Institute of Sociology NASU

Material well-being as a determinant of subjective well-being: international comparison and the Ukrainian context

stmm. 2025 (4): 126-148

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2025.04.126

Full text: https://stmm.in.ua/archive/ukr/2025-4/8.pdf

OLGA BUROVA, PhD in Sociology, Head of the Sector of Sociological Monitoring, Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (12, Shovkovychna St., Kyiv, 01021)

olga.burova@i-soc.org.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4149-8859

The article explores material well-being as a fundamental determinant of subjective well-being in societies undergoing profound structural and cultural transformations. Building on a critical review of major international surveys — including the European Social Survey (ESS), Gallup World Poll, European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), and European/World Values Survey (EVS/WVS) — as well as recently collected national data from Ukraine, the study provides a detailed examination of both conceptual and methodological dimensions of well-being measurement. Particular attention is given to the challenges of cross-national comparability, the role of cultural norms in shaping subjective responses, and the dynamic interaction between material conditions and perceived quality of life.

Although household income remains a robust predictor of life satisfaction in most contexts, the analysis demonstrates that its explanatory power is neither universal nor linear. It is sensitive to social inequality, perceived fairness, and macro-level shocks, especially under conditions of armed conflict, economic disruption, or forced displacement. The Ukrainian case offers an illustrative example of a paradoxical “optimistic future compensation,” in which relatively low present satisfaction levels coexist with disproportionately high expectations regarding future well-being.

Empirical data from the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2021–2024) indicate both downward adjustments in material aspirations and a recalibration of consumer standards, suggesting a process of adaptive preference formation under crisis. These findings highlight the limits of purely economic models of well-being and underline the necessity of integrating psychological resilience, social trust, institutional capacity, and cultural meaning-making into the assessment framework.

The authors argue for the development of multidimensional and context-sensitive well-being models capable of capturing the complexity of human adaptation during large-scale crises. Such models would combine objective material indicators with subjective evaluations, temporal dynamics, and relational dimensions, thereby providing a more accurate basis for evidence-informed policy. The article thus contributes to global scholarship by offering both theoretical refinement and empirically grounded insights relevant to countries facing acute social disruptions, while also laying the groundwork for future comparative studies in post-war and transitional settings.

Keywords: material well-being, subjective well-being, war, Ukraine, international comparison, crisis societies, adaptation, sociology of well-being

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Received 08.07.2025