Showing papers on "Happiness published in 1983"

Affectometer 2: A scale to measure current level of general happiness

Abstract: Affectometer 2 is a 5-minute inventory of general happiness or sense of well-being based on measuring the balance of positive and negative feelings in recent experience. Since this scale is directly derived from its parent scale, Affectometer 1, psychometric findings on the longer scale are reported along with initial data on Affectometer 2. These results indicate high reliability, high validity, and slight contamination by current mood and social desirability. Among the findings of special interest are: (a) the independence of positive and negative affect proposed by Bradburn is not confirmed; (b) well-being is highly and inversely related to neuroticism, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints; (c) the relationship of well-being to depression is curvilinear; (d) well-being scores are determined more by short-term states than long-term traits; (e) well-being can be characterized by 10 “qualities of happiness”.

The varieties of wellbeing.

Abstract: Well-being in older people may be represented in the sectors of behavioral competence, perceived quality of life, psychological well-being, and objective environment. Research findings are presented, which show that two dimensions of psychological well-being, negative affect and positive affect, are among the important domains in this sector. Negative affect was more strongly related to inner aspects of the person while positive affect was more strongly related to external, interactive aspects of the person's world. Bradburn's two-factor theory is thus supported. These two aspects of well-being are discussed in relation to life events, personal causation, neuroticism, and introversion-extra-version.

Impact of work on women at midlife.

Abstract: occupational status is a)key.cconponent of identity and self-worth f r Men. But little research -has been done on the influence of wor ing status on women, particularly.during life cycle . ,transitions or riods of crisis. To examine the impact of employment status on the s lf-esteem, psychological well-being an physical health of Women at md-life, 206 employed women and -183 homemakers were-compared on a number of scales of well-being. Results indicated that working women at-mid-life had higher self-esteem and less psychological anxiety than homemakers, Working women also reported better physfcil health.\" The findings Suggest that work may be a stabilizing force for women during critical transitions, throughout the life.cycle.'(4utbor/JAC)

Predictors of happiness.

Abstract: The current investigation reports findings on the temporal stability of happiness as assessed by the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH), and the stability of the predictor/happiness relationships in three subgroups of persons over 64 years of age Respondents were interviewed twice, 18 months apart, on the MUNSH and on nine established correlates Separate multiple regression analyses were used to assess the predictor/happiness relationship for each phase The stability of happiness was evaluated by the inclusion of phase 1 MUNSH scores in the phase 2 predictor array For urban and institutional persons the main independent predictors of happiness in both phases were housing satisfaction, health, activities, and changes in life events For rural individuals only health and marital status remained consistent predictors for both phases Happiness, greater in rural than in institutionalized persons, remained stable for all groups, with an average of 86% of the accounted MUNSH 2 variance due to MUNSH 1 scores These results show that, although predictor effectiveness may differ across subgroups, happiness remains stable in later years

Determinants of Spousal Interaction: Marital Structure or Marital Happiness.

Abstract: This paper examines factors associated with marital interaction, particularly work roles, marital structure, and marital happiness. Evidence from a nationwide probability sample of 2034 men and women suggests that heavy work involvement of husbands as well as wives, number of children, and a traditional division of household labor all reduce the proportion of time couples spend in joint activity. The determinants of interaction are found to differ significantly by racial/ethnic group. A major finding of this paper is the importance of marital happiness as a determinant of interaction. Using two-stage leastsquares analysis, the paper examines the nonrecursive relationship between interaction and happiness and concludes that previous research has overestimated the effect of interaction on marital happiness.

Children's and Adults' Recognition of Spontaneous and Posed Emotional Expressions in Young Children

