Who Is Happy?
Abstract
A flood of new studies explores people's subjective well-being (SWB) Frequent positive affect, infrequent negative affect, and a global sense of satisfaction with life define high SWB These studies reveal that happiness and life satisfaction are similarly available to the young and the old, women and men, blacks and whites, the rich and the working-class Better clues to well-being come from knowing about a person's traits, close relationships, work experiences, culture, and religiosity We present the elements of an appraisal-based theory of happiness that recognizes the importance of adaptation, cultural world-view, and personal goals
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Happiness is directly related to involvement in valued activity and progress toward one's goals.
“there is a growing literature concerned with psychological health or well-being (e.g., Myers & Diener, 1995) that suggests that happiness is directly related to involvement in valued activity and progress toward one's goals”
From This is not B. F. Skinner's behavior analysis: A review of Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson's acceptance and commitment therapy (2002) · cites this paper as Myers & Diener, 1995
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- Authors
- Myers, D. G., & Diener, E.
- Affiliations
- Hope College (US)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Corresponding author
- Myers, David G.
- Diener, Ed
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1995-01
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 10-19
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2107984537
- Cited by
- 2,383
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 68 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 105 · 2022: 111 · 2021: 107 · 2020: 120 · 2019: 88 · 2018: 115 · 2017: 101 · 2016: 120 · 2015: 116 · 2014: 115 · 2013: 115 · 2012: 114
- FWCI
- 37.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Keywords
- subjective well-being, happiness, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, adaptation, personal goals, close relationships, religiosity, work experience, personality traits, cross-cultural comparison
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