Cited by 1,006Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionAging and Gerontology ResearchOptimism, Hope, and Well-being

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Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life

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Baumeister, Roy F., Vohs, Kathleen D., Aaker, Jennifer L., Garbinsky, Emily N.·2013·The Journal of Positive Psychology

DOI 10.1080/17439760.2013.830764

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Abstract

Being happy and finding life meaningful overlap, but there are important differences. A large survey revealed multiple differing predictors of happiness (controlling for meaning) and meaningfulness (controlling for happiness). Satisfying one’s needs and wants increased happiness but was largely irrelevant to meaningfulness. Happiness was largely present-oriented, whereas meaningfulness involves integrating past, present, and future. For example, thinking about future and past was associated with high meaningfulness but low happiness. Happiness was linked to being a taker rather than a giver, whereas meaningfulness went with being a giver rather than a taker. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness. Concerns with personal identity and expressing the self-contributed to meaning but not happiness. We offer brief composite sketches of the unhappy but meaningful life and of the happy but meaningless life.

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“As an alternative to economic pursuits—which often drive non-sustainable growth (Hickel and Kallis, 2020)—well-being scholars have substantiated how other important sources of well-being include good social relations and family life, strong health, firmly held belief systems, and living up to cultural ideals (Nesse, 2…”
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BackgroundInfluential
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Background
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“(3) Regarding leisure activity satisfaction, the positive effect of leisure on SWB and its moderating effect on mental status have been confirmed and affirmed by scholars (Heintzman and Mannell, 2003; Baumeister et al., 2013; Wang and Sun, 2019; Zhang Y. et al., 2019).”
Background
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Background
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“It is possible to have a happy and meaningless life, an unhappy yet meaningful life, or to have both happiness and meaning.(12) Rather than choosing a side, we embrace the multiplicity of approaches to a life well lived.”
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Authors: Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., Aaker, J. L., & Garbinsky, E. N.
Affiliations: Florida State University (US)
University of Minnesota (US)
Stanford University (US)
Corresponding author: Baumeister, Roy F.
ORCID: Baumeister, Roy F.
Vohs, Kathleen D.
Garbinsky, Emily N.
Venue: The Journal of Positive Psychology
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2013-11
Volume: 8
Issue: 6
Pages: 505-516
ISSN: 1743-9760 (ISSN-L)
1743-9779
DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2013.830764
OpenAlex: W1519128814
Cited by: 1,006
References: 27
Citations by year: 2026: 42 · 2025: 98 · 2024: 98 · 2023: 101 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 72 · 2020: 124 · 2019: 81 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 66 · 2016: 96 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 13
FWCI: 86.89
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
doi.org
Locations: The Journal of Positive Psychology (publishedVersion)
SSRN Electronic Journal (acceptedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
Keywords: happiness, meaningfulness, subjective well-being, predictors of happiness, need satisfaction, present orientation, stress, personal identity, self-expression

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Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life

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