The Relationship Between Assimilation and Difference Motives With Health and Well-Being in a Sample of Japanese Adults

Abstract

Research of factors influencing our health and well- being is omnipresent. Yet, research about how basic human motives influence human physical health and subjective well-being (SWB) is scarce. This thesis extends previous research on value fit and investigates the relationship of assimilation and difference motives and a fit in these motives with SWB and overall health. It was hypothesized that (a) person-environment motive fit in assimilation and difference motives has a beneficial effect on SWB and overall health and that (b) assimilation motive itself has a positive effect on SWB and health whereas difference motive itself negatively influences these variables. Data from the TEP 10 project were analyzed within a sample of 1240 Japanese adult participants. Overall, results provide little support for the present hypotheses. Significant results in line with the hypotheses show that a fit in assimilation motive has an advantageous effect on positive emotions experienced during the last week. Further significant results contradict the present hypotheses and show that assimilation motive fit has a detrimental effect on negative emotions experienced in the last week, that difference motive fit negatively influences overall health ratings and that assimilation motive itself negatively influences negative emotions experienced in the last week and day, as well as overall health ratings. For future research it would be beneficial to use more differentiated, implicit measures and, eventually, derive interventions on how to support individuals who do not experience the investigated beneficial effects on their subjective well-being.