Happiness

Subjective well-being
The extent of happiness
What percent of US adults consider
themselves happy most or all of the
time?
80% happy most of the time.
80% consider themselves optimists.
How accurate do you think these
statistics are?
Some people are skeptical
Pessimists are better judges of
reality.
Dont look at the world through rose
colored glasses.
Must be willing to keep an open
mind.
Nurture optimism in ourselves and
others.
Elements of subjective well-being
1. Happiness:
--an emotional state.
--how you feel about yourself and
the world.
2. Satisfaction with Life:
--more global judgment about your
acceptance with your life.
--more of a cognitive assessment.
How happy are we?
Time magazine poll (12/2004)
Would you say that so far you have lived
--the best possible life you could have.
--a very good life
--a good life
--a fair life
--a poor life
How happy are we? Results.
Time magazine poll (12/2004)
Would you say that so far you have lived
--the best possible life. 13%
--a very good life 37%
--a good life 33%
--a fair life 15%
--a poor life 2%

Good + very good + best possible = 83%

Last element of SWB
3. Emotional stability:
--low level of neuroticism.
--lack of serious personality flaws.
Neurosis: poor ability to adapt to one's
environment, an inability to change one's
life patterns, and the inability to develop a
richer, more complex, more satisfying
personality." (Boeree, 2002)
How do we measure SWB?

Most widely
used scale
developed by
Ed Diener
Dr. Happiness
Satisfaction with Life Scale

Edward Diener
 Not at all Moderately Absolutely
true true true
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal.

2. The conditions of my life are excellent.

3. I am satisfied with my life

 Not at all Moderately Absolutely
true true true
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4. So far I have gotten the important things I want

in life.

5. If I could live my life over, I would change

almost nothing.
Scoring the Diener SWB

31-35 Extremely satisfied

26-30 Very satisfied
21-25 Slightly satisfied
20 Neutral point
15-19 Slightly dissatisfied
10-14 Dissatisfied
5-9 Extremely dissatisfied
Can we trust self report?
Is person telling the truth
Or giving socially acceptable answer?
Diener found high correlation between
self report and reports of family and
friends of subject.
Joe and Joes spouse and friends.
Others perceive same happieness.
Also agreement with overt behavior of
subject (actions and expressions).
What do numbers represent?
Not at all Moderately Absolutely
true true true
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Rank ordered scale (ordinal data) not

real numbers like height and weight (ratio data).
But, after all, this is called subjective well-being.
Even IQ is really a subjective construct.
Is SWB stable over time?
All have mood swings.
Some days better than others.
Get good or bad news.
Solution: Event sampling.
Csikszentmihalyi gave subjects pagers.
When pager beeps, have to enter mood
and activity into a journal or mini
computer.
SWB small changes but quite stable.
Changes in SWB
Life crisis will cause a dip.
Celebration will cause a rise.
But SWB quite consistent.
A few long term studies.
Aging with Grace
David Snowdon
Longitudinal study
Essays written when take
their vows.
Those who expressed
positive themes had high
SWB at advanced age.
Low level of Alzheimers.
Yearbook pictures
Harker and Kettner (2001)
Compared college
yearbook photos with
SWB 30 years later.
Looking for Duchenne
smile.
Duchenne did first studies
on facial expressions
(1862) in France.
Varieties of smile
Pan American smile

Duchenne smile
Varieties of smile
Duchenne vs. Pan
American smiles

Correlates of Duchenne
smile
Greater enjoyment
Broad smile that you
can read in the eyes.
Seen in lower photo.
Smiles and SWB
Women with Duchenne smiles in college
yearbook photos.
30 years later:
Had happier marriages
Felt less stress
Had higher SWB scores.
Conclusion SWB stable over time.
Related to psychological wellness.
Psychological components of SWB
Ed Diener and David Myers
1. High self esteem
Most important predictor of SWB
Western cultures value individual
achievement and success
Eastern cultures value group success.
Self esteem tied to group membership.
Psychological components #2
2. Sense of perceived control.
Belief some measure of control over life
events (in cases where possible).
Rutter: Locus of Control
Internal locus best.
Newer term: personal control: belief that
you can effect outcomes.
Not always in control
Some occasions may turn over control.
Example: higher power in AA.
Relinquish perceived control.
Hurricane, floods, acts of God.
Events outside your control.
Wisdom to know when to depend on
this belief.
Psychological components #3
3. Extroversion
Higher SWB in people who are
interested in things outside themselves.
Extroverts generally have higher SWB.
Seek and enjoy company of others.
Doesnt mean that all introverts are
unhappy.
Introverts prefer join a few close friends.
Psychological components #4
Optimism
a tendency to expect the best possible
outcome; to dwell on the most hopeful
aspect of a situation.
Look to the future with hope and
positive expectations.
Optimistic explanatory style
Explanatory style example
Professor doesnt return my phone call
about writing a recommendation.
Negative:
professor hates me; he is ignoring me.
Positive:
out of town, will respond when he
returns.
Make another call in a week.
Psychological components #5
5. Positive social relationships
High correlations of SWB with
satisfaction with family and friends.
Social support and emotional intimacy.
Important for physical and psychological
health.
Strongest external source of SWB.
Social contact better predictor than
wealth, education or career.
Importance of family
Rare person who,
as his life draws
to a close, wishes
he had spent
more time with at
work.
Psychological components #6
6. Sense of meaning and purpose.
Defined as spirituality by some.
Doesnt have to be religious.
Belief that your life is connected to a
greater good.
Your life will make a difference.
Mans search for meaning
Viktor Frankl
Concentration camp survivor.
Belief that you can find a
purpose in life even in terrible
conditions.
To give up hope is to give up
the will to live.