Studying the Human Condition

Key Insights Emerge From Historic Baylor-Led Global Flourishing Study

University leaders, scholars, lawmakers and more convened in Washington, D.C., on April 30 for the highly anticipated release of the first wave of findings from the Global Flourishing Study. More than simply the data, they came together at Gallup headquarters for insights into the human condition.

The Global Flourishing Study is a five-year study, led by Baylor researchers in partnership with Harvard University, Gallup and the Center for Open Science. Byron Johnson, Ph.D., director of Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) and Institute for Global Human Flourishing (IGHF), serves as co-principal investigator of the project, representing the most comprehensive longitudinal study ever convened to uncover the factors that lead to human flourishing.

“It’s a topic that’s overwhelmingly important. If we can help figure out what makes people flourish or what hinders them from flourishing, maybe we’ll become more thoughtful as a society,” Johnson said. “That’s where this gets really exciting. There’s no better place than Baylor to lead a project that touches so many different aspects of our lives.”

Data is housed in the Center for Open Science so researchers around the world can use it to understand factors that impact their areas. While this shared data approach is a novel model, it is one Johnson believes vital to the future of humanity.

Wave One Insights

From Wave One, three key insights emerged, which will be analyzed further in the years ahead as future waves of the study are completed. The study’s initial insights are already making an impact, with coverage in The New York Times, Forbes, National Geographic and other popular outlets, along with 35 articles in the prestigious Nature Portfolio journal.

Global Differences in Flourishing

Many middle-income countries, like Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines, were doing better in the realms of meaning, purpose and relationships than those typically seen as more affluent. 

“If you think about which countries emerge at the top of the highest flourishing averages, you see countries like Indonesia, the Philippines and Mexico. Then you compare that to countries with the top gross domestic product: the United States, Sweden and Germany,” Matthew Lee, Ph.D., professor of the social sciences and humanities at Baylor ISR and a member of the Global Flourishing Study research team, said. “There is something going on in the high-income countries that is orienting human beings toward economic or other pursuits, but we may be neglecting the deep social relationships that help us find meaning and a sense of being fully alive.”

Younger Generations Lagging

Globally, younger people appear to not be doing as well as their elders when compared to past generations. Many in the youngest age group (18–24-year-olds) reported the lowest scores.

“There aren’t that many universal findings because of the huge variation within countries, but there are some findings that are pretty shocking. And one is that young people are not doing well,” Johnson said. “You could argue that over the last 15 years, there’s been a global rise in unhappiness. That’s a trend that’s happening in both the developing and the developed world, and no one seems to be affected more than young people. So, as we think about the future, this gives us something that policymakers should be thinking about. What are we doing wrong? Can we blame it on the internet and social media? Hopefully, we can unpack that with future waves of data.”

Spirituality Is a Common Contributor

Across nearly every nation, religious service attendance appears to be an important element related to flourishing, with strong associations even in the most secular societies.

“This is one of those things that we were curious about because the research in the West would indicate you should have found that. But most of the research is here in the West. So, for us to have a global sample and to find that religious service attendance matters across the world is very significant,” Johnson said. “And because our sample size is so large, we’re going to be able to look at different religious traditions, not just Christianity.”

These insights, along with the vast amounts of data to reach them, provide a treasure trove for scholars, policymakers, religious leaders and more to study as they seek answers to vexing questions in diverse areas of study. Already, scholars are at work on over 100 papers for peer-reviewed journals, a number that will grow with time.

The Institute for Global Human Flourishing

Baylor launched the Institute for Global Human Flourishing, led by Byron Johnson, Ph.D., to advance the University’s global vision and address the interconnected factors that help individuals and communities flourish. Building on the reach of the GFS, the new institute will supply researchers, policymakers, business and nonprofit leaders and more with research-based findings that support the wellbeing of those around them.