country means (r = 0.15).
Countries mapped across distinct quadrants of subjective versus objective flourishing; for example, Poland scored high on both, Indonesia scored high primarily on subjective metrics, Japan scored high mainly on objective metrics, and South Africa scored low on both.
Economic development appeared partially uncoupled from self-reported flourishing and potentially acted as a hindrance by destabilizing community bonds and traditions.

Cite This Study

Lomas et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8c0086bca056c88e6df4f2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-026-00502-7

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