Journal of Happiness Studies最新文献

This paper advances an individual-based hybrid well-being theory and argues that it is able to overcome the main drawbacks of existing objective list theories and avoid the shortcomings of hedonism and desire-fulfillment theories. The individual-based hybrid well-being theory has characteristics of perfectionist objective theories in that it recognizes objective goods and explains the commonality of goods from the perspective of perfectionism, but it also differs from existing objective list theories insofar as it provides not a single list of goods for everyone but plural lists of goods based on each individual for each individual. In addition, it represents a hybrid theory rather than a pure objective list theory because it recognizes the individual’s desire as a factor influencing the contribution of objective goods to well-being and the individual’s experiences of pleasure as a component of well-being outside the list of goods.

Previous studies have consistently found that hedonic and eudaimonic motives positively predict subjective well-being. In this study, we emphasized the importance of considering curvilinear effects alongside main effects and interactions to fully understand these relationships. Using polynomial regression models, we examined the relationships between hedonic motives, eudaimonic motives, and subjective well-being. To examine both trait-level and momentary-level relations with well-being, we used experience sampling methodology to collect real-time data from 161 participants over a 7-day period. Our findings suggested that engaging in activities towards fulfilling both motives was associated with positive experiences, and individuals with high levels of hedonic and eudaimonic motives in their daily lives generally reported higher subjective well-being. Nevertheless, we also identified negative interaction effects between both motives on subjective well-being, which imply that there may be a limit to the positive contributions of combinations of both motives to subjective well-being. We discuss the implications of our findings for understanding the nuanced relationships between hedonic and eudaimonic motives and subjective well-being.

Past work has suggested a need for a theme of purpose in life surrounding activism, defined as one’s purpose in life concerning the pursuit of social or political change. However, the combination of activism and purpose research yields the potential for conflicting predictions regarding the wellbeing of individuals in this pursuit, given activists often report lower wellbeing while sense of purpose is linked to better psychological wellbeing. The current study (n = 1975; M_age = 49.23) examined the wellbeing correlates of activist purpose commitment, to gain better insights into how activists continue toward their purposeful pursuits. Results demonstrate that activist purpose commitment, as expected, are relatively low in the general public. Of interest, activist purpose levels positively correlate with indicators both of wellbeing and psychological concerns, underscoring the duality of this construct. For instance, individuals with a stronger activist purpose tend to report better resilience and hope, as well as greater depressive and anxiety symptoms. Future work is needed to better understand what factors predict activist purpose development, as well as the consequences that activist purpose has for the individual.

While problematic gaming (i.e., experiencing negative life consequences from video game use) has been positively associated with flow, its relationship to dispositional mindfulness remains unclear. However, research in a related area suggests dispositional mindfulness is negatively associated with problematic gambling. Thus, the present study sought to examine whether dispositional mindfulness would predict problematic gaming when controlling for dispositional aspects of flow (sense of control and absorption) while playing a favourite game, weekly hours spent gaming, and gender. Frequent adult gamers (N=1015; 29.7% female; Mage=23.29 years, SD=4.58) completed an online survey. Results from hierarchical multiple regression revealed lower dispositional mindfulness significantly predicted greater problematic gaming when controlling for flow, gender, and hours spent gaming. These results demonstrate the importance of mindfulness and flow on reports of problematic gaming. Implications are discussed in light of research suggesting mindfulness may be useful in the prevention of problematic behaviours.

This study aimed to examine the impact of a pilgrimage on the Way of St. James on psychological distress and subjective well-being, and to compare these outcomes with a control group on non-pilgrimage vacations. Additionally, the study explored psychological process variables that may mediate the pilgrimage's beneficial effects. A nonrandomized pretest-posttest design was used, involving 444 pilgrims and 124 controls. Participants completed baseline and post-experience self-reported measures of psychological distress, subjective well-being, and psychological processes (i.e., mindfulness, nonattachment, engaged living). A 3-month follow-up was conducted only in the pilgrim group. Mediation analyses examined psychological processes as potential mediators of pre-post change in the pilgrim group (vs. control). Within-group analyses revealed that the pilgrim group experienced improvements in psychological distress, subjective well-being, and psychological processes immediately post-experience, with most measures sustaining improvement at the 3-month follow-up. Compared to the control group, pilgrims showed significantly greater increases in positive affect, life satisfaction, and valued living, alongside greater reductions in anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Valued living partially mediated the relationship between pilgrimage and positive affect, and fully mediated the effects on perceived stress, negative affect, life satisfaction, and subjective happiness. Pilgrimage on the Way of St. James effectively reduced psychological distress and enhanced subjective well-being, with greater benefits observed compared to a non-pilgrimage vacation control group. Consistent with the concept of pilgrimage as a transformative experience, significant improvements in valued living were noted, which mediated some of the positive outcomes post-pilgrimage. The Way of St. James may serve as a valuable complementary approach for alleviating distress and promoting well-being. Further studies exploring the effects of this pilgrimage on specific populations and using more robust study designs are warranted.

Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04141813.

The present study examines the efficacy of Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) on psychological well-being, happiness, and satisfaction with life. We investigated people suffering from different kinds of depressive disorders, comparing it to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). PPT is an empirically validated intervention targeting positive resources and personal strengths. It aims at amplifying well-being while also ameliorating the impact of symptoms. In a controlled two-center-study, we randomly assigned 92 out-patient participants with a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder and/or Dysthymia to 14 sessions of manualized PPT or CBT group therapy. We assessed outcomes related to well-being using the Flourishing Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Positive Psychotherapy Inventory (PPTI). The PPTI represents the five components of Seligman’s PERMA-model of flourishing, encompassing positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. We took measurements before and after the intervention, and at a 6-months follow-up. Moreover, we considered a list of moderators that may impact the efficacy of PPT. PPT resulted in significant improvements in all measures, and these improvements remained stable for up to 6 months. Using 2 × 2 mixed-effects models (T1 vs. T2), we found significant interactions for all three main scales and two out of the five PPTI subscales. These interactions depicted significantly better outcomes for PPT at post-treatment. Regarding the follow-up (T1 vs. T3), we did not find significant interactions, and thus, there were no differences between the two therapies. No demographics or characteristics of the treatments were significant moderators. Summarized, these findings provide support for the effectiveness of PPT in increasing happiness, well-being, and quality of life. We can confirm that PPT is an additional tool for the enhancement of positive mental health.

A large body of literature highlights the benefits of being religious in terms of subjective well-being. We examine changes to these so-called religious well-being benefits during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and address the role of (formal and informal) social integration when explaining these changes. We empirically test two contrasting scenarios: The first scenario predicts a decrease in religious well-being benefits (convergence hypothesis), while the second scenario predicts an increase in religious well-being benefits (divergence hypothesis). We adopt a potential outcomes framework and apply marginal structural models and inverse probability of treatment weighting to nationally representative, longitudinal data including both pre- and during-pandemic periods. Thereby, we show that initial religious well-being benefits declined during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. This decline was partly due to religious individuals’ perception of decreasing social integration. Our results challenge the widespread idea that religious individuals are better protected against crises.

In recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on firms’ investment in happiness and the associated benefits of doing so. In this paper, we discuss the agency problem regarding investments in happiness. The agency problem occurs when managers’ motivations for investing in happiness differ from shareholders’ motivations, leading to a conflict of interests that affects every key corporate decision. To investigate this problem, we propose a theoretical framework that integrates financial incentives with behavioral aspects, and use it to analyze the decision-making process of managers and shareholders. We also provide a detailed account of their anticipated benefits and utilities arising from investing in happiness. We explain the financial implications of the value gap that results from the inherent conflict of interests and provide appropriate solutions for reducing the gap in a variety of circumstances.

An individual's financial situation positively impacts her subjective well-being (SWB) according to the literature. However, most existing studies focus solely on income, neglecting other aspects of an individual's financial situation such as wealth. In this paper, we empirically examine the relationship between SWB, income, household wealth, and its components. Additionally, we explore the significance of one's wealth relative to others' for SWB. Our contribution expands the limited literature on absolute and relative wealth and SWB by utilizing unique microdata from a German wealth survey, the German Panel on Household Finances (PHF). Our findings indicate that both assets and debts, alongside income, are associated with an individual's SWB. In particular, a similar relative increase in financial assets is associated with a greater increase in SWB than the same percentage increase in real assets, and SWB decreases as the level of unsecured debt increases. Furthermore, individuals tend to experience decreased SWB when comparing themselves to others with more assets or less debt. Interestingly, we observe divergent effects of relative wealth on SWB among younger and older individuals. These results underscore the significance of considering wealth, in addition to income, when analyzing determinants of SWB.

A well-known finding in the happiness literature is that Latin Americans report, on average, high happiness. It is not only high, but higher than expected for their socioeconomic situation, as portrayed by commonly used indicators. High happiness in Latin America is a puzzle, and some scholars consider it a paradox, which calls for new and fresh research to understand high happiness in the region. In fact, the high-happiness-in-Latin-America phenomenon constitutes an excellent opportunity to further understand the drivers of happiness, as well as to highlight some drivers that have not received the attention they deserve. This paper argues, and empirically shows, that person-based interpersonal relationships are important in explaining people’s happiness, that they are abundant in Latin America, and that they are uncorrelated with income. In consequence, it is reasonable to observe high happiness in Latin America, as well as happiness that is higher than what would be predicted according to socioeconomic indicators. The empirical analyses are based on information from three high-happiness Latin American countries. Abundance and good quality of interpersonal relationships positively impact on affective and evaluative experiences of being well, as well as on life satisfaction. The Latin American phenomenon indicates that the interpersonal relationships people create and maintain in their journey of life are fundamental for their happiness. Person-based interpersonal relationships allow for the joint enjoyment of life.