LAUSR

This study examined how a career calling is linked to life satisfaction among undergraduate students in the United States and South Korea. Using structural equation modeling, we tested the mediating role of core self-evaluations, work volition, and work hope on the calling-satisfaction link. Supporting prior research, perceiving a calling was positively correlated with life satisfaction in both groups. However, we found that work volition was a dominant mediator for South Koreans, whereas work hope was a significant mediator for Americans. These findings suggest that a sense of calling links to well-being, but the underlying mechanism of how a calling beneficially functions may differ across culture and situational contexts. Practical implications are suggested for each group and recommendations are provided for further cross-cultural research.