In the present study, I examined the relationships among three important constructs: self-determination, hedonic well-being, and cultural values. My study explored Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000) and its hypothesis that humans have the universal and innate psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Specifically, I examined the following concepts: (a) the current complete measure of SDT‘s needs and its construct validity; (b) cultural group differences between Japanese, Japanese American, and European American college students in SDT needs, hedonic well-being, and Asian values; (c) the ability of cultural value adherence to moderate the relationship between SDT needs and life satisfaction; and (d) cultural group differences in the ability of SDT need to predict life satisfaction.

Japanese college students (n = 329), Japanese American college students (n = 49), and European American college students (n = 126) completed measures of SDT needs, hedonic well-being and Asian values. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that distinct SDT needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence cannot be specifically identified by the Basic Psychological Needs – General measure (Deci et al., 2001). Rather, this measure can only distinctly measure self-met and relationally-met needs.

United States participants endorsed all three SDT needs more than Japanese participants. Japanese American participants reported higher levels of Asian values than either European American or Japanese participants, suggesting that the Asian Values Scale (Kim et al., 1999) measures Asian American values as opposed to Asian values. European American college students reported more hedonic well-being than either Japanese or Japanese American college students. Analyses also showed that Asian values moderate the relationship between competence and hedonic well-being for Japanese participants. Finally, β-weights showed that life satisfaction was mediated by cultural differences in autonomy, relatedness, and competence. More research of SDT needs across cultures and outcome variables is warranted.