Average Subjective Well-being Research Articles

Personality and individual differences in the relationship between hedonic and eudaimonic motives and well-being in daily life

To understand the role of personality in the relationship between hedonic motives (e.g., pleasure), eudaimonic motives (e.g., excellence/meaning), and subjective well-being, we sampled 218 university students who completed an online questionnaire and a week of experience sampling surveys. Besides documenting the associations between personality and both motives, we found that the impact of both motives on average subjective well-being did not differ across different levels of the Big Five personality traits. Adding to these trait-level findings, we found that people high on neuroticism generally had more negative experiences when they did not engage in either motive. People high on neuroticism may have a lower setpoint of well-being compared to their peers but may equally benefit from engaging in either motive.

Subjective wellbeing of autistic adolescents and young adults: A cross sectional study.

Subjective wellbeing (SWB) represents an individual's perception of wellness that is supported by homeostatic mechanisms. These mechanisms are proposed to be maintained by low negative affect and high positive affect, although less is known about these mechanisms and SWB in autism. The current cross-sectional study aimed to compare patterns of positive affect, negative affect (Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), and SWB (Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children) between autistic (n = 53) and non-autistic (n = 49) individuals aged 10-22 years (Mage = 13.97, SD = 3.13). Between-group t-tests revealed that compared with same-age peers, autistic participants scored lower SWB overall (p < 0.001). In both groups average SWB scores fell into the higher range, however, autistic participants were three-times more likely to fall below this range when compared to non-autistic participants. Negative affect had a higher intercept in the autistic sample, but no difference in slopes were observed. A hierarchical multiple regression revealed that diagnosis, positive affect, and negative affect significantly predicted SWB in our sample. Between-group t-tests found no significant difference in positive affect or negative affect across age between the autistic and non-autistic samples. In autistic participants, positive affect increased across age as SWB decreased, whilst negative affect remained stable, a pattern inconsistent with homeostatic SWB. The current study is overall consistent with the homeostatic explanation for SWB within autism; however, we identified potential differences between autistic and non-autistic participants in the contribution of positive affect and negative affect to homeostatic protect mood across development.

A network analysis of subjective well-being in Chinese high school students

BackgroundThe psychological situation of high school students during adolescence is not promising, and the most obvious manifestation is the lack of subjective well-being (SWB). This network analysis presents a model of the interaction and correlation between different items of SWB, identifying the most central items for high school students.MethodsThrough offline and online surveys, 4,378 questionnaires were sent out and finally 4,282 Chinese high school students were available. The response rate was 97.807%. The study used the eLASSO method to estimate the network structure and centrality measures. This algorithm used the EBIC to select the best neighbor factor for each node.ResultsThe average age for high school students was 16.320 years old and the average SWB score was 76.680. The distribution of SWB between male and female students was significant different (P < 0.001). S8 (Have you been anxious, worried, or upset) was the node with the highest strength and expected influence. The network structure and centrality remained stable after discarding 75% of the sample at random. Except for S15 (How concerned or worried about your health have you been), all nodes were positively correlated with each other (P < 0.01). The network structure of SWB was similar for female and male students (network strength: 8.482 for male participants; 8.323 for female participants; P = 0.159), as well as for rural and urban students (network strength: 8.500 for rural students; 8.315 for urban students; P = 0.140).ConclusionTargeting S8 (Have you been anxious, worried, or upset) as a potential intervention target may increase high school students’ SWB effectively.

SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING PADA GURU TK MASYITOH IV LAWEYAN SURAKARTA

This study aims to look at the general description of subjective well-being in terms of cognitive and affective aspects, and the contribution of the factors forming subjective well-being to the level of subjective well-being in TK Masyitoh IV Laweyan Surakarta teachers. Subjective well-being is explained as a person's subjective evaluation of his life, including overall satisfaction with life which is characterized by high positive affect and low negative affect (Diener, 1984). The method used in this study was a qualitative method, using semi-structured interviews. The main informants in this study were two teachers of TK Masyitoh IV Laweyan Surakarta, supporting informants in this study were administrators of TK Masyitoh IV Laweyan Surakarta, numbering one person and one student's parents. The results showed that the average subjective well-being of TK Masyitoh IV Laweyan Surakarta teachers was quite high. On average, TK Masyitoh IV Laweyan Surakarta teachers like their life and feel that everything is going well. For further research that is interested in conducting research with the same theme, it is expected to deepen the factors that influence subjective well-being in kindergarten teachers such as gender and age. Respondents who were studied also need to be added with varied backgrounds.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Subjective Well Being, Teachers of Kindergarten Masyitoh IV Surakarta

Satisfaction with the Neighborhood of Israeli and Chilean Children and its Effects on their Subjective Well-being.

