The role of Zhongyong thinking and self-control strategies in life satisfaction: a network analysis approach

Most theories of life satisfaction have been developed primarily from Western cultural perspectives, with less attention to culturally salient ways of thinking in Chinese contexts. Although Zhongyong thinking—characterized by considering multiple perspectives, adopting a holistic view, and pursuing harmony—has been associated with well-being, the dimension-level relationships and self-regulatory processes involved remain unclear. This study examined the conditional associations among Zhongyong thinking, self-control strategies, and life satisfaction. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1,372 Chinese university students (45.7% male; M age = 21.42). Network analysis was used to estimate the dimension-level conditional associations among three dimensions of Zhongyong thinking, four self-control strategies, and life satisfaction. A supplementary structural equation model was used to evaluate the theoretically proposed indirect associations at the construct level. All study variables were positively correlated. In the network, cognition strategy—reframing temptations or goal conflicts from a different perspective—showed the highest strength centrality among the four self-control strategies and occupied a relatively prominent structural position. Among the four self-control strategies, inhibition and cognition strategies showed the strongest conditional associations with life satisfaction. The supplementary structural equation model identified significant indirect associations between Zhongyong thinking and life satisfaction through situation, cognition, and inhibition strategies, but not through attention strategy, with cognition strategy showing the largest specific indirect association. Cognition strategy may be an important connecting component in the associations among Zhongyong thinking, self-control strategies, and life satisfaction in Chinese university students. The findings illustrate the value of examining culturally salient thinking styles together with specific forms of self-regulation and provide hypotheses for future culturally sensitive intervention research. Longitudinal, experimental, and cross-cultural studies are needed to examine the directionality, practical effectiveness, and generalizability of these associations.