How culture impacts the emphasis people place on passion in career decisions
A study led by Yale-NUS researchers finds that beliefs about pursuing a passion as a career differ by culture, with implications for life satisfaction and fulfilling careers
A common adage urges people to follow their passion when choosing a career. However, not everyone is equally receptive to this advice. A new set of studies by a team of researchers led by Yale-NUS Assistant Professor of Social Sciences (Psychology) Paul A. O’Keefe suggests that culture shapes people’s beliefs and attitudes toward passion when making career decisions.
Specifically, the researchers examined differences between people from Western and Asian cultures in their endorsement of pursuing a passion as a career. They conducted three experiments involving 1,326 American and Singaporean participants. The findings showed that while people across cultures generally endorse the idea of pursuing a passion as a career, Americans endorse it more even more than Singaporeans. That is, Americans were on average even more likely to “agree” or “strongly agree” with the idea that pursuing a passion would be a smart and wise career move. In addition, Americans were more likely to expect positive outcomes such as greater personal fulfilment and eventual success.
Cultures shape people’s priorities, which in turn can mould their beliefs about passion. In Western cultures (such as the United States), people prioritise “independence”; that is, their separateness from others, unique traits, and accomplishments, and they often consider their personal interests when making important decisions. By contrast, in Asian cultures (such as Singapore), people prioritise independence less, and decisions are often based not on personal interests but on being pragmatic. The researchers note that their findings could apply to many other countries depending on whether or not the cultures tend to prioritise independence.
Given their differing priorities, Americans and Singaporeans tend to hold fundamentally different beliefs about what passions do, which accounts for why they diverge in their endorsement of pursuing a passion as a career. In the studies, participants indicated their beliefs about passion in general—namely, how much passions tend to motivate people and how much they tend to create problems, such as possible conflicts with obligations or being too idealistic. In another task, they evaluated an individual described as either pursuing their passion as a career or pursuing a career that did not reflect their passion. The researchers found that, compared to Singaporeans, Americans believed that passion was a more significant source of motivation, inspiration, and reward, making it highly desirable for careers. By contrast, Singaporeans tended to view passions as potentially problematic, making it a poor yardstick for guiding critical career decisions.
According to Asst Prof O’Keefe, who also holds a courtesy appointment with the National University of Singapore’s Business School, “Both culturally-based views of passion are valid. Culture informs how we interpret our social world and how to respond to it. A ‘good’ decision is likely one that fits with one’s own culture, and what may be most fruitful is to pursue a career in a way that fits their own notion of passion.”
Asst Prof O’Keefe also noted that these findings have clear implications for practice: “Career counsellors may wish to dispense career advice in a culturally consistent manner, taking care to avoid platitudes that may conflict with one’s cultural beliefs. For example, if a Singaporean were urged to unflaggingly follow their passion, as is often espoused in American culture, the advice might not be taken well; Singaporeans’ greater concerns about their obligations are important for them and might be at odds with this ‘American’ advice.”
These cultural differences have implications for how pursuing a passion as a career shapes people’s life outcomes, such as their general life satisfaction. In the third study, employed participants were asked to report the degree to which they were pursuing their passion as a career and, separately, to rate their current life satisfaction. The team found that Americans were more likely to have pursued passion as a career in the first place. Moreover, for Americans, life satisfaction depended more strongly on the extent to which they were pursuing their passion as a career. By comparison, passion may not play as key a role in major life outcomes for Singaporeans as it does for Americans. Hence, cultural differences in beliefs about passion reflect people’s actual lived experiences.
These results suggest that Americans might consider what motivates and inspires them more when choosing a career. At the same time, Americans may be more negatively affected than the less-idealistic Singaporeans, should they eventually find that even passion-driven careers can involve mundanity, difficulty, and frustration. Singaporean culture may have a somewhat more realistic perspective, which could help regulate expectations when things do not go as planned.
Going forward, should passion still be a factor in shaping people’s career decisions? Yes, Prof O’Keefe answers, but within their own cultural contexts. “What may bring people the most fulfilment is to pursue a career in a way that fits their own notion of passion, which is shaped, in part, by their culture. For Americans, this may include pursuing what motivates and inspires them, and for Singaporeans, it may include a more practical evaluation of both their passions and obligations.” He added that it is also important to acknowledge the particular values and desires of each individual. Even people within the same culture can differ in the importance they ascribe to passion.
The team’s research was published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior. Other researchers include Yale-NUS Senior Research Fellow E. J. Horberg, National University of Singapore Assistant Professor Patricia Chen, and Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor of Leadership, Management, and Organization Krishna Savani.
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