Abstract: The present study investigated the degree to which young children can enact expressions of emotion recognizable by peers and adults; the study also examined whether accuracy of recognition was a function of age (4-5-year-old children vs. adult) and whether the expression was posed or spontaneous. Adults were much more accurate than children in recognizing neutral states, slightly more accurate in recognizing happiness and anger, and equally accurate in recognizing sadness. Children's spontaneous displays of happiness were more recognizable than posed displays, but for other emotions there was no difference between the recognizability of posed and spontaneous expressions. Children and adults had high base rates for using the label happy, and children had higher base rates than adults for the label sad but much lower ones for the label neutral. The high base rates for the label happy tended to increase accuracy in recognizing happy expressions, and children's higher base rates for sad increased their accuracy in recognizing that state. Low base rates for anger and neutral labels hindered accuracy in recognizing those states in both children and adults. Sex and ethnicity of the child whose emotion was displayed interacted to influence only adults' recognizability of anger. The results are discussed in terms of the social learning and cognitive ' developmental factors influencing (a) adults' and children's decoding (recognition) of emotional expressions in young children and (b) encoding (posing) of emotional expressions by young children. Despite a long history of study, several ba- To examine either of these issues carefully, sic issues regarding facial expressive behavior a set of stimuli depicting children's spontahave yet to be resolved. Children's ability to neous expressions of emotion is required, recognize their peers' facial displays of emo- and few studies have employed pictorial rection remains essentially unexamined. This is ords of children's spontaneous emotional dissurprising, since the ability to recognize the plays as stimuli. Buck (1975) videotaped chilaffective experiences of peers is an important dren's facial expressions while they viewed prerequisite for successful social adaptation affect-inducing slides; he also obtained posed (Gates, 1923; Gilbert, 1969; Shantz, 1975). expressions by instructing children to role Another neglected issue is the degree to play different affective states. Feinman and which young children can intentionally pro- Feldman (1982) employed Buck's slides and duce facial expressions of emotion so that found that preschoolers' posed expressions they can, for example, intentionally display were more recognizable than their spontaemotibn that they are—or are not—experi- neous productions. Children's posed displays encing. of happiness (84%) and sadness (56%) were decoded by unfamiliar adults at levels significantly better than chance. But for sponThis research was supported by National Science taneous expressions, only happiness was deFoundation Grants BNS 78-09108 and BNS 79-21027 cocje(j significantly better than chance (50%),

Satisfaction and happiness in a rural northern resource community

Abstract: Satisfaction and happiness with life as a whole are analyzed in terms of satisfaction with health, finances, family, job, friends, housing, area, recreation, religion, self-esteem, transportation and government services for males and females. Patterns of influential variables differ for males and females. The perceived gap between what one has and wants is a better predictor of satisfaction than the gap between what one has and thinks similar others have, and the gap between what one has and the best one has had in the past. Domain-to-satisfaction and happiness explanations are combined with gap theoretic explanations to reveal the psychological dynamics of judgments of satisfaction for males and females for the 12 domains and global well-being.

The Pursuit of Happiness: Family and Values in Jefferson's Virginia

Abstract: List of plates Preface Acknowledgments 1. 'My peaceable scheme': the world of the pre-Revolutionary gentry 2. 'The real use of religion': religion 3. 'Weep for yourselves': death 4. 'Little ambitions': success 5. 'Earthly connexions': love 6. 'The best feelings of our nature': conclusion List of abbreviations used in notes Notes Bibliographical essay A note on the sources Selected bibliography Index.

Apostasy: A Social Learning Perspective

Abstract: Seventy-eight apostates and 78 controls (matched on dimensions of background religion, sex, age, and year in university) responded to a 12 page questionnaire exploring possible explanations of apostasy. While findings indicated that apostates differed from controls with respect to current religiosity and early religious socialization, little or no evidence was found to support previous suggestions of differences in political orientation, intellectualism, academic orientation, adjustment and happiness in life, personality, or general rebellion against parents. Some differences were found with respect to relationships with parents and current parental attitudes. It is suggested that the results are consistent with a social learning interpretation of apostasy, but further work is necessary particularly in exploring other aspects of religious socialization.

The growing impact of marriage

Abstract: In present day Western society the institution of marriage appears to be of great significance for the well-being of the individual. Compared with married persons, the unmarried are generally less happy, less healthy, more disturbed and more prone to premature death. Among the married, happiness and health are highly dependent on marital success. The idea has been floated that the importance of marriage is now gradually declining. It is believed that single life is becoming more satisfying and that married persons are gradually becoming less dependent on their spouses. Empirical data do not substantiate that belief. Firstly, the differences in well-being between unmarried and married persons are becoming greater rather than smaller. In the Netherlands -- between 1950 and 1980 -- suicide rates have risen far more among the unmarried than among the married. Furthermore the differences in happiness between unmarried and married persons appear greatest in the most modern European countries, whereas almost no differences exist in the most traditional ones. Secondly, married person' appear to have become more dependent on the relationship with their spouse rather than less. During the last few decades in the Netherlands the overall happiness of married people has become more closely associated with their satisfaction with marriage. These trends can be interpreted as suggesting that marriage is becoming an increasingly indispensable 'haven' in an increasingly 'privatizing' world.