A study of subjective well-being in 4,942 children (49% girls) aged 10 and 12 living in Israel and Chile is presented. The association between perceptions of the neighborhood and subjective well-being (SWB) was analyzed based on a mediation model using satisfaction with the neighborhood as a mediating variable. The overall results showed high average SWB scores for both countries as well as high levels of satisfaction with the neighborhoods where they live. Differences between the countries were observed for the age groups. The SWB of Chilean children decreased with age, while a decrease was not detected for the Israeli children. The mediation model had excellent fit for the age groups and countries, and the satisfaction with the neighborhood variable presents a partial mediation effect between neighborhood variables and SWB. Satisfaction with the neighborhood displayed a greater effect on the SWB of the older children than the younger ones. Gender showed significant effects on SWB only in Chile. The results are discussed, analyzing the similarities and differences between both countries and providing new evidence for the study of SWB at the international level. Questions for a more specific analysis of SWB within each country are suggested.

Challenges, the Strategic State, and Agility in European Public Governance

"Abstract This paper is concerned with leadership capacity at national level to mobilise society to take up challenges. It uses empirical analysis to explain how, in a European context, this capacity covaries with the development of strategic state capabilities. The evidence is used to explore the conditions in which strategic state capabilities have a positive effect on the capacity of leadership to mobilise society. These conditions include factors related to the public: social capital, average subjective wellbeing (happiness), and political attitudes relating to government and democracy (having a voice that was listened to, public trust in the government, and the public’s satisfaction with the working of democracy). It is suggested that strategically led governments with high levels of coordination in the civil service, with practices and abilities consistent with learning and agility, and with good engagement with, and good support from, the public and the organisations of civil society, tend to have national leadership elites that have a strong capacity for mobilization of society to take up challenges. In the conclusions it is stated that the democratic cultures of Europe may require more ‘open government’ and more inclusiveness so that their embryonic strategic states can better leverage information and resources of society, so that governments can offer more powerful societal leadership."

A person-centered approach to resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood: Predictions from parenting and personality in adolescence.

In this person-centered study, we identified different profiles of resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood in response to previously experienced stressful life events. Additionally, we examined whether mothers' and fathers' parenting and participants' personality traits in adolescence predicted these profiles. Data from the Flemish Study on Parenting, Personality, and Development (N = 346 families) were used. At T1 (2004; Mage = 11 years), T2 (2007), and T3 (2009), mothers and fathers reported on their parenting and their child's personality. At T4 (2018; Mage = 25 years), emerging adults retrospectively self-reported the occurrence and impact of 22 stressful life events and rated current behavior problems and subjective well-being. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: Competent (71%; low stress, low behavior problems, high subjective well-being), Vulnerable (21%; average stress, high behavior problems, low subjective well-being), and Resilient (9%; high stress, average behavior problems, average subjective well-being). Emerging adults in the Resilient profile had experienced higher levels of maternal positive parenting and were less emotionally stable and conscientious than those in the Competent profile. Furthermore, emerging adults in the Vulnerable profile were less emotionally stable than their peers in the Competent profile. These findings reveal new insights into the heterogeneous patterns of emerging adults' adaptation following stressful life events.

For whom are cities good places to live?

ABSTRACT In this paper we use survey data to examine heterogeneity in the urban gradient of life satisfaction. Are some sociodemographic groups more satisfied in cities than others? We find that young persons with tertiary education generally report higher levels of life satisfaction in Norway’s largest city, Oslo, whereas the elderly and the less educated are more satisfied elsewhere. These results may shed light on the ‘urban paradox’: the tendency of large cities in developed countries to have low levels of average subjective well-being and also why the received literature has produced mixed results, as the sociodemographic composition of cities varies.

Access to material resources and the subjective well-being of children in Brazil and Chile.

This article analyzes the relationships between the material conditions and the subjective well-being of 3,716 children (50.5% girls) between 10 and 12 years of age (M = 11.4) in Chile and Brazil. These are the two Latin American countries that took part in the third wave of the Children’s Worlds research. The material conditions of the children were assessed using latent classes. A multivariate analysis of covariance was done next in order to test the influence of material conditions over the children's subjective well-being and interpersonal relationships. The association between gender and country variables of the children was also studied. The results showed that although the average subjective well-being scores of the children were high in general, the class analysis showed significant differences between the results for children with better material conditions than those with poorer material conditions. The latter group presented lower subjective well-being levels. MANCOVA was used to analyze the mean differences in subjective well-being levels and interpersonal relationships controlling variables of gender and country of residence. This showed that children with greater access to better material conditions showed significantly higher levels of subjective well-being levels and had a more positive view of their interpersonal relationships in all areas assessed compared to those who reported worse material conditions. These results are discussed in view of the high indices of material deprivation that exist in Latin America during childhood as well as how these findings may help better understand the well-being of children living in Latin American countries.

