Vedic Personality Traits, Emotional Experience, and Psychological Well-Being: A Correlational Study

Abstract

The present study explores the relationships between Vedic personality traits (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) as conceptualized in Indian psychology, and their associations with emotional experience and psychological well-being. Rooted in the Triguna framework of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Sankhya philosophy, these personality dimensions offer a culturally grounded approach to understanding human behavior and mental health. Drawing on the Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI), Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), and Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (short version), this correlational study assessed a purposive sample of 100 healthy adults (50 males, 50 females) aged 18–65 from Jaipur city, India. Descriptive and Pearson correlation analyses revealed that Sattva was positively associated with positive emotional experience and eudaimonic well-being, while Rajas and Tamas showed negative correlations with well-being and positive affect, and positive associations with negative emotional experience. These findings align with prior cross-cultural and Indian research, affirming the relevance of Triguna as a psychological framework. The study underscores the value of integrating indigenous personality theories with positive psychology to promote holistic mental health.