Appreciation: Individual Differences in Finding Value and Meaning as a Unique Predictor of Subjective Well-Being

Abstract Background Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, social distancing practices were introduced to curb infection rates in many countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of these restrictions on behaviours and well-being and whether individual differences predict changes in well-being. Methods Australian adults participated in a cross-sectional, online survey during May 2020. The survey captured demographic information; health behaviours; personality traits; life satisfaction and COVID-19-related attitudes, financial concerns, perceived risks and impacts. Results In total, 3745 (86.8% of 4313) participants completed all items. Participants were mostly female (85.7%) and 56.4 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12.6) on average. Over 95.0% of the sample indicated they had been social distancing or isolating. Health behaviours and well-being had generally worsened, with social connections being the most negatively affected. Life satisfaction was significantly lower since restrictions. For changes in life satisfaction, extroversion was a risk factor and openness to experience was a protective factor. Conclusions Overall, well-being was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing particularly in this sample containing mainly older women. In future, it will be crucial to understand why and who may be differentially affected, to encourage behaviours that are protective of well-being.

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Advances and Open Questions in the Science of Subjective Well-Being

Collabra Psychology ◽

10.1525/collabra.115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Ed Diener ◽

Richard E. Lucas ◽

Shigehiro Oishi

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Well Being ◽

Experimental Designs ◽

Active Area ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

National Accounts ◽

Policy Decisions ◽

The Past ◽

Open Questions ◽

Process Oriented

Subjective well-being (SWB) is an extremely active area of research with about 170,000 articles and books published on the topic in the past 15 years. Methodological and theoretical advances have been notable in this period of time, with the increasing use of longitudinal and experimental designs allowing for a greater understanding of the predictors and outcomes that relate to SWB, along with the process that underlie these associations. In addition, theories about these processes have become more intricate, as findings reveal that many associations with SWB depend on people’s culture and values and the context in which they live. This review provides an overview of many major areas of research, including the measurement of SWB, the demographic and personality-based predictors of SWB, and process-oriented accounts of individual differences in SWB. In addition, because a major new focus in recent years has been the development of national accounts of subjective well-being, we also review attempts to use SWB measures to guide policy decisions.

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Heritability of life satisfaction in adults: a twin-family study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291705005374 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 35 (11) ◽

pp. 1581-1588 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

J. H. STUBBE ◽

D. POSTHUMA ◽

D. I. BOOMSMA ◽

E. J. C. De GEUS

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Genetic Factors ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Dutch Version ◽

Sibling Pairs ◽

Genes And Environment

Background. Subjective well-being (SWB) can be partitioned into the components life satisfaction and affect. Research on factors influencing these components of well-being has mainly focused on environmental characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of genes and environment to individual differences in life satisfaction in a large sample of Dutch twins and their singleton siblings.Method. Life satisfaction of 5668 subjects registered with The Netherlands Twin Registry (NTR) was measured with a Dutch version of the self-reported Satisfaction with Life Scale. An extended twin design was used to obtain correlations in life satisfaction scores for monozygotic twins, dizygotic twins and sibling pairs and to estimate the contribution of genes and environment to the variation in life satisfaction.Results. No differences between males and females were found in the mean level of life satisfaction. Broad-sense heritability was 38%. Non-additive genetic factors explained all or most of the genetic influences. The remaining 62% of the variance in life satisfaction could be attributed to unique environmental factors, both persistent and transitory, plus measurement error.Conclusions. Individual differences in life satisfaction are determined in part by genetic factors that are largely or entirely non-additive in nature.

