Life engagement is associated with higher GDP among societies

Abstract

Research suggests that individuals who report a greater sense of purpose in life tend to fare better economically, which may be expected to extend to the societal-level, in terms of higher GDP. However, previous work has demonstrated a negative association between citizens’ reports of purpose and GDP. The current study reconciles these differences by specifically considering an important component of sense of purpose missing in the past societal work, namely life engagement. Using data representative of 99% of the world’s adult population from 2013 to 2015 Gallup World Poll, results demonstrate a clear positive association between life engagement and countries’ GDP. Moreover, results demonstrate the distinctive importance of assessing life engagement relative to alternative metrics for related constructs.