Taoism and Subjective Wellbeing

Abstract

Based on a review of Taoist teaching, this study investigated the relationship between Taoism and subjective wellbeing (SWB) within the theoretical framework of a revised homeostatic model of SWB. This model integrates the affective (homeostatically protected mood: content, happy and excited), cognitive (self-esteem, optimism and perceived control: primary control and secondary control) and experiential factors in relating to SWB. As Taoism teaches that authentic selfhood should be constituted in relation to Tao (Nature), it is followed that a flourishing Taoist life necessitates a self which has no bearing on the ego. Hence, two hypotheses were tested. The first hypothesis was that compared with those without religious belief, the Taoists would have higher SWB, optimism, perceived control but lower self-esteem. The second hypothesis was that among the cognitive factors, optimism and perceived control would predict more significant SWB variance than self-esteem beyond the other homeostatic model factors. The results revealed that, except for optimism, no significant intergroup difference was found on cognitive factors and SWB. Besides, for the Taoists, it was found that primary control and optimism were able to predict more significant SWB variance than self-esteem, and that self-esteem and secondary control failed to make any independent contribution to SWB. Taken together, the hypotheses were partially supported. The results were discussed in terms of inappropriateness and non-specificity of the scales used in measuring secondary control and the necessity to explore the nature of esteem for the Taoists.