Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries

Kuba Krys; Julien Teyssier; Valentin El Sayed; Olga Magdalena Gajewska; Agata Kocimska-Bortnowska; Aleksandra Kosiarczyk; Iva Poláčková Šolcová; Espen Røysamb; Eric Raymond Igou; Stanislava Stoyanova; Fridanna Maricchiolo; John M. Zelenski; Christin Melanie Vauclair; Yukiko Uchida; David Sirlopú; Charity Akotia; Isabelle Albert; Lily Appoh; Douglas Marlon Arévalo Mira; Arno Baltin; Patrick Denoux; Alejandra Domínguez Espinosa; Carla Sofia Esteves; Vladimer Gamsakhurdia; Alin Gavreliuc; Diana Boer; Natalia Kascakova; Lucie Klůzová Kračmárová; Olga Kostoula; Nicole Kronberger; Anna Kwiatkowska; Hannah Lee; Magdalena Łużniak-Piecha; Arina Malyonova; Pablo Eduardo Barrientos Marroquin; Tamara Mohorić; Oriana Mosca; Elke Murdock; Nur Fariza Mustaffa; Martin Nader; Azar Nadi; Ayu Okvitawanli; Yvette van Osch; Vassilis Pavlopoulos; Zoran Pavlović; Muhammad Rizwan; Vladyslav Romashov; Rūta Sargautytė; Beate Schwarz; Heyla Selim; Ursula Serdarevich; Maria Stogianni; Chien Ru Sun; Wijnand van Tilburg; Claudio Torres; Vivian L. Vignoles; Cai Xing; Liman Man Wai Li; Vivian Miu Chi Lun; Michael Harris Bond; June Chun Yeung; Brian W. Haas; Joonha Park; Mladen Adamovic; Ragna Benedikta Gardarsdottir; David Igbokwe; İdil Işık; Aleksandra Buźniak; Márta Fülöp

doi:10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries

Kuba Krys
, Julien Teyssier
, Valentin El Sayed
, Olga Magdalena Gajewska
, Agata Kocimska-Bortnowska
, Aleksandra Kosiarczyk
, Iva Poláčková Šolcová
, Espen Røysamb
, Eric Raymond Igou
, Stanislava Stoyanova
, Fridanna Maricchiolo
, John M. Zelenski
, Christin Melanie Vauclair
, Yukiko Uchida
, David Sirlopú
, Charity Akotia
, Isabelle Albert
, Lily Appoh
, Douglas Marlon Arévalo Mira
, Arno Baltin

Patrick Denoux, Alejandra Domínguez Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Vladimer Gamsakhurdia, Alin Gavreliuc, Diana Boer, Natalia Kascakova, Lucie Klůzová Kračmárová, Olga Kostoula, Nicole Kronberger, Anna Kwiatkowska, Hannah Lee, Magdalena Łużniak-Piecha, Arina Malyonova, Pablo Eduardo Barrientos Marroquin, Tamara Mohorić, Oriana Mosca, Elke Murdock, Nur Fariza Mustaffa, Martin Nader, Azar Nadi, Ayu Okvitawanli, Yvette van Osch, Vassilis Pavlopoulos, Zoran Pavlović, Muhammad Rizwan, Vladyslav Romashov, Rūta Sargautytė, Beate Schwarz, Heyla Selim, Ursula Serdarevich, Maria Stogianni, Chien Ru Sun, Wijnand van Tilburg, Claudio Torres, Vivian L. Vignoles, Cai Xing, Liman Man Wai Li, Vivian Miu Chi Lun, Michael Harris Bond, June Chun Yeung, Brian W. Haas, Joonha Park, Mladen Adamovic, Ragna Benedikta Gardarsdottir, David Igbokwe, İdil Işık, Aleksandra Buźniak, Márta Fülöp

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This data paper presents a dataset, of 12,361 observations compiled from the Happiness Meanders project, which explores cultural variations in individual and family well-being, ideal and actual happiness, emotional experiences and expressions, and cultural models of selfhood across 48 countries. Participants were recruited through academic networks. Data were collected using standardised scales, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Interdependent Happiness Scale, the Cultural Models of Selfhood Scale, and the Emotional Experience and Expression inspired by Affect Valuation Index. The dataset underwent thorough technical validation, including checks for variable consistency, handling missing data, and identifying potential response biases. A filter for data quality was applied, with potentially unreliable data flagged for exclusion. This dataset offers a valuable resource for examining cultural influences on emotional dynamics (frequence of experience and expression), individual and family oriented evaluations of happiness, ideal and actual evaluation of happiness, cultural models of selfhood, and can support further research in cross-cultural psychology and related social sciences.

