Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Tiberius
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Practical Problem ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Desire Satisfactionism ◽  
Satisfaction Theory ◽  
Objective List

The approach of this book is to defend a theory of well-being that solves a particular practical problem, namely, the problem of how to help others, particularly our friends, attain greater well-being. This introductory chapter sets out this problem, explains why it is a problem, provides some illustrative examples, and introduces the value fulfillment theory as a solution to the problem. The final section of the chapter compares the value fulfillment theory to other theories in philosophy and psychology (hedonism, life satisfaction theory, desire satisfactionism, eudaimonism, objective list theory). The aim here is not to prove the other theories are wrong, but to make space for the value fulfillment alternative.

Introduction: The New Paradigm

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Andrew E. Clark ◽  
Sarah Flèche ◽  
Richard Layard ◽  
Nattavudh Powdthavee ◽  
George Ward
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Policy Makers

This introductory chapter briefly describes the ways in which happiness and well-being can be laid out in quantitative terms. It argues that this endeavor is crucial both for individuals as well as for policy makers. Here, the chapter focuses on individual well-being over individual lifespan. In adulthood that is measured by life-satisfaction, and in childhood by mood and feelings. Having measured happiness, the chapter turns to the next step: explaining it—to understand why some people flourish, while others languish. It does so by introducing a single framework which shows the relative importance of the different factors involved in one's well-being. Finally, the chapter offers some warnings regarding the findings in this book and provides some concluding thoughts.

scholarly journals Empirical Relationships Among Five Types of Well-Being

2021 ◽  
pp. 377-407
Author(s):  
Seth Margolis ◽  
Eric Schwitzgebel ◽  
Daniel J. Ozer ◽  
Sonja Lyubomirsky
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Empirical Relationships ◽  
Desire Fulfillment ◽  
Approach Unity ◽  
Objective List

Philosophers, psychologists, economists, and other social scientists continue to debate the nature of human well-being. The authors argue that this debate centers around five main conceptualizations of well-being: hedonic well-being, life satisfaction, desire fulfillment, eudaimonia, and non-eudaimonic objective list well-being. Although each type of well-being is conceptually different, this chapter addresses the question of whether they are empirically distinguishable. The authors first developed and validated a measure of desire fulfillment and then examined associations between this new measure and several other well-being measures. In addition, they explored associations among all five types of well-being and found high correlations among all measures of well-being. However, correlations generally did not approach unity even when correcting for unreliability. Furthermore, correlations between well-being and related constructs (e.g., demographics, personality) depended on the type of well-being measured. The authors conclude that empirical findings based on one type of well-being measure may not generalize to all types of well-being.

scholarly journals Prediction of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in succesful aging

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-176
Author(s):  
José M. Tomás ◽  
Laura Galiana ◽  
Melchor Gutiérrez ◽  
Patricia Sancho ◽  
Amparo Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Predictive Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
The Other ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Research Traditions ◽  
Variance Explained

Psychological well-being is a construct of maximum relevance in psychology, being the equivalent to health in medical sciences. It is a multifaceted construct, with two research traditions: the hedonic and the eudaimonic ones. On the other hand, the paradign of succesful aging is a good theoretical framework to study and understand optimal aging. Rowe and Kahn (1998) articulated this paradign proposing its three main characteristics: physcal health, cognitive functioning and being productive and socially active. The aim of this research is to develop a predictive model of well-being, both hedonic and eudaimonic, using the sucessful aging parading plus a dimension of spirituality. Main results of the model showed that social support had a significant and positive on satisfaction and to a lesser extent on well-being. Pshysical health was also a significant predictor of satisfaction. An finally, spirituality may also be considered a protector of well-being. Percentage of variance explained of life satisfaction was 23.3%, while this percentage on well-being was 10.4%.

