PSY6090 Cultural Perspectives on Well-being

Like in other domains, culture has a substantial role in shaping people’s well-being. This course introduces how culture shapes psychological processes and behavioral tendencies relevant to well-being. This course provides students with an understanding of major theories in cultural psychology that relate to different constructs of well-being (e.g., happiness, life satisfaction, subjective well-being, mental disorders, etc.) for individuals, families, schools, and communities. Students will learn to critically analyze themselves and others for the influence of culture and to understand human diversity and its implications for well-being. Students will also develop better skills for interpreting scientific research findings and applying them to their own life experiences and future work related to wellness. Through a mixture of lectures and a variety of hands-on activities and discussions, students will gain insights into promoting better well-being across different cultural contexts.