Week 7 Flashcards
Subjective Well Being
A measurement of happiness.
Consists of: Wealth, Human Rights, Equality
Happiness Across Cultures
People across cultures consider happiness one of their most cherished goals!
- Most accurately recognized emotional express (across cultures)
- Similar situation across cultures make us happy (ones that are pleasant and aligned with out goals, needs, desires, and elicit internal attributions)
- Behaviors aligned with happiness: Smiling, laughing, approach
Associations with Happiness (US and Japan)
United States: Unalienable human right, positive experiences, personal achievements
Japan: Social harmony, transient nature of happiness, socially disruptive consequences
Ideal Affect (US and China)
United States: High-arousal positive states (e.g., elation, enthusiasm, excitement)
Hong Kong China: Low-arousal positive states (e.g., calm, relaxation)
Meaning of Happiness (culturally dependent)
Polish, Russian, German, French (vs. English): Circumstances that are rarer
24/30 nations: Definitions include an element of luck and fortune (before in U.S.)
Western Enlightenment and Happiness
There was a shift from Ancient Greece (mythological) —> shift towards rational and predictable definitions of happiness during the Enlightenment.
- “Happiness” gradually transformed to reflect an individual’s state
11
Pursuit of Happiness and Well-Being
United States: Conscious pursuit of happiness associated with feelings of loneliness and disappointment
Happiness VS Subjective Well-Being
Subjective Well-Being: Being satisfied with ones life
- Life satisfaction: Cognitive evaluation of life (Cantril’s ladder)
- Happiness: Affective responses to ongoing life
Positive/Pleasant vs. Negative/Unpleasant
Top 10 Happies/ SWB countries
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
- Australia
Predictors of SWB
Genes: 30-40% of variance
- Some people tend to be happier
Environment: 60-70% of variance
- Basic and psychological needs (e.g., food & shelter, social needs, respect)—effects are additive
- Income can help to fulfill these
Effects of GDP and Social Support
GDP — material wealth increases physical well being
Social support — increases relational wealth (Joy, Love)
Human Rights and SWB
Countries that protect human rights are associated with happier citizens and greater SWB
Impact of Life Circumstances on SWB (no effect)
Circumstances Marriage — Happier 1st year, but then return to baseline
Children — No association
Impact of Life Circumstances on SWB (negative effect)
- Unemployment
- Disability
- Becoming Widowed
Impact of Life Circumstances on SWB (positive effect)
- High Self-esteem
- Social support
- Family satisfaction
- Job satisfaction
- Healthy environment (e.g., green space, air quality)
** The degree to which these matter varies between countries**
Biological Implications on SWB
More similarities of monozygotic (dizygotic) twins reared apart (together)
Set-point theory: Daily life events affect SWB, then return to baseline
- But: Impactful negative events; cross-national differences
Goal/Need for Satisfaction - Theory
SWB depends on satisfaction of key needs, desires, and goals
Mental-State - Theory
Cognitive/attentional processes (e.g., comparison standards, less happy in wealthier vs. poorer neighborhoods)
Health Benefits of higher SWB
Longitudinal effects on health and longevity
- More likely to exercise, not smoke, drink less alcohol
- Healthier cardiovascular, immune, and endocrine systems * More resilience: Bouncing back from stressful events
Higher SWB predicts lower mortality rates:
- Nuns: Highest vs. lowest quartile when starting —> 2.5x lower
- Elderly people: Highest vs. lowest third —> 3.5% vs. 7.3%
Social and Work Benefits of SWB
- More likely to get married and stay married
- More friends and liked more
- Higher citizenship behavior
- Better job performance
- Lower turnover
- Better social relationships
- Lower absenteeism
- Higher creativity
Policy Implications
Political benefits:
- Economic supports are helpful, but not enough (ie: environment)
- SWB is associated with other desirable outcomes (ie: health & work)
Challenges:
- Reliability — research on SWB measures can be biased and have skewed responses (culturally dependent)
- Role of adaptation to existing conditions or national leaders (e.g., emphasis on external enemies distracting from actual conditions)
Future Direction
- Go beyond self-report measures (e.g., informant reports, tech)
- Complement current methods with field experiments
- Examine biological mechanisms underlying genetic effects
- Increase understanding of optimal levels of SWB
