The Global Flourishing Study (GFS), recognized as the most extensive empirical examination of human flourishing, now offers its first two waves of data to the public at no charge through the Center for Open Science. Researchers, journalists, policymakers, and individuals worldwide can download the dataset directly from the Open Science Framework (OSF) website without preregistration requirements.
This release represents a key achievement for the initiative, which has already generated over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including a dedicated Nature Portfolio series featuring 35 studies drawn solely from the initial wave.
Study Overview and Methodology
Co-directed by Byron R. Johnson, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University, and Tyler VanderWeele, Ph.D., from Harvard University, the GFS collaborates with Gallup and the Center for Open Science. It follows nearly 200,000 participants in 22 countries and one territory, assessing flourishing across six core domains:
- Happiness and life satisfaction
- ical and mental health
- Meaning and purpose
- Character and virtue
- Close social relationships
- Financial and material stability
By surveying the same individuals over multiple waves, the study enables analysis of causal relationships that single-point surveys cannot capture.
“We built this study because we believed the world needed a rigorous, shared language for what makes life go well,” stated Byron R. Johnson, co-director of the GFS. “Today we’re putting the evidence in everyone’s hands.”
Key Findings from the Data
Early analysis highlights several trends:
- Youth well-being decline: Younger adults report lower overall well-being compared to older groups, underscoring the need for targeted support.
- Wealth versus purpose: Nations with higher economic development show a decline in citizens’ reported sense of meaning and purpose.
- Role of faith: Participation in religious communities emerges as one of the top predictors of flourishing across cultures, pointing to its potential importance for well-being strategies.
How to Access the Dataset
Waves 1 and 2 data, including Gallup’s documentation and guidelines, stand ready for public use. Most variables are fully accessible, though a limited set of sensitive items requires Institutional Review Board approval.
Those who preregister their research plans via the Global Flourishing Registry gain entry to Wave 3, the latest data collection.
“The question is no longer whether flourishing can be measured,” VanderWeele noted. “It’s what we do with what we’ve found.”
