Introduction: The New Paradigm

Author(s):  
Andrew E. Clark ◽  
Sarah Flèche ◽  
Richard Layard ◽  
Nattavudh Powdthavee ◽  
George Ward

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.

Author(s):  
Valerie Tiberius

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.


2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN F. HELLIWELL ◽  
HAIFANG HUANG

This article employs World Values Survey measures of life satisfaction as though they were direct measures of utility, and uses them to evaluate alternative features and forms of government in large international samples. Life satisfaction is found to be more closely linked to several World Bank measures of the quality of government than to real per capita incomes, in simple correlations and more fully specified models explaining international differences in life satisfaction. Differences in the relative importance of different aspects of good government are tested for, and a hierarchy of preferences that depends on the level of development is found. The ability of governments to provide a trustworthy environment, and to deliver services honestly and efficiently, appears to be of paramount importance for countries with worse governance and lower incomes. The balance changes once acceptable levels of efficiency, trust and incomes are achieved, when more value is attached to building and maintaining the institutions of electoral democracy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1481-1497
Author(s):  
Hila Axelrad ◽  
Arie Sherman ◽  
Israel Luski

PurposeThe current study investigates the association of employment at older age (60–80 years ) with the cognitive component of subjective well-being (SWB): life satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachOut of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), the present study’s sample included 58,197 observations of participants aged 60–80 years from 18 countries. The authors estimate the direct effects of employment and number of working hours on life satisfaction while considering the characteristics of the job and their impact.FindingsResults reveal that individuals who do not work enjoy a higher level of life satisfaction and so do those who work in developing jobs. Work under pressure reduces the level of SWB and working in physically demanding jobs has no significant impact on SWB. The results confirm previous findings regarding the positive contribution of self-employment to individuals’ SWB.Originality/valueThe results allow policy makers to implement policy measures that can improve older workers' SWB.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 883-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Xie

This study aims to examine the extent to which older adults’ perceptions of environmental age-friendliness are associated with their life satisfaction. We used a national representative sample ( N = 9,965) with elders aged 60 and above from urban China and structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship among community characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), and life satisfaction. Results showed that older people’s perceptions of housing conditions, local amenities, and social inclusion were significantly associated with general life satisfaction. Multigroup comparison tests indicated that no disparities in the aforementioned relationships among SES subgroups. However, the socioeconomically disadvantaged elderly population was shown to have the lowest assessment of community age-friendliness. Findings emphasized the potential role of age-friendly communities as having an influential force on older adults’ subjective well-being, regardless of their SES. Meanwhile, policy makers and practitioners should pay special attentions to improve the living environments of disadvantaged elders.


GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minjie Lu ◽  
Angel Y. Li ◽  
Helene H. Fung ◽  
Klaus Rothermund ◽  
Frieder R. Lang

Abstract. This study addresses prior mixed findings on the relationship between future time perspective (FTP) and well-being as well as examines the associations between three aspects of FTP and life satisfaction in the health and friendship domains. 159 Germans, 97 US Americans, and 240 Hong Kong Chinese, aged 19–86 years, completed a survey on future self-views (valence) and life satisfaction. They also reported the extent to which they perceived future time as expanded vs. limited (time extension) and meaningful (openness). Findings revealed that individuals with more positive future self-views had higher satisfaction. However, those who perceived their future as more meaningful or perceived more time in their future reported higher satisfaction even when future self-views were less positive.


