Do You “Work to Live” Or “Live to Work”? the Role of Mood and Confidence in Causal Agency

Abstract

The literature has suggested that wanting to feel good leads to short-term indulgent choices. We suggest that attributing happiness to the self moves individuals from focusing on external sources of happiness (e.g., chocolates) to internal sources of happiness (e.g., one’s behavior, personal development). Such liberation of the self from external sources of happiness facilitates behaviors that are beneficial in personal development. Thus, confidence in agency attribution determines whether an external or internal mode of happiness governs behavior. Implications for the literatures on emotions, self-regulation, and consumer welfare will be discussed.