Introduction and History of Veteran Homelessness

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jack Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Detailed History ◽  
Homeless Veterans ◽  
History Of ◽  
Comprehensive Text ◽  
Us Veterans

Homelessness among US Veterans is a problem that has existed for more than five decades, and the health and social well-being of our Veterans are of major public concern. This introductory chapter sets the tone for the book and describes what Veteran homelessness is, how it is defined, and key historical events in the conceptualization and approach to Veteran homelessness. The chapter begins with a case study of a homeless Veteran, followed by a brief discussion of how homelessness is defined and why homeless Veterans are a population of public health importance. The author provides a selective detailed history of Veteran homelessness starting in the 1800s and the Civil War to the present day with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The chapter concludes with a brief overview of the other 10 chapters in this book and the work of leading thinkers in the field that together provide a comprehensive text on the programs, services, and research related to the care of homeless US Veterans.

Romantic Relationship Status and Emerging Adult Well-Being: Accounting for Romantic Relationship Interest

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathon J. Beckmeyer ◽  
Shannon Cromwell
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Emerging Adult ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Using Data

Using data from 744 unmarried emerging adults, we tested the associations between their romantic relationship status and well-being while accounting for single participants’ romantic relationship interest. Specifically, we compared the depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and loneliness of those who were (1) romantically involved, (2) single not/slightly interested in a romantic relationship, and (3) single very interested in a romantic relationship. The single very interested group reported greater depressive symptoms than those in the other two groups, who did not differ from each other. Emerging adults in the romantically involved group reported greater life satisfaction than both groups of single participants who did not differ from one another. Those in the romantically involved group reported less loneliness than both groups of single emerging adults, and the single not/slightly interested group reported less loneliness than the single very interested group. Results are discussed within the context of emerging adult romantic development.

scholarly journals Satisfaction with life among university students from nine countries: Cross-national study during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra M. Rogowska ◽  
Dominika Ochnik ◽  
Cezary Kuśnierz ◽  
Monika Jakubiak ◽  
Astrid Schütz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
University Students ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
National Study ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Cross National

Abstract Background A cross-sectional study was performed to examine life satisfaction differences between university students from nine countries during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-national comparison of the association between life satisfaction and a set of variables was also conducted. Methods Participants in the study were 2349 university students with a mean age of 23 years (M = 23.15, SD = 4.66). There was a predominance of women (69.26%) and individuals studying at the bachelor level (78%). The research was conducted between May and July 2020 in nine countries: Slovenia (n=209), the Czech Republic (Czechia)(n=308), Germany (n=267), Poland (n=301), Ukraine (n=310), Russia (n=285), Turkey (n=310), Israel (n=199), and Colombia (n=153). Participants completed an online survey involving measures of satisfaction with life (SWLS), exposure to COVID-19, perceived negative impact of coronavirus (PNIC) on students' well-being, general self-reported health (GSRH), physical activity (PA), and some demographics (gender, place of residence, level of study). A one-way ANOVA was used to explore cross-national differences in life satisfaction. The χ2 independence test was performed separately in each country to examine associations between life satisfaction and other variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify life satisfaction predictors among a set of demographic and health-related variables in each of the nine countries. Results The level of life satisfaction varied between university students from the nine countries. The results for life satisfaction and the other variables differed between countries. Numerous associations were noted between satisfaction with life and several variables, and these showed cross-national differences. Distinct predictors of life satisfaction were observed for each country. However, poor self-rated physical health was a predictor of low life satisfaction independent of the country. Conclusions The association between life satisfaction and subjective assessment of physical health seems to be universal, while the other variables are related to cross-cultural differences. Special public health attention should be focused on psychologically supporting people who do not feel healthy.

scholarly journals Authentic self-expression on social media is associated with greater subjective well-being

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica R. Bailey ◽  
Sandra C. Matz ◽  
Wu Youyou ◽  
Sheena S. Iyengar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Personality Profiles ◽  
Authentic Self