Past and Present Subjective Well-being: the Role of Contrast and Memory

This study is an attempt to analyse the interrelationships between current, past and expected future subjective well-being (SWB) through the intermediating role of memory using the National Income Dynamics Study panel dataset for South Africa. The contribution of this study is in exploring the role of contrast (intertemporal and social) in determining (a) the current levels of SWB and (b) the drivers of recall bias, within a causal framework in the context of a country with low average SWB and high SWB inequality. The results indicate significant presence of hedonic adaptation and reveals past and future contrast as important correlates of current subjective well-being. In addition, a perceived improvement in current happiness from the past is associated with higher levels of current SWB, highlighting the intermediating role of memory. Memory, however, is observed to be biased with only 42% accuracy. Higher levels of current subjective well-being are found to enhance the probability of correct recall of the past. An overall improvement bias is evident among those in the lower segment of the SWB distribution. The results reinforce the hypothesised simultaneous relationships between current SWB, intertemporal contrast and recall behaviour. Furthermore, the differences in our findings from European studies emphasize the relevance of context in driving these relationships.

Mental health and decisions under risk among refugees and the public in Lebanon

Lebanon is rapidly adapting public services to meet local needs as well as those of refugees from conflict regions such as Syria. However, these challenges are complicated by high volumes of individuals with poor mental health, who are also at risk of poor decision-making and may avoid the use of health services due to low trust in government institutions, among other reasons. Over 700 individuals residing in Lebanon, including Lebanese nationals, Syrian refugees and Palestinians from Lebanon, completed a series of measures covering decision-making with risk, mental health, and trust. The aim was to determine if significant relationships existed between these three and if those patterns were consistent between the three populations. A widely used well-being questionnaire produced similar unidimensional factor structures as found in other settings, indicating suitability for use in Lebanon, including refugees. Higher subjective well-being was associated with more risk-taking among refugees (β = 0.07, SE = 0.02, z = 4.63, p < 0.01), but not among the Lebanese host population (β = −0.003, SE = 0.01, z = −0.32, p = 0.75). However, average subjective well-being did not significantly differ between the Lebanese host population and refugees (absolute difference = −1.27, 95% CI = [−2.83, 0.29], on a 60-point scale), or between Syrian and Palestinian refugees (absolute difference = −1.53, 95% CI = [−4.16, 1.08]). Behavioural interventions (nudges and boosts) designed to support people in making choices more advantageous for them showed moderate effects. There is a clear pattern of greater risk-taking for refugees with better subjective well-being. This is an important finding as greater risk-taking can be associated with a number of negative health outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations. While the behavioural interventions do show some effect on improving advantageous choice, these risk patterns are of clear interest to policymakers dealing with the health and well-being of all residents in Lebanon.

Understanding Effects of Tourism on Residents: A Contingent Subjective Well-Being Approach

Research regarding tourism’s effect on the subjective well-being (SWB) of destination residents has provided important insight, but it generally has relied on indirect analyses and diverse measures. This study used livability theory and a novel contingent SWB method in which respondents directly reported anticipated SWB effects. This method is exploratory, but it provides greater confidence in causal relationships. Results from a general population survey in Oregon (USA) suggested the method functioned as intended. County-level population growth and visitor intensity predicted perceived current impacts of tourism. In turn, perceived impacts predicted change in SWB contingent on a vignette reflecting a 20% increase in tourists. Across all individuals and counties, average SWB changes were negative for the environment domain and positive for other domains. Practical implications are discussed, with the most positive SWB effects from tourism development expected to occur in counties with low visitor intensity, especially those with low population growth.

Do Gen Zs feel happy about their first job? A cultural values perspective from the hospitality and tourism industry

