Abstract
In social sciences, societal development is often studied as economic progress leading to societal happiness, with individualism being seen as the psychological software to these advancements. In my proposed presentation, I will offer a constructive critique of this state-of-the-art. I will briefly present empirical macro-psychological arguments supporting the idea that societal development is more than just economic growth and that a good life is more than just being happy. However, my main focus during the presentation will be to discuss what actually serves as the psychological software to societal development. I will provide a brief critique of the mis-measurement of individualism and its association with the universal “Human Development Syndrome”. Next, drawing from evolutionary theories on culture-level and individual-level selection processes, as well as research on Complex Adaptive Systems, I will introduce the concept of Civicness. Civicness represents a mindset where individuals prioritize the well-being of the larger community they belong to over smaller groups. It embodies a pro-social orientation rooted in a sense of responsibility, duty, and concern for others. As the concept of Civicness is still evolving, I will welcome comments and suggestions from the audience on how to further refine its understanding, particularly regarding empirical study methods.

Kuba Krys is from the Polish Academy of Sciences.