Table 2.

Definitions and sources of variables

Variables	Definitions and sources
SWB	Subjective well-being, referring to how people experience the quality of their lives and it includes both emotional reactions and cognitive judgments
	Source: Inglehart et al. (2008)
GLOBE cultural indices	The future orientation index (FOI), uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), institutional collectivism (INC), in-group collectivism (ING), assertiveness (AOI), power distance (PDI), performance (POI), humane (HOI), gender egalitarianism (GEI)
	Source: House et al. (2004)
Hofstede cultural indices	The long-term orientation (H-Long), uncertainty avoidance index (H-UAI), individualism index (H-IND), power distance (H-PDI), masculinity(H-MAS) Source: Hofstede and Bond (1988)
GDP	GDP in constant 2000 US 100-billion dollars
	Source: WBDD
GDP growth	The growth rate of GDP
	Source: WBDD
Human rights (RIGHTS)	The condition of a country in protecting individual’s civil or political rights
	Source: Arrindell et al. 1997
Population density (POP)	The percentage of the population of each nation living in urban areas
	Source: Arrindell et al. 1997
Social comparison of income (SCI)	The log of mean value of a nation’s bordering nations’ gross domestic product per capita.
	Source: Arrindell et al. 1997
Education (EDU)	Enrollment ratio in tertiary education
	Source: WBDD
Language dummies	Five 0/1 variables (English, Chinese, Spanish, French, and Dutch) used to indicate the official language of each country
	Source: Stulz and Williamson (2003)