Mapping Demographic Variations in Purpose and Meaning Across the World: An Analysis of 22 Countries in the Global Flourishing Study

Are certain parts of the world home to people who experience heightened levels of purpose and meaning? Do differences vary across key demographic factors? We analyzed nationally representative data from 22 countries (N=202,898) to evaluate these questions. Countries from Asia (#1 Indonesia, #4 Philippines), Africa (#5 Egypt, #7 Nigeria, #8 Kenya), and Latin America (#2 Mexico, #6 Argentina, #9 Brazil) reported the highest purpose and meaning. The results suggest high levels of purpose and meaning are achievable in diverse geographical and cultural contexts but are often found in societies with strong community bonds, rich cultural heritage, or a greater reliance on spiritual or religious frameworks. Strikingly, high-income societies (#14 Spain, #15 Hong Kong, #16 Germany, #17 the United States, #18 Australia, #19 Sweden, #20 the United Kingdom, #22 Japan) reported lower purpose and meaning. Meta-analytic results showed a progressive increase in purpose and meaning with age. Women and men had similar levels of purpose and meaning. Further, self-employed, married, highly educated, and regular religious attendees reported higher purpose and meaning. Our research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of global patterns in purpose and meaning, and also suggests pathways for fostering these factors within and across diverse contexts.