Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views

J Happiness Stud (2014) 15:475493

DOI 10.1007/s10902-013-9431-1

REVIEW ARTICLE

Mohsen Joshanloo

Published online: 21 March 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Abstract The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast western and eastern conceptualizations of happiness and optimal functioning. Towards this end, accounts of happiness and optimal functioning provided in western philosophy and scientic psychology are compared with those in some eastern schools of thought (namely, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Susm). Six fundamental differences in western and eastern conceptualizations of the good life are identied and discussed in the context of broader psychological theory. It is hoped that this theoretical analysis will stimulate more culturally informed research among happiness researchers.

Keywords Happiness The good life Optimal functioning Culture Eastern traditions

1 Introduction

The current literature on happiness and well-being has been criticised by many (e.g., Christopher 1999; Joshanloo 2013; Lu and Gilmour 2006; Uchida and Kitayama 2009) on the grounds that it takes a culture-free stance. It has been argued that contemporary western notions of happiness and optimal functioning have their roots in western old and new streams of thought. Among many, Coan (1977) and Hwang (2009) argue that modern psychiatry and psychology are features of contemporary western civilization, reecting western traditions and ways of living. The western understanding of the self and happiness rest on taken-for-granted and deeply held presuppositions dominant in the contemporary West. For example, Christopher and Hickinbottom (2008) contend that mainstream western psychology is largely based on the tenets of liberal individualism, which encompasses a notion of xed self with clear boundaries with the non-self. To date, most of the research on happiness has been guided by these western conceptualizations and have relied on

M. Joshanloo (&)

Victoria University of Wellington & Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research, Wellington, New Zealande-mail: [email protected]

Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views

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western instruments. Unfortunately, western theories and instruments are applied across cultures, at the expense of ignoring indigenous frameworks.

The present review is an attempt to partially tackle these drawbacks, and provide a reference for future empirical research. The purpose is to examine fundamental differences between the eastern and western conceptualizations of happiness at a conceptual level. To this end, western notions of happiness will...