The Perception of Large-Scale Social Progress Among South Asian Americans with Variations in Depressive Traits

Abstract

Prior socio-psychological research has found that a belief in social progress motivates prosocial behaviors and emotional and behavioral well-being in individuals (Rutjens et al., 2010). However, identity-related adversities may lead some populations in the U.S., namely South Asian Americans, to have more negative beliefs about social progress, compared to many other U.S. adults (Chandrasekhar, 2003; Hur & Ruttan, 2023; Verma, 2019). Moreover, because pessimism is a key trait of depression (Roepke & Seligman, 2016), depressed populations may believe in social regress. It is thus crucial to study South Asian Americans with depressive traits who may believe in social regress and consequently experience decreased well-being. This thesis explains how South Asian Americans with varying depressive levels may perceive social progress. A study with 335 participants finds support for the hypotheses that 1) there is a relationship between participants’ depressive levels and their social progress beliefs but not their technological/scientific progress beliefs, and 2) pessimism mediates the relationship between depressive levels and social progress beliefs. This study finds neither a relationship between participants’ ethnic background and their technological/scientific progress beliefs nor support for the hypothesis that South Asian Americans with higher depressive levels are more pessimistic about social progress than their European American counterparts. This paper seeks to enhance culturally relevant interventions that may promote the belief in social progress and thus greater well-being in South Asian Americans. Keywords: social progress, depression, pessimism, South Asian Americans