Purpose To address Generation Z’s role in the emerging workforce, this paper aims to examine Chinese Generation Z’s subjective well-being (SWB) during their internship in the hospitality and tourism industry through the lens of Chinese cultural values. It explores the extent to which Gen Zs identify with Chinese cultural values and the influences of Chinese cultural values on intern students’ SWB which, in turn, predicts their future job intentions in this industry. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a normative model to contextualize the multi-dimensional interactions between Chinese cultural values, intern students’ SWB, and their future job intentions in the hospitality and tourism industry. A survey as the main data collection method was used with 400 respondents in Macau, China in testing hypotheses and analyzing the direct and indirect effects of these interactions. Findings The paper provides empirical insights into the way that Generation Z’s SWB is influenced by Chinese cultural values. Findings show that Chinese intern students’ average SWB in the workplace was above average. It also suggests that two cultural dimensions can be identified as playing a significant and salient role in shaping their SWB in the workplace as well as their future job intentions, namely, attitudes toward work and job-related face values. However, no significant relationships with the other three dimensions of CCVs were found to influence their SWB or future job intentions, namely, attitudes toward people, moral discipline and status and relationship. Research limitations/implications This research results may lack generalizability because the respondents chosen in Macau cannot be fully representative of Chinese Generation Z. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to widen the respondent base. Furthermore, cultural influences are tempered by many macro-contextual factors. Although this study focuses on unpacking Generation Z’s mental status from the level of national culture, other factors such as organizational considerations warrant future academic attention. Originality/value This paper addresses a research gap by identifying the influences of cultural values on the SWB of intern students which, in turn, affects their future job intentions in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Getting a Job, Again: New Evidence against Subjective Well-Being Scarring

Abstract Previous research finds that unemployment leaves permanent “scars” on subjective well-being (SWB) that remain even after reemployment. However, this research systematically overweighs long-term unemployment, inaccurately measures employment transitions, often does not track individuals long enough to substantiate scarring, and does not always account for age-related changes in well-being. This paper uses event history calendars from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to track complete monthly employment histories of prime working age Americans over a 17-year period, and accounts for the temporal relationships between SWB, age, and employment transitions using a novel fixed-effects formulation. The results suggest that there is some variation in patterns of recovery by employment stability after job loss, but no significant differences were observed by the duration of unemployment spells. Within 2 years of reemployment, average SWB levels reverted toward baseline trajectories across all groups, showing no evidence of scarring. This study brings unemployment literature into better alignment with research on resilience and adaptation. The findings also highlight some limitations of the construct of SWB for assessing the long-term costs of unemployment.

Psychological and pedagogical aspects of international students’ adjustment to the cultural and educational university environment

International students represent different cultures and differ psychologically, ethnically and culturally from citizens of their host country [1]. This causes adjustment problems in their new socio-cultural environment. The educational establishment should modernize and improve learning conditions which enables international students to adapt faster, develop their abilities and skills, improve their educational prospects. Purpose of the study was to draw out and experimentally substantiate psycho-pedagogical conditions and factors of successful adjustment to the educational environment for the international university students. Highly adaptive international students belong to the interactive type. They exhibit immersion readiness in unfamiliar intercultural conditions, striving to broaden their social circle with representatives of other cultures, aim at joint problem-solving, while exhibiting fewer signs of loneliness. By reference to students with lower adjustment levels, they exhibit medium manifestation of psycho-emotional symptomatology signs together with affective and cognitive components of ethnic identity [2]. They exhibit medium levels of cultural shock, tolerance, social distancing and average subjective well-being. These features are common for the unfinished adjustment process among international students. Thusly, we distinguish external and intrinsic factors which influence smooth adjustment process. The results of the study demonstrate that intercultural adjustment of international students is more successful in compliance with the support program implemented according to socio-psychological traits of international students and newly existing conditions of socio-cultural environment. The support program encompasses main areas of student life, which is a distinct advantage [3]. Its adaptable structure adjusts to all possible alterations to be implemented in various groups and different conditions.

Comparison of Resilience and Subjective Well-being to Fathers and Mothers Who Have Postlingual Deafness Children

This study aims to compare the resilience and subjective well-being of fathers with mothers who have postlingual deafness children. Participants in this study were 336 parents (168 fathers and 168 mothers) who had postlingual deafness children, were biological fathers and mothers of postlingual deafness children, lived with their partners and children who experienced postlingual deafness, were able to communicate verbally and in writing using Indonesian good, domiciled in West Java. This research uses a comparative study approach. The instrument used in this study is the CD-RISC which has been modified into Indonesian by Lamsinar &amp; Ratna (2011) and subjective well-being instruments constructed by researchers based on the Diener theory. The findings in this study reveal that there are significant differences in resilience and subjective well-being between fathers and mothers who have postlingual deafness children. Based on the average resilience and average subjective well-being seen in the group, the group of fathers who have postlingual deafness children has a higher score compared to the group of mothers who have postlingual deafness children.

