The Global Flourishing Study (GFS) is a multi-year longitudinal data collection and research collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University and the Human Flourishing Program at Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, in partnership with Gallup and the Center for Open Science (COS), and with the support of a consortium of funders. As part of this project, COS is making the data from the study an open access resource so researchers, journalists, policymakers, and educators worldwide can access detailed information about what makes for a flourishing life.

This initiative includes data collection for approximately 200,000 participants from 20+ geographically and culturally diverse countries and territories, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Mainland China, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States. The study will obtain nationally representative data within each country, with collection on the same panel of individuals annually.

GFS measures global human flourishing in six areas:

1. Happiness and life satisfaction
2. Mental and physical health
3. Meaning and purpose
4. Character and virtue
5. Close social relationships
6. Material and financial stability

The GFS is being led by principal investigators Byron R. Johnson, Director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, and Tyler J. VanderWeele, Director of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University.

Data from the first two waves are now available for those who have preregistered their analysis plans or are planning a Registered Report with an eligible journal. Starting with the second wave of data collection, access to the data will be available to anyone without restriction one year following the data collection for each wave.

Correction Notice: In alignment with our Data Management Plan, the Wave 1 data will be publicly accessible without preregistration when Wave 2 data is released in 2026. Please note that this is an update to previous messaging, which indicated 2025 for public access without preregistration.

One purpose of the GFS is to provide longitudinal data to enable more rigorous research designs for many research questions than can be investigated with cross-sectional data. This allows for the possibility of providing some evidence for causation. Your research questions or hypotheses must be tested using a longitudinal design by testing at least two waves of GFS data, by comparing GFS data with another dataset, or by using the childhood predictor questions contained within the Wave 1 survey. 

The following pages contain the information you will need to apply for access to the GFS data including workflows, templates, guides, training materials, agreements, and FAQs. COS strongly recommends reviewing the pages prior to proceeding to the GFS Registry to request access.

The GFS is a collaboration between researchers from the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, in partnership with Gallup and the Center for Open Science.

The GFS is generously funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Templeton Religion Trust, Templeton World Charity Foundation, Well-Being for Planet Earth, Fetzer Institute, Well Being Trust, Paul L. Foster Family Foundation, and the David & Carol Myers Foundation. The Center for Open Science is funded through a contract from Baylor University.