Does Living in California Make People Happy? A Focusing Illusion in Judgments of Life Satisfaction

1998 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 340-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Schkade ◽  
Daniel Kahneman

Large samples of students in the Midwest and in Southern California rated satisfaction with life overall as well as with various aspects of life, for either themselves or someone similar to themselves in one of the two regions. Self-reported overall life satisfaction was the same in both regions, but participants who rated a similar other expected Californians to be more satisfied than Midwesterners. Climate-related aspects were rated as more important for someone living in another region than for someone in one's own region. Mediation analyses showed that satisfaction with climate and with cultural opportunities accounted for the higher overall life satisfaction predicted for Californians. Judgments of life satisfaction in a different location are susceptible to a focusing illusion: Easily observed and distinctive differences between locations are given more weight in such judgments than they will have in reality.

1982 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal E. Cutler

A secondary analysis of a national sample of American adults is used to examine the correlation between membership in voluntary associations and life satisfaction. It is hypothesized that the influence of membership on overall life satisfaction is indirect: Membership influences organizational satisfaction; in turn, organizational satisfaction influences satisfaction with life as a whole. The findings suggest that the hypothesized pattern of relationships is not ubiquitously present for all four of the older age categories studied. Such differences suggest the critical importance of utilizing age-appropriate rather than generic indicators when studying these issues.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 164-175
Author(s):  
Zh.Yu. Bruk ◽  
S.V. Ignatjeva

The research presented in the article aims to identify the joint influence of family, school relationships and relationships with friends on overall life satisfaction and subjective well-being in children. The experiment was implemented within the framework of the International Survey of Children’s Well-being — Children’s Worlds (ISCWeB).In the course of the study we have developed a special set of tools for classifying children’s satisfaction with family, school, and friends. The analysis of the formed clusters allowed us to take into account the multidimensionality and heterogeneity of the phenomenon. The adaptation and testing of the proposed technique was carried out on a sample of 1959 schoolchildren of the Tyumen region, aged 10 and 12 years. According to the results, the number of clusters formed and their qualitative composition are not uniform, which confirms the age dynamics of the phenomenon.10-year-old children are more categorical in assessing their well-being and satisfaction with life: they are either satisfied with life or not satisfied.12-year-old children are more detailed in assessing life satisfaction; they are able to identify various spheres and aspects of their lives and to carry out a differentiated assessment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 305-326
Author(s):  
Jandir Pauli ◽  
Zelia Miranda Kilimnik ◽  
Juliane Ruffatto ◽  
Josieli Lazzarotto

Neste estudo teve-se como objetivo descrever a relação entre modelos de carreira, inclinações profissionais e satisfação geral com a vida. A base teórica propôs, em um primeiro momento, a articulação entre os modelos de carreira autodirigida e tradicional de Hall e Mirvis (1996) com as inclinações profissionais de Schein (1996) para, em um segundo momento, descrever a sua relação com a satisfação com a vida (DIENER et al., 1985). Para isso, foi realizado um estudo quantitativo com 215 estudantes de pós-graduação em Administração. Foram utilizadas as técnicas de análise fatorial para a redução de dados, regressão linear e comparação de médias entre grupos. As conclusões evidenciaram que as inclinações profissionais mais próximas do modelo de carreira autodirigida foram: autonomia e independência, criatividade empreendedora, desafio puro, serviço e dedicação a uma causa e estilo de vida e gerência geral. e as inclinações segurança e estabilidade e competência técnico-funcional foram associadas à carreira tradicional. Na relação entre inclinações profissionais e satisfação com a vida, autonomia, independência e desafio puro apresentaram uma relação significativa e positiva, evidenciando que o modelo de carreira autodirigida reforça a ideia de vinculação a aspectos subjetivos na percepção de carreira desses profissionais.Palavras-chave: Carreira. Inclinações profissionais. Satisfação com a vida. Abstract This study aimed to describe the relationship between career models, professional inclinations and overall life satisfaction. The theoretical basis proposed, at first, the relationship between self-directed and traditional career models of Hall and Mirvis (1996) with the professional inclinations of Schein (1996) in order to, in a second stage, describe their relationship with satisfaction life (DIENER et al., 1985). For this we conducted a quantitative study with 215 graduate students in Administration. The factor analysis techniques were used for data reduction, linear regression and comparison of means between groups. The findings showed that the closest professional inclinations of the self-directed career model were: autonomy and independence, entrepreneurial creativity, pure challenge, service and dedication to a cause and lifestyle and general management. And the anchors security and stability and technical and functional competency have been associated with traditional career. In the relations between professional inclinations and life satisfaction, autonomy, independence and pure challenge, they showed a significant and positive relation, showing that self-directed career model reinforces the idea of linking to the subjective aspects in the career perception of these professionals.Keywords: Career. Professional inclinations. Satisfaction with life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Sokić ◽  
Fayyaz Hussain Qureshi ◽  
Sarwar Khawaja

