Why are some people happier than others? The role of cognitive and motivational processes in well-being.
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Addressing the question of why some people are happier than others is important for both theoretical and practical reasons and should be a central goal of a comprehensive positive psychology. Following a construal theory of happiness, the author proposes that multiple cognitive and motivational processes moderate the impact of the objective environment on well-being. Thus, to understand why some people are happier than others, one must understand the cognitive and motivational processes that serve to maintain, and even enhance, enduring happiness and transient mood. The author's approach has been to explore hedonically relevant psychological processes, such as social comparison, dissonance reduction, self-reflection, self-evaluation, and person perception, in chronically happy and unhappy individuals. In support of a construal framework, self-rated happy and unhappy people have been shown to differ systematically in the particular cognitive and motivational strategies they use. Promising research directions for positive psychology in pursuit of the sources of happiness, as well as the implications of the construal approach for prescriptions for enhancing well-being, are discussed.
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Mental stability and well-being are more influenced by how individuals attribute meaning to their internal experiences than by their actual negative impact.
“There is considerable growing evidence suggesting that mental stability and well-being are more influenced by how individuals attribute meaning to their internal experiences than by their actual negative impact (e.g., how negative they are; Lyubomirsky, 2001).”
From Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies (2021) · cites this paper as Lyubomirsky, 2001
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The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success?
Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803 · Cited by 7,143 · see citing works
Self-citationPursuing Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable Change
Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005) · Review of General Psychology · doi:10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111 · Cited by 3,203 · see citing works
Self-citationConstructive and unconstructive repetitive thought
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How Do Simple Positive Activities Increase Well-Being?
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Self-citationLyubomirsky, S., Dickerhoof, R., Boehm, J. K., & Sheldon, K. M. (2011) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/a0022575 · Cited by 720 · see citing works
Self-citationHappiness in Everyday Life: The Uses of Experience Sampling
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What are the differences between happiness and self-esteem?
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Time perspective and correlates of wellbeing
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Nelson, S. K., Layous, K., Cole, S. W., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2016) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/emo0000178 · Cited by 356 · see citing works
Self-citationThe resilience portfolio model: Understanding healthy adaptation in victims of violence.
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Positive activities as protective factors against mental health conditions
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Self-citationDo time perspectives predict unique variance in life satisfaction beyond personality traits?
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Psychological acceptance and quality of life in the elderly
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When every day is a high school reunion: Social media comparisons and self-esteem.
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Layous, K., Chancellor, J., Lyubomirsky, S., Wang, L., & Doraiswamy, P. M. (2011) · The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine · doi:10.1089/acm.2011.0139 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
Self-citationThe How, Why, What, When, and Who of Happiness
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Self-citationHealth and Happiness among Older Adults: A Community-based Study
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Time Perspectives and Subjective Well-Being: A Dual-Pathway Framework
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The MAOA gene predicts happiness in women
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Forgetting feelings: opposite biases in reports of the intensity of past emotion and mood
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“There is considerable growing evidence suggesting that mental stability and well-being are more influenced by how individuals attribute meaning to their internal experiences than by their actual negative impact (e.g., how negative they are; Lyubomirsky, 2001).”
BackgroundSchool staff perceptions of well-being and experience of an intervention to promote well-being
Sharrocks, L. (2014) · Educational Psychology in Practice · doi:10.1080/02667363.2013.868787 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
I’ll die with the Hammer in my hand”: John Henryism as a predictor of happiness
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The Connection Between Happiness and Service Businesses: A Preliminary Study
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- Authors
- Lyubomirsky, S.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Riverside (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lyubomirsky, Sonja
- ORCID
- Lyubomirsky, Sonja
- Venue
- American Psychologist
- Published
- 2001
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 239-249
- ISSN
- 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
- 1935-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2055477920
- Cited by
- 995
- References
- 175
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 54 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 47 · 2015: 60 · 2014: 61 · 2013: 54 · 2012: 53
- FWCI
- 21.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- happiness, well-being, construal level theory, cognitive processes, motivational processes, social comparison, dissonance reduction, self-reflection, self-assessment, person perception, positive psychology, sources of happiness
- MeSH terms
- Cognition, Happiness, Humans, Motivation
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