Happiness - Chapter 8 and 11

WHAT (SWB) is the scientific term for happiness and life satisfaction — thinking and feeling that your life is WHAT rather than WHAT.

SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING (SWB) is the scientific term for happiness and life satisfaction — thinking and feeling that your life is GOING WELL rather than BADLY.

SWB is measured primarily by WHAT, but those scales have been validated against other measures — WHAT reports, WHAT, and WHAT data.

SWB is measured primarily by SELF-REPORT, but those scales have been validated against other measures — INFORMANT reports, BIOLOGICAL INDICES, and BEHAVIOURAL data.

Levels are influenced by WHAT (temperament (behaviours), outlook) and WHAT ones (relationships, society, whether basic needs are met).

Levels are influenced by INTERNAL FACTORS (temperament, outlook) and EXTERNAL ones (relationships, society, whether basic needs are met).

SWB is a WHAT, not just a pleasant WHAT. It has causes, and it in turn shapes WHAT and WHAT.

SWB is a PROCESS, not just a pleasant OUTCOME. It has causes, and it in turn shapes BEHAVIOUR and PHYSIOLOGY.

high SWB is treated as an input to WHAT success, not only a reward for WHAT success.

high SWB is treated as an input to FUTURE success, not only a reward for PAST success.

What are the three types of subjective well-being

• WHAT

• WHAT

• WHAT

What are the three types of subjective well-being

• Life satisfaction

• Positive feelings

• Low negative feelings

Life satisfaction

• The judgement that your life is WHAT

• Example items: I think my life is great. I am satisfied with my job.

• Associated causes: adequate WHAT, achieving one's WHAT, high WHAT

Life satisfaction

• The judgement that your life is GOING WELL

• Example items: I think my life is great. I am satisfied with my job.

• Associated causes: adequate INCOME, achieving one's GOALS, high SELF-ESTEEM

Positive feelings

• Frequent enjoyment and pleasant WHAT.

• Examples: enjoying life, loving others.

• Associated causes: supportive friends, interesting work, extraverted personality.

Positive feelings

• Frequent enjoyment and pleasant EMOTIONS.

• Examples: enjoying life, loving others.

• Associated causes: supportive friends, interesting work, extraverted personality.

Low negative feelings

• WHAT unpleasant emotion.

• Examples: few chronic worries, rarely sad or angry.

• Associated causes: low WHAT, goals in harmony, a WHAT outlook

Low negative feelings

• INFREQUENT unpleasant emotion.

• Examples: few chronic worries, rarely sad or angry.

• Associated causes: low NEUROTICISM, goals in harmony, a POSITIVE outlook

Internal - Top-down

• Inborn WHAT. Monozygotic twins raised apart are similar in WHAT, indicating WHAT influence.

• Personality and temperament. Extraverts tend to more WHAT feeling; those high in neuroticism to more WHAT.

• Outlook. Habits of noticing the WHAT, or of interpreting ambiguous events negatively. Culture shapes whether an WHAT or WHAT stance is taken up.

• WHAT. Happier people tend to recover faster from loss and negative events.

Internal - Top-down

• Inborn TEMPERAMENT. Monozygotic twins raised apart are similar in SWB, indicating GENETIC influence.

• Personality and temperament. Extraverts tend to more POSITIVE feeling; those high in neuroticism to more NEGATIVE.

• Outlook. Habits of noticing the GOOD, or of interpreting ambiguous events negatively. Culture shapes whether an OPTIMISTIC or PESSIMISTIC stance is taken up.

• RESILIENCE. Happier people tend to recover faster from loss and negative events.

External - Bottom-up

• Sufficient WHAT resources — enough money to meet basic needs and pursue major goals.

• Sufficient WHAT resources. People differ in how much social contact they need, but everyone needs someone: family, a friend, a partner, or all three.

• A desirable WHAT. Hunger, war, conflict and corruption depress well-being; societies with high trust, cooperation, and mutual help support it.

External - Bottom-up

• Sufficient MATERIAL resources — enough money to meet basic needs and pursue major goals.

• Sufficient SOCIAL resources. People differ in how much social contact they need, but everyone needs someone: family, a friend, a partner, or all three.

• A desirable SOCIETY. Hunger, war, conflict and corruption depress well-being; societies with high trust, cooperation, and mutual help support it.

People explain their own happiness through WHAT and personal WHAT. They underweight the WHAT they live in.

People explain their own happiness through RELATIONSHIPS and personal SUCCESS. They underweight the SOCIETY they live in.

Global maps: North WHAT and WHAT relatively high, much of WHAT low.

Global maps: North AMERICA and EUROPE relatively high, much of AFRICA low.

WHAT development supports life satisfaction. People struggling for food and shelter tend to be WHAT.

ECONOMIC development supports life satisfaction. People struggling for food and shelter tend to be DISSATISFIED.

Wealth is not the whole story. WHAT, being able to count on others, is crucial within nations.

Wealth is not the whole story. TRUST, being able to count on others, is crucial within nations.

For enjoying life, as distinct from evaluating it, WHAT count for more than national wealth.

For enjoying life, as distinct from evaluating it, RELATIONSHIPS count for more than national wealth.

WHAT is a strong negative predictor. High internal conflict, or conflict with neighbours, means low WHAT

CONFLICT is a strong negative predictor. High internal conflict, or conflict with neighbours, means low SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING.

Diminishing - Higher and higher incomes make less and less difference to WHAT

Diminishing - Higher and higher incomes make less and less difference to WELL-BEING

A certain level of WHAT is needed. Very poor people are frequently WHAT, and the finding is robust.

A certain level of INCOME is needed. Very poor people are frequently DISSATISFIED, and the finding is robust.

Above that level returns WHAT. US life satisfaction stayed flat across decades in which average income doubled.

Above that level returns DIMINISH. US life satisfaction stayed flat across decades in which average income doubled.

WHAT is the specific risk. Valuing money above other things predicts WHAT

MATERIALISM is the specific risk. Valuing money above other things predicts LOWER SATISFACTION

Two possible reasons for materialism lowering life satisfaction: WHAT and WHAT get sacrificed in the pursuit, or no amount ever satisfies.

The advice: find an income you can live on and earn, and keep aspirations from rising so you always feel poor.

Two possible reasons for materialism lowering life satisfaction: RELATIONSHIPS and INTERESTS get sacrificed in the pursuit, or no amount ever satisfies.

The advice: find an income you can live on and earn, and keep aspirations from rising so you always feel poor.