The Eastern Zhongyong Thinking Style Buffers the Socioeconomic Gradient in Well-Being

Abstract Socioeconomic status (SES) robustly stratifies well-being (WB), yet culturally grounded cognitive resources may blunt this gradient. We tested whether zhongyong, an Eastern thinking style emphasizing multi-perspective integration, contextual fit, and moderation buffers the SES-WB links in China. N = 600 adults completed an online survey assessing both subjective and objective SES indicators, alongside both Western and Eastern indicators. Zhongyong was measured both globally and by facets (Multi-thinking, Holism, Harmoniousness). Analyses used mean-centered predictors with SES×zhongyong interactions and simple-slope probes. The results indicated that SES related to greater WB, with subjective SES showing larger and more consistent associations than objective SES. Zhongyong also correlated positively with WB. Crucially, zhongyong buffered SES–WB slopes, most clearly for subjective SES and symptom outcomes. Facet analyses indicated that Holism was the most consistent and largest moderator, and Harmoniousness was least predictive. Findings position zhongyong as a psychological resource that attenuates the socioeconomic gradient in WB. The results advance a culturally plural account of psychological resources and suggest zhongyong-informed skills as low-cost targets to protect disadvantaged groups’ well-being.