Original language	English
Article number	1092
Journal	Scientific Data
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6
Publication status	Published - Dec 2026

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10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

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Krys, K., Teyssier, J., El Sayed, V., Gajewska, O. M., Kocimska-Bortnowska, A., Kosiarczyk, A., Poláčková Šolcová, I., Røysamb, E., Igou, E. R., Stoyanova, S., Maricchiolo, F., Zelenski, J. M., Vauclair, C. M., Uchida, Y., Sirlopú, D., Akotia, C., Albert, I., Appoh, L., Arévalo Mira, D. M., ... Fülöp, M. (2026). Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries. Scientific Data , 13(1), Article 1092. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

@article{44ef05ddd01d452fbfa83b48f2b2116c,

title = "Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries",

abstract = "This data paper presents a dataset, of 12,361 observations compiled from the Happiness Meanders project, which explores cultural variations in individual and family well-being, ideal and actual happiness, emotional experiences and expressions, and cultural models of selfhood across 48 countries. Participants were recruited through academic networks. Data were collected using standardised scales, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Interdependent Happiness Scale, the Cultural Models of Selfhood Scale, and the Emotional Experience and Expression inspired by Affect Valuation Index. The dataset underwent thorough technical validation, including checks for variable consistency, handling missing data, and identifying potential response biases. A filter for data quality was applied, with potentially unreliable data flagged for exclusion. This dataset offers a valuable resource for examining cultural influences on emotional dynamics (frequence of experience and expression), individual and family oriented evaluations of happiness, ideal and actual evaluation of happiness, cultural models of selfhood, and can support further research in cross-cultural psychology and related social sciences.",

author = "Kuba Krys and Julien Teyssier and \{El Sayed\}, Valentin and Gajewska, \{Olga Magdalena\} and Agata Kocimska-Bortnowska and Aleksandra Kosiarczyk and \{Pol{\'a}{\v c}kov{\'a} {\v S}olcov{\'a}\}, Iva and Espen R{\o}ysamb and Igou, \{Eric Raymond\} and Stanislava Stoyanova and Fridanna Maricchiolo and Zelenski, \{John M.\} and Vauclair, \{Christin Melanie\} and Yukiko Uchida and David Sirlop{\'u} and Charity Akotia and Isabelle Albert and Lily Appoh and \{Ar{\'e}valo Mira\}, \{Douglas Marlon\} and Arno Baltin and Patrick Denoux and Espinosa, \{Alejandra Dom{\'i}nguez\} and Esteves, \{Carla Sofia\} and Vladimer Gamsakhurdia and Alin Gavreliuc and Diana Boer and Natalia Kascakova and \{Klůzov{\'a} Kra{\v c}m{\'a}rov{\'a}\}, Lucie and Olga Kostoula and Nicole Kronberger and Anna Kwiatkowska and Hannah Lee and Magdalena {\L}u{\.z}niak-Piecha and Arina Malyonova and Marroquin, \{Pablo Eduardo Barrientos\} and Tamara Mohori{\'c} and Oriana Mosca and Elke Murdock and Mustaffa, \{Nur Fariza\} and Martin Nader and Azar Nadi and Ayu Okvitawanli and \{van Osch\}, Yvette and Vassilis Pavlopoulos and Zoran Pavlovi{\'c} and Muhammad Rizwan and Vladyslav Romashov and Rūta Sargautytė and Beate Schwarz and Heyla Selim and Ursula Serdarevich and Maria Stogianni and Sun, \{Chien Ru\} and \{van Tilburg\}, Wijnand and Claudio Torres and Vignoles, \{Vivian L.\} and Cai Xing and Li, \{Liman Man Wai\} and Lun, \{Vivian Miu Chi\} and Bond, \{Michael Harris\} and Yeung, \{June Chun\} and Haas, \{Brian W.\} and Joonha Park and Mladen Adamovic and Gardarsdottir, \{Ragna Benedikta\} and David Igbokwe and İdil I{\c s}ık and Aleksandra Bu{\'z}niak and M{\'a}rta F{\"u}l{\"o}p",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2026.",

year = "2026",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Scientific Data ",

issn = "2052-4463",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

}

Krys, K, Teyssier, J, El Sayed, V, Gajewska, OM, Kocimska-Bortnowska, A, Kosiarczyk, A, Poláčková Šolcová, I, Røysamb, E, Igou, ER, Stoyanova, S, Maricchiolo, F, Zelenski, JM, Vauclair, CM, Uchida, Y, Sirlopú, D, Akotia, C, Albert, I, Appoh, L, Arévalo Mira, DM, Baltin, A, Denoux, P, Espinosa, AD, Esteves, CS, Gamsakhurdia, V, Gavreliuc, A, Boer, D, Kascakova, N, Klůzová Kračmárová, L, Kostoula, O, Kronberger, N, Kwiatkowska, A, Lee, H, Łużniak-Piecha, M, Malyonova, A, Marroquin, PEB, Mohorić, T, Mosca, O, Murdock, E, Mustaffa, NF, Nader, M, Nadi, A, Okvitawanli, A, van Osch, Y, Pavlopoulos, V, Pavlović, Z, Rizwan, M, Romashov, V, Sargautytė, R, Schwarz, B, Selim, H, Serdarevich, U, Stogianni, M, Sun, CR, van Tilburg, W, Torres, C, Vignoles, VL, Xing, C, Li, LMW, Lun, VMC, Bond, MH, Yeung, JC, Haas, BW, Park, J, Adamovic, M, Gardarsdottir, RB, Igbokwe, D, Işık, İ, Buźniak, A & Fülöp, M 2026, 'Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries', Scientific Data , vol. 13, no. 1, 1092. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - Happiness Meanders

