I am an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia, where I have been teaching and conducting research for more than sixteen years. I currently serve as the Vice Dean for Research and Partnerships. My academic background is rooted in social psychology, and my research broadly focuses on well-being studies, environmental and urban psychology, and social cognition, particularly how individuals perceive, interpret, and respond to social situations and societal challenges. A central theme of my work is the development of culturally grounded approaches to understanding well-being. I developed the Indonesian Well-being Scale (IWS) (Maulana et al, 2018) and examined it within the broader Indonesian Well-being Framework (Maulana et al., 2019), drawing inspiration from Lomas’s universal–relativism model of well-being (2012). This work aims to advance cross-cultural well-being research by integrating universal psychological dimensions with socio-cultural characteristics specific to Indonesian society, thereby contributing to the growing global discussion on culturally sensitive well-being measurement. In recent years, my research has expanded toward several interdisciplinary directions, including environmental and urban well-being, psychosocial resilience, and contemporary societal challenges affecting quality of life. My recent publications explore topics such as psychological resilience and environmental stressors, and social-cognitive processes underlying individual well-being and life satisfaction.
2. How has being a part of ISQOLS benefited your work/research?
As a new member of ISQOLS, I am still in the early stages of exploring and engaging with the society’s activities. Nevertheless, joining ISQOLS has already provided me with valuable exposure to an international community of scholars who share a common interest in advancing quality-of-life and well-being research. Being part of this network allows me to follow ongoing discussions and emerging developments in the field, which is particularly helpful for situating my own research within the broader global conversation on well-being. My current research interests focus on understanding well-being from psychological and socio-cultural perspectives. I am particularly interested in advancing culturally contextualized approaches to well-being measurement, including further development and application of the Indonesian Well-being Scale. I also explore topics related to environmental and urban well-being, as well as social-cognitive processes that shape how individuals perceive and respond to social and environmental challenges.
At this stage of my engagement with ISQOLS, I am especially enthusiastic about opportunities for international collaboration, particularly in cross-cultural well-being research and comparative studies of quality of life across different societies. I believe that collaborative research is essential for enriching our understanding of well-being in diverse cultural contexts. Coming from Indonesia, I am particularly motivated to contribute perspectives from the Global South to the broader conversation on quality-of-life and well-being research. Through participation in ISQOLS activities and its Special Interest Groups, I hope to build meaningful academic connections, exchange ideas with colleagues working on related topics, and contribute to collaborative efforts that advance the global dialogue on well-being and quality-of-life studies.
3. ISQOLS SIG Groups
I am particularly interested in engaging with the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS) through Special Interest Group V (Sustainability, Environment & Well-Being) and **Special Interest Group VI (Measurement & Metrics of Well-Being). My interest in SIG V relates to my work on environmental and urban psychology, particularly how environmental conditions, urban experiences, and ecological challenges influence human well-being and social resilience. Meanwhile, SIG VI aligns closely with my ongoing work on the development and validation of culturally contextualized well-being measures, including the Indonesian Well-being Scale and related research on quality-of-life indicators. Through participation in these SIGs, I am expecting to contribute to international collaboration on advancing culturally sensitive measurement frameworks and integrating environmental and societal contexts into well-being research.