Abstract Social media users face a tension between presenting themselves in an idealized or authentic way. Here, we explore how prioritizing one over the other impacts users’ well-being. We estimate the degree of self-idealized vs. authentic self-expression as the proximity between a user’s self-reported personality and the automated personality judgements made on the basis Facebook Likes and status updates. Analyzing data of 10,560 Facebook users, we find that individuals who are more authentic in their self-expression also report greater Life Satisfaction. This effect appears consistent across different personality profiles, countering the proposition that individuals with socially desirable personalities benefit from authentic self-expression more than others. We extend this finding in a pre-registered, longitudinal experiment, demonstrating the causal relationship between authentic posting and positive affect and mood on a within-person level. Our findings suggest that the extent to which social media use is related to well-being depends on how individuals use it.

scholarly journals Explanatory perfectionism: a fresh take on an ancient theory

Analysis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Prinzing
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Good For ◽  
Desire Satisfactionism ◽  
Objective List

Abstract The ‘Big Three’ theories of well-being – hedonism, desire-satisfactionism and objective list theory – attempt to explain why certain things are good for people by appealing to prudentially good-making properties. But they do not attempt to explain why the properties they advert to make something good for a person. Perfectionism, the view that well-being consists in nature-fulfilment, is often considered a competitor to these views (or else a version of the objective list theory). However, I argue that perfectionism is best understood as explaining why certain properties are prudentially good-making. This version of perfectionism is compatible with each of the Big Three and, I argue, quite attractive.

scholarly journals A Longitudinal Study of Relations Among Adolescents’ Self-Esteem, General Self-Efficacy, Career Adaptability, and Life Satisfaction

2019 ◽  
pp. 089484531986169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Marcionetti ◽  
Jérôme Rossier
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Other ◽  
Career Adaptability ◽  
Career Concern ◽  
The Impact ◽  
General Self Efficacy ◽  
Over Time

Self-esteem, general self-efficacy, and career adaptability, which include career concern, control, curiosity, and confidence, are important resources for adolescents who are required to make important educational and professional choices. No studies have investigated how these resources codevelop over time and their impact on life satisfaction. To more precisely study this codevelopment and the impact of these resources on well-being, 357 Swiss adolescents were assessed 3 times during the last 17 months of compulsory school. The results showed an interrelationship between career adaptability and self-efficacy and a unidirectional effect of self-esteem on life satisfaction over time. They also highlighted the importance of career adapt-ability concerns for predicting the other three career adapt-abilities. Overall, the results suggested that in adolescents, higher levels of career adaptability may favor higher levels of general self-efficacy and that higher levels of self-esteem may induce higher levels of life satisfaction. Implications for practice are discussed.

The Well-Being Index WHO-5: hedonistic foundation and practical limitations

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amalie Oxholm Kusier ◽  
Anna Paldam Folker
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Philosophical Foundation ◽  
Philosophical Theory ◽  
Satisfaction Theory

Research and policymaking on positive mental health and well-being have increased within the last decade, partly fueled by decreasing levels of well-being in the general population and among at-risk groups. However, measurement of well-being often takes place in the absence of reflection on the underlying theoretical conceptualisation of well-being. This disguises the fact that different rating scales of well-being often measure very different phenomena because rating scales are based on different philosophical assumptions, which represent radically different foundational views about the nature of well-being. The aim of this paper is to examine the philosophical foundation of the Well-Being Index WHO-5 in order to clarify the underlying normative commitments and the psychometric compromises involved in the translation of philosophical theory into practice. WHO-5 has been introduced as a rating scale that measures the affective and hedonistic dimensions of well-being. It is widely used within public health and mental health research. This paper introduces the philosophical theory of Hedonism and explores how two central assumptions that relate to hedonistic theory are reflected in the construction of WHO-5. The first concerns ‘the hedonic balance’, that is the relation between positive and negative emotions. The second assumption concerns ‘the value of emotions’, that is, how to determine the duration and intensity of emotions. At the end, Hedonism is contrasted with Life Satisfaction Theory, an alternative foundational theory of well-being, in order to clarify that the outlook of WHO-5 is more a rating system of positive affect than a cognitive judgement of overall life satisfaction. We conclude that it is important to examine the philosophical foundation of rating scales of well-being, such as WHO-5, in order to be fully able to assess the magnitude as well as the limits of their results.

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