@article {330745,
	title = {Subjective well-being across the life course among non-industrialized populations},
	journal = {Science AdvancesScience Advances},
	volume = {10},
	year = {2024},
	note = {<p>doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado0952</p>
},
	pages = {eado0952},
	abstract = {<p>Subjective well-being (SWB) is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood, declining to a midlife slump and then improving thereafter. Improved SWB in later adulthood has been considered a paradox given age-related declines in health and social losses. While SWB has mostly been studied in high-income countries, it remains largely unexplored in rural subsistence populations lacking formal institutions that reliably promote social welfare. Here, we evaluate the age profile of SWB among three small-scale subsistence societies (n = 468; study 1), forest users from 23 low-income countries (n = 6987; study 2), and Tsimane? horticulturalists (n = 1872; study 3). Across multiple specifications, we find variability in SWB age profiles. In some cases, we find no age-related differences in SWB or even inverted U-shapes. Adjusting for confounders reduces observed age effects. Our findings highlight variability in average well-being trajectories over the life course. Ensuring successful aging will require a greater focus on cultural and socioecological determinants of individual trajectories. Subjective well-being in small-scale subsistence-oriented societies shows variable trajectories over adulthood.Subjective well-being (SWB) is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood, declining to a midlife slump and then improving thereafter. Improved SWB in later adulthood has been considered a paradox given age-related declines in health and social losses. While SWB has mostly been studied in high-income countries, it remains largely unexplored in rural subsistence populations lacking formal institutions that reliably promote social welfare. Here, we evaluate the age profile of SWB among three small-scale subsistence societies (n = 468; study 1), forest users from 23 low-income countries (n = 6987; study 2), and Tsimane? horticulturalists (n = 1872; study 3). Across multiple specifications, we find variability in SWB age profiles. In some cases, we find no age-related differences in SWB or even inverted U-shapes. Adjusting for confounders reduces observed age effects. Our findings highlight variability in average well-being trajectories over the life course. Ensuring successful aging will require a greater focus on cultural and socioecological determinants of individual trajectories. Subjective well-being in small-scale subsistence-oriented societies shows variable trajectories over adulthood.</p>
},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ado0952},
	url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ado0952},
	author = {Gurven, Michael and Buoro, Yoann and Rodriguez, Daniel Eid and Sayre, Katherine and Trumble, Benjamin and Pyh{\"a}l{\"a}, Aili and Kaplan, Hillard and Angelsen, Arild and Stieglitz, Jonathan and Reyes-Garc{\'\i}a, Victoria}
}