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When Individual Differences Meet Society: On the Complex Relationships Between Boredom Proneness, Material Deprivation, and Aspects of Subjective Well-Being Among Young Adolescents

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x20917828 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 0044118X2091782

Author(s):

Bram Spruyt ◽

Filip Van Droogenbroeck ◽

Jessy Siongers ◽

Lieve Bradt

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

Well Being ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Social Conditions ◽

Short Version ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Young Adolescents ◽

Wide Range ◽

Boredom Proneness

Even though boredom has been shown to be a distinct emotional experience that is prevalent among youth and that predicts a wide range of personal and societal problems, it remains often overlooked and poorly understood. Therefore, based on the Flemish data from the 2018 edition of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being, this article studies boredom proneness among young adolescents (average age = 12 years). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the short version of the Boredom Proneness Scale–Child Version contains two dimensions referring to internal—a difficulty in keeping oneself interested and entertained—and external stimulation—the need for change and variety in the situations one encounters. Subsequent regression analyses demonstrated that both boredom proneness and social conditions predict aspects of subjective well-being (i.e., leisure boredom and life satisfaction). Our analyses revealed complex interactions between individual differences and social conditions with respect to aspects of well-being.

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Assessing Individual Differences in the Affective Experience of Dreams: The Jena Dream Inventory–Affect Scales (JeDI-A)

Assessment ◽

10.1177/1073191119847767 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (8) ◽

pp. 1946-1959

Author(s):

Birk Hagemeyer ◽

Sarah Salomo ◽

Cordelia Engelhardt ◽

Franz J. Neyer ◽

Sven Rupprecht

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Economic Assessment ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

New Instrument ◽

Valid Instrument

The study reports on the validation of a new instrument for the assessment of emotional experiences in dreams. The Jena Dream Inventory–Affect (JeDI-A) contains 21 items and 3 scales, positive dream affect, negative dream affect, and dream intensity, providing a differentiated yet economic assessment of dream affect. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in a sample of university students ( N = 426) and a clinical sample of patients with sleep disorders ( N = 149) supported factorial validity and measurement invariance, high temporal stability (over 1 year and 9 months in the students and patients, respectively), convergent and discriminant validity regarding established measures of dream affect and the Big Five, and criterion validity regarding subjective well-being. Cross-lagged panel models showed reciprocal longitudinal effects between dream affect and waking affect. We conclude that the JeDI-A is a valid instrument for differentiated investigations of individual differences in dream affect in clinical and nonclinical populations.

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Who Is Impacted? Personality Predicts Individual Differences in Psychological Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

Social Psychological and Personality Science ◽

10.1177/1948550620952576 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 194855062095257

Author(s):

Nick Modersitzki ◽

Le Vy Phan ◽

Niclas Kuper ◽

John F. Rauthmann

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Big Five ◽

Well Being ◽

Dark Triad ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

German Sample ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Private And Public ◽

Public Lives

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in people’s private and public lives that are unprecedented in modern history. However, little is known about the differential psychological consequences of restrictions that have been imposed to fight the pandemic. In a large and diverse German sample ( N = 1,320), we examined how individual differences in psychological consequences of the pandemic (perceived restrictiveness of government-supported measures, global pandemic-related appraisals, subjective well-being) were associated with a broad set of faceted personality traits (Big Five, Honesty-Humility, Dark Triad). Facets of Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness were among the strongest and most important predictors of psychological outcomes, even after controlling for basic sociodemographic variables (gender, age). These findings suggest that psychological consequences of the pandemic depend on personality and thus add to the growing literature on the importance of considering individual differences in crisis situations.

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Individual Differences in the Association Between Celebrity Worship and Subjective Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Gender and Age

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ágnes Zsila ◽

Gábor Orosz ◽

Lynn E. McCutcheon ◽

Zsolt Demetrovics

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Daytime Sleepiness ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Moderating Role

The association of celebrity worship with mental health concerns has been extensively studied in the past two decades. However, there is a lack of research on basic demographic characteristics that can potentially alter the link between celebrity admiration and different aspects of mental health. The present study investigates the possible moderating role of gender, age, and opposite/same-gender celebrity selection on the association of celebrity worship with general well-being, self-esteem and perceived daytime sleepiness. A total of 1763 Hungarian adults (66.42% men, Mage = 37.2 years, SD = 11.4) completed an online survey focusing on attitudes and behaviors relating to celebrities and mental well-being. The moderation analysis showed that (i) the negative association between celebrity worship and self-esteem was slightly stronger for women than for men, and (ii) the association between celebrity worship and perceived daytime sleepiness was slightly stronger for younger individuals than for older ones. Although both gender and age were particularly weak moderators, these results draw the attention to some potential individual differences when interpreting links between celebrity worship and different aspects of mental health.