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico P. Pronk ◽  
Marcia Lowry ◽  
Abigail S. Katz ◽  
Thomas E. Kottke
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lakshmanasamy ◽  
K. Maya

Most often the social comparison or relative income hypothesis has been used as an explanation for the lack of systematic relationship between income and happiness, using the ordered probit regression method. The identification of relevant reference group and the estimation of the differential effects of comparison income have been controversial. To overcome these twin issues, this paper uses an ordinal comparison income approach based on rich/poor dichotomy and rank income. The rank income of an individual is defined as his relative position in the income distribution within the reference group and the average income of the reference group is used to define the rich/poor classification. The differential effects of ordinal incomes across life satisfaction distribution is estimated by the panel fixed effects ordered profit regression model using the WVS data for India. The estimated results show that ordinal income comparison, rather than cardinal average reference income, is a better predictor of life satisfaction levels. Raising income level is relatively important for less satisfied people while increasing rank status is important for highly satisfied people in India.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Sewall ◽  
Daniel Rosen ◽  
Todd M. Bear

The increasing ubiquity of mobile device and social media (SM) use has generated a substantial amount of research examining how these phenomena may impact public health. Prior studies have found that mobile device and SM use are associated with various aspects of well-being. However, a large portion of these studies relied upon self-reported estimates to measure amount of use, which can be inaccurate. Utilizing Apple’s “Screen Time” application to obtain actual iPhone and SM use data, the current study examined the accuracy of self-reported estimates, how inaccuracies bias relationships between use and well-being (depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction), and the degree to which inaccuracies were predicted by levels of well-being. Among a sample of 393 iPhone users, we found that: a.) participants misestimated their weekly overall iPhone and SM use by 22.1 and 16.6 hours, respectively; b.) the correlations between estimated use and well-being variables were consistently stronger than the correlations between actual use and well-being variables; and c.) the amount of inaccuracy in estimated use is associated with levels of participant well-being as well as amount of use. These findings suggest that estimates of device/SM use may be biased by factors that are fundamental to the relationships being investigated. **This manuscript is currently under review**


Author(s):  
Cheng-Yi Kuo ◽  
Jehn-Yih Wong

Objective - General well-being (GWB) is important for students’ mental wellness. This paper explores the motivations of Chinese students who study in Thailand and applies the push and pull model to explain how motivations influence life satisfaction (LS) and GWB. Methodology/Technique – 398 convenience samples from Dhurakij Pundit University were analysed. Finding - The results show that ‘personal growth’ is the most important push factor for motivation, whereas ‘the convenience to go to other cities’ is the most important pull factor for motivation. Moreover, overseas study motivations positively influence LS and GWB. Novelty - The theoretical and practical implications and study limitations are also discussed herein. Type of Paper: Empirical. Keywords: Push and Pull Theory; Life Satisfaction; General Well-being; Chinese Student; Thailand. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Yi, C; Kuo; Yih, J; Wong. 2019. Exploring Chinese Students’ Push and Pull Motivations in Influencing Life Satisfaction and General Well-being in Thailand, Global J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Review 7 (3): 178 – 184. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2019.7.3(2) JEL Classification: M10, M14, M19.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Baskoro Wicaksono

This study describes the border management policy conducted by the central government, provinceof East Kalimantan and Nunukan. Policies such as the establishment of regulatory, institutionalstrengthening, programs and infrastructure development. The policy is getting good responsefrom the elite and the masses. On the other hand policy makers have expectations of localcommunities border synergism Sebatik Island in order to build and develop the border areas so asto break the chain of dependence on Malaysia. The research was conducted in Sebatik Island,East Kalimantan province Nunukan with the formulation of the problem (a) what policies areoriented to maintain borders, (b) How is the public response to government policy, (c) What areyour expectations of policy makers in local communities to regional border. This study usedqualitative methods to phenomenological research strategy. Techniques of data collection in thisstudy using two ways, namely in-depth interviews and secondary data view Results indicate thatthe existing policy of both the central and provincial to district borders do not solve the problembecause it is made on the island of Sebatik with other border regions. The policy does not includelocal knowledge, where it is desperately needed by the people Sebatik. In addition to policies onprograms and infrastructure development of the center, the district adopted a policy of inactionagainst the illegal cross-border trade, which on the one hand against the rules but if enforced thenpeople can not perform economic activities that impact well-being. Policies like this gets a positiveresponse from the public. Expectations for the future border policy is to load local content orlocal knowledge.Keyword: border policy, local knowledge, dependent relationship


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