Subjective WellBeing AO3 Flashcards
(8 cards)
ETHICAL ISSUE AGAINST- HARM
P: One ethical issue in Myers and Diener’s review is the risk of stress, anxiety, humiliation or pain.
E: Some of the studies included in the review may have caused psychological discomfort by asking participants to reflect deeply on their well-being.
E: Being asked to evaluate personal levels of happiness or life satisfaction could have triggered distress, particularly in participants who were struggling emotionally.
L: Therefore, this raises ethical concerns, as researchers have a duty to protect participants from harm, and sensitive topics like well-being must be approached cautiously.
ETHICAL ISSUE AGAINST- SENSITIVE
P: Another ethical concern is the risk to participants’ values, beliefs, relationships, status, or privacy.
E: Some of the studies collected sensitive data such as religious beliefs or relationship status.
E: This could have made participants feel uncomfortable or exposed, especially if confidentiality was not clearly guaranteed.
L: Collecting personal information requires researchers to maintain strict ethical standards to protect privacy and avoid psychological harm.
SOCIAL AGAINST
P: A social implication of Myers and Diener’s research is that it could be considered socially sensitive.
E: The findings highlighted differences in happiness between groups, such as between religious and non-religious people or across cultures.
E: This may lead to stereotyping or discrimination, especially if people begin to associate happiness or well-being with certain beliefs or nationalities.
L: This shows the potential risk of reinforcing social divisions if findings are not interpreted carefully and responsibly.
SOCIAL FOR
P: On the other hand, the research has positive implications for society.
E: Myers and Diener suggested that understanding the factors behind happiness could help build a society that promotes well-being.
E: For example, findings could inform policies aimed at increasing life satisfaction, like promoting social relationships or mental health support.
L: This demonstrates how psychological research, when applied carefully, can benefit individuals and communities.
METHODODLOGY AGAINST- CB
P: A methodological weakness is the culture bias present in the studies reviewed.
E: Most of the research focused on Western countries and used Western definitions of happiness.
E: This limits the generalisability of the findings, as concepts of well-being vary across cultures and may not be measured in the same way elsewhere.
L: Therefore, the conclusions drawn may not accurately reflect the global experience of happiness, reducing external validity.
METHODOLOGY AGAINST- RB
P: Another methodological issue is the potential for researcher bias in the review process.
E: Because a literature review involves selecting and interpreting existing research, there is room for subjective influence.
E: Myers and Diener may have unconsciously selected studies that support their own expectations or excluded contradictory evidence.
L: This threatens the objectivity and reliability of the review’s conclusions.
PROCEDURE AGAINST - SR
P: A weakness of the procedure is the use of self-report data to measure well-being.
E: Participants were asked to rate their own happiness, which is inherently subjective.
E: These responses are prone to issues like social desirability bias or demand characteristics, where participants alter their answers to appear more positive or fit perceived expectations.
L: This reduces the validity of the findings, as responses may not reflect true well-being.
PROCEDURE AGAINST- CD
P: Another procedural issue is the reliance on correlational data.
E: Many studies explored associations, such as between income and well-being, without manipulating variables.
E: As correlation does not imply causation, it is impossible to determine whether one factor causes the other or if a third variable is involved.
L: This limits the internal validity of the research and makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about cause and effect.