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A multicountry perspective on gender differences in time use during COVID-19

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2018494118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (12) ◽

pp. e2018494118

Author(s):

Laura M. Giurge ◽

Ashley V. Whillans ◽

Ayse Yemiscigil

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Time Use ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Household Chores ◽

Meta Analyses

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered how people spend time, with possible consequences for subjective well-being. Using diverse samples from the United States, Canada, Denmark, Brazil, and Spain (n = 31,141), following a preregistered analytic plan, and employing both mega- and meta-analyses, we find consistent gender differences in time spent on necessities. During the pandemic, women—especially mothers—spent more time on tasks such as childcare and household chores. To the extent that women spent more time on chores than men, they reported lower happiness. These data represent one of the most rigorous investigations of gender differences in time use during the forced lockdowns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and point toward individual differences that should be considered when designing policies now and post–COVID-19.

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EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING ACROSS AGE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2408 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S649-S649

Author(s):

Francesca Falzarano ◽

Jillian Minahan ◽

Neshat Yazdani ◽

Karen L Siedlecki ◽

Timothy Salthouse

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Well Being ◽

Spatial Visualization ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Unique Predictor ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Higher levels of subjective well-being (SWB) are associated with myriad of positive outcomes, including better physical health. Several variables have been shown to predict SWB, including cognitive functioning. The relationship between aspects of SWB (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) and cognition were examined in participants (N = 5, 125) between the ages of 18- 99 years from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project (VCAP). Participants completed a battery of cognitive tasks, including tests of verbal episodic memory, processing speed, reasoning, spatial visualization, and vocabulary. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling, using full information maximum likelihood estimation. In the models, the five latent cognitive constructs simultaneously predicted each of the SWB outcome variables separately. Age, education, gender, and self-rated health were included as covariates. Results show that reasoning was a significant unique predictor of negative affect (-.30), vocabulary was a significant unique predictor of positive affect (-.21), and spatial visualization was a significant unique predictor of life satisfaction (.21). Age moderation was examined by dividing the sample into three age groups (younger, middle-aged, and older). There was some evidence of age moderation. Namely, spatial visualization was a significant unique predictor of life satisfaction in the younger sample only. Reasoning and processing speed predicted negative affect in the younger group, whereas only reasoning predicted negative affect in the older group. In conclusion, in a large community-based sample spanning adulthood, there is evidence that cognition predicts aspects of SWB but there is variation across SWB outcome variables, and across age.

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Compassionate love for a romantic partner across the adult life span

Europe’s Journal of Psychology ◽

10.5964/ejop.v13i4.1204 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 606-617 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Félix Neto ◽

Daniela C. Wilks

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Life Span ◽

Adult Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Romantic Partner ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Adult Life Span ◽

Research Attention ◽

Love Styles ◽

Compassionate Love

Compassionate love has received research attention over the last decade, but it is as yet unclear how it is experienced over a lifetime. The purpose of this study was to investigate compassionate love for a romantic partner throughout the adult life span, exploring individual differences in the propensity to experience compassionate love in regard to age, gender, religion, love status, love styles, and subjective well-being. The results showed that religion and love status display significant effects on compassionate love. Believers experienced greater compassionate love than nonbelievers, and individuals in love presented greater compassionate love than those who were not in love. Love styles and subjective well-being were found to be related to compassionate love. These findings corroborate studies that indicate that individuals who experience higher compassionate love for a romantic partner are more likely to report Eros, Agape, and subjective well-being.

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