PSY30011 WEEK 3: SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING · Causes, predictors & consequences of subjective wellbeing resulting from happiness and satisfaction with life . Happiness = personal emotional state how one feels about their world · Satisfaction = acceptability of their life · Personality - factor called NEUROTICISM · Positive self-esteem, perceived control, optimism, meaning and purpose, extroversion, positive relationships = create a CYCLE OF WELLBEING · Mutually reinforcing one another and enhancing positive interpretation of events and fostering the pursuit of life goals Subjective wellbeing is studied by: · BOTTOM-UP APPROACH: 1 External circumstances matter > Raw sensory date is perceived and fed to brain - synthesizing into a larger whole > Happiness/satisfaction = sum of many smaller pleasures and moments - more frequent =happier person 1 Focus is on changing environment/employment - external circumstances matter · TOP-DOWN: - A Experience is the controller Looks for incoming info as soon as something familiar detected > Related to general tendency to evaluate and interpret experiences in a positive way > Focus is on personality traits, attitude, how life events are interpreted > To improve wellbeing would mean trying to change beliefs or perceptions DEFINE MEASUREMENT OF SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING · Assumes that - by asking the right questions - happiness and life satisfaction can be determined . Having people respond on a continuum - from V. happy to V. unhappy /satisfied to not satisfied with life · = amount of happiness one experiences can be scled/measured over time OUTLINE THE PREDICTORS OF SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING . Positive self-esteem · Sense of perceived personal control - enables + interactions with things and the expectation that one can influence things in their favour · Extroversion - gain more from social life · Optimistic - optimistic people are happier and more satisfied · Good social relationships - good social relationships provide support and emotional intimacy · Good sense of meaning and purpose - religious belief, or the pursuit of personal and meaningful goals · LOW NEUROTICISM - extroversion + neuroticism = direct influence on subjective wellbeing
OUTLINE FACTORS INCREASING SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING · How people process info about themselves impacts on wellbeing · Beliefs, expectations, interpretations of situations need to be stable · Wellbeing can be impacted when making social comparisons · If self-esteem is compromised · If standards are impossible to meet · People make selective more realistic comparisons Gender/race and ethnicity/age/educatin/money ADAPTION LEVEL THEORY - - WE ADAPT FAIRLY QUICKLY TO CHANGES IN SITUATIONS SOCIAL COMPARISON PROCESS - COMPARING INCOME MAKES ONCE DISSATISFIED RISING INCOME = RISING EXPECTATIONS people start expecting more of what they think they should have rather than what they need. OUTLINE FACTORS NOT RELATED TO HAPPINESS ASSIGNMENT 3 = DESCRIBE ASPECTS OF OSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY FORMING THE BASIS OF INTERVENTION ////PROVIDE OVERVIEW OF A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY PRINCIPLE ASSIGNMENT 3 Strengths based approach - yes Altruism/mindfulness/flow - yes Motivational interviewing/spirituality/optimism/savouring/acceptance and commitment therapy/forgiveness - yes NO = psychoanalysis/CBT/interpersonal therapy
Readings - "if we are so rich, why aren't we happy?" Happiness is a result of