Positively and negatively evaluated life events are associated with individuals’ life satisfaction. In the present study, we tested whether the link between individuals’ evaluations of life events in the social domain and their satisfaction with life is moderated by their implicit affiliation motive. Adolescent participants were recruited in Germany and Zambia. First, data on the implicit affiliation motive and life satisfaction were gathered. Approximately six to eight months later, adolescents reported on their life satisfaction again and indicated the recent occurrence of life events in the social domain. Moreover, they reported on the affective quality of those events. Analyses showed that positive evaluations of social life events predict life satisfaction only among adolescents characterized by a strong affiliation motive. This moderation effect was not qualified by individuals’ cultural background. Findings are discussed with respect to universal effects of implicit motives on individuals’ life satisfaction.

积极和消极评价的生活事件与个人的生活满意度相关。在本研究中，我们测试了个人对社会领域生活事件的评价与他们对生活的满意度之间的联系是否受到他们内隐的归属动机的调节。在德国和赞比亚招募了青少年参与者。首先，收集了关于隐性从属动机和生活满意度的数据。大约六到八个月后，青少年再次报告了他们的生活满意度，并指出了最近在社交领域发生的生活事件。此外，他们报告了这些事件的情感质量。分析表明，对社会生活事件的积极评价只能预测具有强烈归属动机的青少年的生活满意度。这种调节效应不受个人文化背景的限制。关于内隐动机对个人生活满意度的普遍影响的研究结果进行了讨论。