Life satisfaction and value congruence: Moderators and extension to constructed socio-demographic groups in a Russian national sample

Congruence between own and reference group values promotes life satisfaction. Does this effect extend to value congruence with others with whom one does not interact but who share socio-demographic characteristics? We constructed 36 socio-demographic categories in a representative Russian national sample (N = 961). Correlations of individuals' values with the mean value of their category indexed value congruence. Both a meta-analysis across the constructed groups and an individual level regression analysis confirmed a positive value congruence - life satisfaction effect. This effect held even when controlling for age, gender, education, religiosity, region, religion, and the 19 values on which the congruence score was based. Self-direction-action values moderated the effect: it was stronger the less important independence of action was to individuals.