Corruption Takes Away Happiness: Evidence from a Cross-National Study

Both corruption and subjective well-being are of concern to academics, governments, and policy makers. This paper studies the impact of corruption on subjective well-being, using cross-national data for 126 countries. By employing preindustrial local traditional democracy level as a novel instrument variable for current corruption, the paper addresses the endogeneity issue. We find the national average of subjective well-being would decrease by 0.23 points if a government became more corrupt by 10 points, and unemployment rate had to decrease equivalently by 9.2% to keep the national average subjective well-being unchanged. Further investigation shows that corruption had a significant effect in democratic or high-income countries only. The results are robust to alternative measures of corruption and happiness, estimation strategies, and excluding outliers.

Zróżnicowanie subiektywnego dobrostanu w krajach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej

Analizy subiektywnego dobrostanu (SWB) stały się integralnym elementem badań społecznych realizowanych przez instytucje akademickie, komercyjne, publiczne czy międzynarodowe. Oceny formułowane przez respondentów traktowane są jako wskaźnik oceny sytuacji indywidualnej w kontekście społecznym. Wewnątrzkrajowe zróżnicowanie subiektywnego dobrostanu może być zatem traktowane jako wymiar nierówności społecznych. Badania porównawcze, w znacznym stopniu koncentrujące się na krajach zachodnich, pokazują stabilny, wysoki poziom SWB i zmniejszające się zróżnicowanie SWB, a także ujemną zależność między zróżnicowaniem SWB wewnątrz populacji a średnim poziomem SWB. W celu rozszerzenia obecnego stanu wiedzy w artykule przeprowadzono analizy dystrybucji subiektywnego dobrostanu w krajach postsocjalistycznych i odniesiono je do krajów Europy Zachodniej. Na podstawie danych pochodzących z Europejskiego Sondażu Społecznego dla lat 2002–2016 prześledziłyśmy trendy w zakresie poziomu i zróżnicowania SWB, a także kształt jego dystrybucji. Dokonałyśmy porównań krajów posttransformacyjnych, a także krajów Europy Środkowo- -Wschodniej i Zachodniej. Wyniki wskazują na wyższe niż w grupie krajów zachodnich, ale zmniejszające się w analizowanym okresie, nierówności SWB w krajach posttransformacyjnych przy jednoczesnym wzroście średniego poziomu dobrostanu. Analizy potwierdzają negatywną zależność pomiędzy średnim poziomem SWB oraz poziomem PKB per capita a dyspersją SWB, natomiast otrzymane wyniki dotyczące relacji pomiędzy nierównościami dochodowymi a dyspersją nie są jednoznaczne.

Subjective Well-Being, Life Satisfaction and Interpersonal Relationships Associated to Socio-Demographic and Contextual Variables

This study aims associating children’s satisfaction to their interpersonal relationships within their main contexts of interaction (family, friends and school) and their satisfaction regarding their subjective well-being, considering the variables age, gender, type of school (public or private) and city of living (capital or not). There were 2.280 children from 9 to 13 years old (M = 10,99; SD = 0,996), being 1.341 from the capital city (58,8%), most of them from public schools (61%) and 55,5% of the amount were girls. The results showed there is no difference between the average satisfaction data and the interpersonal relationships by age and that children living in country towns are more satisfied with their interpersonal relationships. Children who study in private schools are more satisfied with their family relationships and school environment, while students from public schools are more satisfied with their friendships; besides girls are more satisfied with both their school relationships and friends. The subjective well-being decreased as they become older and boys showed an average subjective well-being significantly higher than girls. Considering the interactions among subjective well-being and the variables evaluated, the children who presented higher average of subjective well-being are those who live in country towns and study in public schools and the ones who live in the capital and study at in private schools.

Income and Well-Being: Relative Income and Absolute Income Weaken Negative Emotion, but Only Relative Income Improves Positive Emotion.

Whether relative income or absolute income could affect subjective well-being has been a bone of contention for years. Life satisfaction and the relative frequency of positive and negative emotions are parts of subjective well-being. According to the prospect theory, hedonic adaptation helps to explain why positive emotion is often so hard to be maintained, and negative emotion wouldn’t be easy to be eliminated. So we expect the relationship between income and positive emotion is different from that between income and negative emotion. Given that regional reference is the main comparison mechanism, effects of regional average income on regional average subjective well-being should be potentially zero if only relative income matters. Using multilevel analysis, we tested the hypotheses with a dataset of 30,144 individuals from 162 counties in China. The results suggested that household income at the individual level is associated with life satisfaction, happiness and negative emotions. On the contrary, at a county level, household income is only associated with negative emotion. In other words, happiness and life satisfaction was only associated with relative income, but negative emotion was associated with relative income and absolute income. Without social comparison, income doesn’t improve happiness, but it could weaken negative emotion. Therefore, it is possible for economic growth to weaken negative emotion without improving happiness. These findings also contribute to the current debate about the “Esterling paradox.”