T2 - A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries

AU - Krys, Kuba

AU - Teyssier, Julien

AU - El Sayed, Valentin

AU - Gajewska, Olga Magdalena

AU - Kocimska-Bortnowska, Agata

AU - Kosiarczyk, Aleksandra

AU - Poláčková Šolcová, Iva

AU - Røysamb, Espen

AU - Igou, Eric Raymond

AU - Stoyanova, Stanislava

AU - Maricchiolo, Fridanna

AU - Zelenski, John M.

AU - Vauclair, Christin Melanie

AU - Uchida, Yukiko

AU - Sirlopú, David

AU - Akotia, Charity

AU - Albert, Isabelle

AU - Appoh, Lily

AU - Arévalo Mira, Douglas Marlon

AU - Baltin, Arno

AU - Denoux, Patrick

AU - Espinosa, Alejandra Domínguez

AU - Esteves, Carla Sofia

AU - Gamsakhurdia, Vladimer

AU - Gavreliuc, Alin

AU - Boer, Diana

AU - Kascakova, Natalia

AU - Klůzová Kračmárová, Lucie

AU - Kostoula, Olga

AU - Kronberger, Nicole

AU - Kwiatkowska, Anna

AU - Lee, Hannah

AU - Łużniak-Piecha, Magdalena

AU - Malyonova, Arina

AU - Marroquin, Pablo Eduardo Barrientos

AU - Mohorić, Tamara

AU - Mosca, Oriana

AU - Murdock, Elke

AU - Mustaffa, Nur Fariza

AU - Nader, Martin

AU - Nadi, Azar

AU - Okvitawanli, Ayu

AU - van Osch, Yvette

AU - Pavlopoulos, Vassilis

AU - Pavlović, Zoran

AU - Rizwan, Muhammad

AU - Romashov, Vladyslav

AU - Sargautytė, Rūta

AU - Schwarz, Beate

AU - Selim, Heyla

AU - Serdarevich, Ursula

AU - Stogianni, Maria

AU - Sun, Chien Ru

AU - van Tilburg, Wijnand

AU - Torres, Claudio

AU - Vignoles, Vivian L.

AU - Xing, Cai

AU - Li, Liman Man Wai

AU - Lun, Vivian Miu Chi

AU - Bond, Michael Harris

AU - Yeung, June Chun

AU - Haas, Brian W.

AU - Park, Joonha

AU - Adamovic, Mladen

AU - Gardarsdottir, Ragna Benedikta

AU - Igbokwe, David

AU - Işık, İdil

AU - Buźniak, Aleksandra

AU - Fülöp, Márta

PY - 2026/12

Y1 - 2026/12

N2 - This data paper presents a dataset, of 12,361 observations compiled from the Happiness Meanders project, which explores cultural variations in individual and family well-being, ideal and actual happiness, emotional experiences and expressions, and cultural models of selfhood across 48 countries. Participants were recruited through academic networks. Data were collected using standardised scales, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Interdependent Happiness Scale, the Cultural Models of Selfhood Scale, and the Emotional Experience and Expression inspired by Affect Valuation Index. The dataset underwent thorough technical validation, including checks for variable consistency, handling missing data, and identifying potential response biases. A filter for data quality was applied, with potentially unreliable data flagged for exclusion. This dataset offers a valuable resource for examining cultural influences on emotional dynamics (frequence of experience and expression), individual and family oriented evaluations of happiness, ideal and actual evaluation of happiness, cultural models of selfhood, and can support further research in cross-cultural psychology and related social sciences.

AB - This data paper presents a dataset, of 12,361 observations compiled from the Happiness Meanders project, which explores cultural variations in individual and family well-being, ideal and actual happiness, emotional experiences and expressions, and cultural models of selfhood across 48 countries. Participants were recruited through academic networks. Data were collected using standardised scales, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Interdependent Happiness Scale, the Cultural Models of Selfhood Scale, and the Emotional Experience and Expression inspired by Affect Valuation Index. The dataset underwent thorough technical validation, including checks for variable consistency, handling missing data, and identifying potential response biases. A filter for data quality was applied, with potentially unreliable data flagged for exclusion. This dataset offers a valuable resource for examining cultural influences on emotional dynamics (frequence of experience and expression), individual and family oriented evaluations of happiness, ideal and actual evaluation of happiness, cultural models of selfhood, and can support further research in cross-cultural psychology and related social sciences.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105045924149

U2 - 10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

DO - 10.1038/s41597-026-07175-6

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105045924149

SN - 2052-4463

VL - 13

JO - Scientific Data

JF - Scientific Data

IS - 1

M1 - 1092

ER -

Happiness Meanders: A cross-cultural dataset on happiness, emotions, and models of selfhood from 48 countries

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