Income satisfaction is less predictive of life satisfaction in individuals who believe their lives have meaning or purpose: A 94-nation study

Abstract

Using a sample of 97,739 individuals across 94 countries, this study sought to examine whether religiosity and purpose in life moderate the relationship between income satisfaction and life satisfaction. The results of multilevel modeling showed that whereas religiosity was not a significant moderator of this relationship, purpose significantly moderated the relationship between income satisfaction and life satisfaction. The positive relationship between the two variables was weaker among people with a purpose in life than those without it. People who believe their lives have meaning or purpose are likely to deemphasize the role of materialistic aspirations, focus more on intrinsic pursuits,..