The Relationship Between Schwartz’s Basic Human Values and Psychological Well-Being: Example of Samandağ/Hatay

Authors : Hena Buket Ekici, Asım Yapıcı

Pages : 196-216

Doi:10.46595/jad.1544479

View : 196 | Download : 264

Publication Date : 2025-12-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The global rise in prosperity has reshaped individuals’ perceptions of mental health and states of well-being. In parallel with this shift, domains within positive psychology -such as well-being, post-traumatic growth, and self-actualization- have gained increasing prominence, moving beyond the mere prevention of organic health problems. Empirical research demonstrates that individuals’ well-being is closely intertwined with personal perceptions. Given the influence of values on subconscious processes, investigating their association with well-being holds considerable importance. A review of the literature indicates that the majority of existing studies have been conducted with university or workplace samples. Consequently, it was deemed necessary to revisit the relationship between values and well-being within a more natural and locally representative sample. For this purpose, the Schwartz Value Orientation Scale and the Psychological Well-Being Scale were administered to 532 participants selected through convenience sampling in the Samandağ district of Hatay. The collected raw data were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. The results revealed that the subdimensions of the Schwartz Value Orientation Scale exhibited a low-level positive correlation with psychological well-being. However, no significant association was found between psychological well-being and the religious and spiritual values subdimension, which had been added to the scale. This finding may suggest that individuals navigating the transition from traditionalism to modernity, and subsequently to postmodernity, display a certain degree of cognitive and emotional ambivalence. Regression analysis further demonstrated that the values of benevolence and achievement significantly predicted psychological well-being. In the context of the Samandağ sample, this indicates that benevolence and achievement value orientations positively influence individuals’ psychological well-being. Future research focusing on the interplay between psychological well-being and values could help identify which types of values more strongly predict individuals’ sense of peace and happiness. Furthermore, the religious and ethnic diversity of the sample may imply that social coexistence is grounded not in religious distinctions or individualism, but in shared values such as benevolence and achievement. The absence of a significant relationship involving the religious–spiritual values subdimension may be attributable to its content reflecting predominantly Sunni doctrine. The distinctive characteristics of the sample contribute to the originality of the study. Notably, the emergence of benevolence and achievement as significant predictors of psychological well-being warrants consideration in the formulation of both individual and societal strategies.
Keywords : Din Psikolojisi, Değerler Psikolojisi, Schwartz Temel İnsani Değerler, Psikolojik İyi Oluş

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