Values, feelings, job satisfaction and well-being: the Turkish case

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between universal individual value priorities, feelings and global job satisfaction as well as satisfaction with life in Turkish context. The sub-research question is to learn the moderation effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between values, experienced feelings and life satisfaction.

Analytical type of research design was used, and the data were obtained from 390 respondents who are the employees of different organizations in three cities in Turkey. Four measurement devices (Schwartz’s ten-item Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ), Brayfield-Rothe’s overall job satisfaction (OJS), and Diener’s Scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE) and satisfaction with life scale (SWLS)) were employed.

It was understood that the participants are slightly to moderately satisfied both with their job tasks and with the evaluation of global satisfaction of their own lives. The values of self-direction, achievement, hedonism and conformity are positively and strongly linked to job satisfaction and overall satisfaction of life. The moderating effect of job satisfaction is partially confirmed. It was also understood that the priorities of Turkish citizens imply self-centered satisfaction and independency, but not risk taking. Positive affect does influence the magnitude of the association between job satisfaction and life satisfaction.

This paper is able to demonstrate the nature of associations between value orientations, experienced feelings, job satisfaction and global life satisfaction in a collectivist culture. The contradictions between value priorities of Turkish citizens and the people of Western countries would be likely interesting for academicians and researchers.