<p>The primary purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between aggression, empathy, and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main aim was to analyse the contribution of empathy components (empathic concern, personal distress, perspective-taking, and fantasy) above reactive and proactive aggression in predicting life satisfaction.. The Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Single Item on Overall Life Satisfaction (OLS), and Single Item on Overall Happiness (OH) measures were applied to 418 students in private higher education (232 male, 186 female). The participants’ age ranged from 18 to 34, with a mean age of 21 years (SD = 3.18). Results showed that reactive aggression negatively predicted satisfaction with life and overall happiness, while proactive aggression did not significantly predict indicators of life satisfaction. Empathic concern showed a significant positive effect on satisfaction with life, while personal distress showed a significant adverse effect on all indicators of life satisfaction. Aggression and empathy together accounted for 14% of the variance in the satisfaction with life and 5% of the variance in overall life satisfaction and overall happiness. Empathy added incremental variance in explaining life satisfaction after controlling for aggression. The results highlight the importance of reactive aggression and emotional empathy in the explanation of life satisfaction.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0983/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meire Cachioni ◽  
Lais Lopes Delfino ◽  
Mônica Sanches Yassuda ◽  
Samila Sathler Tavares Batistoni ◽  
Ruth Caldeira de Melo ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the distribution of measures of subjective and psychological well-being according to demographic criteria and length of participation in the program. Method: A cross sectional study using the following instruments was carried out: a sociodemographic questionnaire (age, gender, education, length of participation in University of the Third Age (U3A) and similar programs located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil; an Overall Life Satisfaction Scale; a Life Satisfaction Scale that contemplated four domains: health, physical capacity, mental capacity and social involvement; a Positive/Negative Affect Scale; and a Personal Development Scale. The data were analyzed by the chi-squared test (for comparison of categorical variables), the Mann-Whitney and the Kruskal-Wallis U tests (for comparison of continuous variables). Results: Age and gender were the main factors that were significantly associated with overall life satisfaction, life satisfaction in specific domains, and morale. Higher education was associated with psychological adjustment. Conclusion: Participating in a U3A contributes to high levels of subjective and psychological well-being. Elderly individuals of more advanced ages and men had higher rates of satisfaction with life and positive feelings. The elderly can assess their development trajectory, their commitment to society and consider their efforts in pursuing an ideal of personal excellence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flóra Bergendiová ◽  
Dušana Čierna

SummaryLife satisfaction is the main goal that people try to achieve in their lives. This study aims to broaden the knowledge of overall life satisfaction of physically handicapped students performing sports. The Satisfaction with Life scale was used to assess the overall life satisfaction SWLS and Emotional Habitual Subjective Well-Being questionnaire SEHP. The research sample consisted of 25 physically handicapped students. Based on their performance in physical education and sport they were divided into 2 groups: regularly active in sports (36 %) and occasionally active in sports (64 %). The results showed at an interesting fact, 66 % of regularly active students in sports with a physical handicap were found on the high level of life satisfaction (44 %) and extremely high level of life satisfaction (22.2 %), comparing to occasionally active students in sports, who supported only 18.8 % of the particular category. 12.5 % of occasionally active students in sports feel physical vigour, mainly after coming from physiotherapy and after getting enough sleep. Regularly active peers in sports feel physical vigour while performing physical education and sports or after finishing the activity. His spare time is devoted to fitness activities, swimming, table tennis and shooting.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Castellá Sarriera ◽  
Lívia Bedin ◽  
Daniel Abs ◽  
Ferran Casas ◽  
Tiago Calza

This study explores the subjective well-being, overall life satisfaction and perceived social support of Brazilian adolescents by analysing different models that explain the relationships among these three constructs. The sample is comprised of 1,588 adolescents (aged 12–16, 65.5% female), who answered the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI), a measure of Perceived Social Support of Family and Friends, and also an Overall Life Satisfaction single-item scale (OLS). MANOVA and ANOVA were used to assess the differences between groups, with respect to gender, it is observed that girls present lower means than boys for the OLS. Considering age, there was a significant decrease in the mean of the PWI with age. Boys present lower means of friends’ social support. Structural Equation Modelling was used to test theoretical frameworks on data. After analysing different models, the best fit model is presented using the PWI as a mediating factor between social support and satisfaction with life. The perception of social support from family and friends results to be a significant dimension of well-being among Brazilian adolescents. The importance of social support for the subjective well-being is explained by identifying how it contributes to the overall life satisfaction of adolescents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veljko Jovanović

Abstract. The present research aimed at examining measurement invariance of the Serbian version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) across age, gender, and time. A total sample in Study 1 consisted of 2,595 participants from Serbia, with a mean age of 23.79 years (age range: 14–55 years). The final sample in Study 2 included 333 Serbian undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.81; age range: 20–27 years), who completed the SWLS over periods of 6 and 18 months after the initial assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the modified unidimensional model of the SWLS, with correlated residuals of items 4 and 5 tapping past satisfaction. The results of the multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported the full scalar invariance across gender and over time and partial scalar invariance across age. Latent mean comparisons revealed that women reported higher life satisfaction than men. Additionally, adolescents reported higher life satisfaction than students and adults, with adults showing the lowest life satisfaction. Our findings indicate that the SWLS allows meaningful comparisons in life satisfaction across age, gender, and over time.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sina Saeedy ◽  
Mojtaba Amiri ◽  
Mohammad Mahdi Zolfagharzadeh ◽  
Mohammad Rahim Eyvazi

Quality of life and satisfaction with life as tightly interconnected concepts have become of much importance in the urbanism era. No doubt, it is one of the most important goals of every human society to enhance a citizen’s quality of life and to increase their satisfaction with life. However, there are many signs which demonstrate the low level of life satisfaction of Iranian citizens especially among the youth. Thus, considering the temporal concept of life satisfaction, this research aims to make a futures study in this field. Therefore, using a mixed model and employing research methods from futures studies, life satisfaction among the students of the University of Tehran were measured and their views on this subject investigated. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analysed together in order to test the hypotheses and to address the research questions on the youth discontentment with quality of life. Findings showed that the level of life satisfaction among students is relatively low and their image of the future is not positive and not optimistic. These views were elicited and discussed in the social, economic, political, environmental and technological perspectives. Keywords:  futures studies, quality of life, satisfaction with life, youth


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