Influence of Children's Emotional States on the Recognition of Emotion in Peers and Social Motives to Change Another's Emotional State

Abstract: This experiment addressed the question of whether children's own emotional states influence their accuracy in recognizing emotional states in peers and any motives they may have to intervene in order to change their peers' emotional states. Happiness, sadness, anger, or a neutral state were induced in preschool children, who then viewed slides of other 4-year-old children who were actually experiencing each of those states. Children's own emotional states influenced only their perception of sadness in peers. Sad emotional states promoted systematic inaccuracies in the perception of sadness, causing children to mislabel sadness in peers as anger. Children had high base rates for using the label “happy,” and this significantly enhanced their accuracy in recognizing that state. Low base rates for labeling others as in a neutral state reduced accuracy in recognizing neutrality. Children were generally motivated to change sad, angry, and neutral states in peers, and they were most motivated to change a peer's state if they were to be the agent of such change. The results are discussed in terms of the limited role of children's own emotional states in their recognition of emotion in others or motives to intervene and in terms of factors influencing the perception of emotion, such as base rate preferences for labeling others as experiencing, or not experiencing, particular emotional states.

Psychological maturity and subjective well-being: Toward a new synthesis.

Abstract: Alker and Gawin (1978) proposed that happiness or well-being is higher among more psychologically mature individuals, and that happiness is qualitatively different for individuals of different levels of maturity. Using the Loevinger Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT; Loevinger & Wessler, 1970) as a measure of developmental maturity, together with the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale (Bradburn, 1969) and two additional measures of subjective wellbeing in a sample of 240 adult males, the present study failed to replicate the association of maturity with well-being. Further, the personality dispositions of neuroticism and extraversion were found to show significant relations to happiness regardless of maturity level of subjects. It was proposed that developmental level may determine the occasions or interpretations of happiness or unhappiness but that the quality and quantity of the experience of subjective well-being itself is independent of maturity. Theory and research on the nature of happiness (or the closely related constructs of life satisfaction, morale, and subjective wellbeing) have resulted in a growing understanding of its determinants. Survey research (Andrews & Withey, 1976) has shown the modest contributions of sociodemographic variables to well-being. Adaptation-level theory has been used to explain the unexpectedly small differences in happiness between groups sharply contrasted in objective quality of life (Brickman, Coates, & Janoff-Bulman, 1978). The role of the enduring personality dispositions of neuroticism and extraversion in predicting characteristic levels of well-being has been demonstrated using a variety of measures of both personality and well-being, with predictive intervals of over 10 years (Costa & McCrae, 1980a; Costa, McCrae,

Re-Validation of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness,

Abstract: The present investigation represents a re-validation of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) and its Negative (NAS) and Positive Affect (PAS) subscales in an institutionalized sample of elderly urban residents. Self-ratings of happiness (AVHT) and judges' ratings (JR) were used as criterion measures. Correlations between MUNSH scales and AVHT ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, while those between MUNSH scales and JR fell between 0.37 and 0.55. The findings indicate that the MUNSH is as valid for residents of large urban centres as for the smaller centres in which it was initially developed.

Aristotle and Happiness after Death: Nicomachean Ethics 1. 10-11

Abstract: IN Nicomachean Ethics 1. 10-11 Aristotle discusses the meaning of Solon's advice that one look to the end before judging a person happy. The consideration of this issue leads him to discuss at some length the popular opinion that the dead are affected by the changing fortunes of living descendants and friends. Aristotle himself mentions how incongruous such an opinion is with his own account, which equates happiness with a certain activity (1100a13-14). Several times in the ensuing discussion he uses the common Greek word for the dead, ot KEK1WqKOTE19 (literally, \"the ones who have completed their labor\"), as if to accentuate this incongruity (1101a35, b6). Nevertheless, chapter 11 ends with the assurance that the good or bad fortune of friends does have some effect on (but cannot reverse) the happiness or unhappiness of the dead (1 101b59). Faced with this apparent inconsistency, interpreters of the Ethics have responded in a remarkably uniform way. Common to all accounts with which I am familiar is the view that Aristotle himself does not seriously entertain the possibility that the dead are happy or unhappy, despite the literal preoccupation with the topic in Nicomachean Ethics 1. 10-11. To some, Aristotle is actually in some disingenuous way reconciling the received opinions about the departed with his account of happiness. J. A. Stewart, for instance, says that Aristotle merely \"minimizes\" popular opinions because a forthright account of his own views would wound \"the tenderest feelings of mankind.\", According to R.-A. Gauthier, Aristotle is content to reveal inconsistencies in the received opinions on the dead and thus, with a \"condescending smile,\" to discredit them as a challenge to his analysis.2 To others, like J. Burnet and H. Rackham, the passage's actual concern is the question of our estimate of a dead person's life, although they find the text inconsistently attributing awareness to the dead at several places. Another response to the apparent inconsistency between happiness as virtuous activity of soul and the existence of the

Aristotle and the Happy Dead

Abstract: A LTHOUGH Nicomachean Ethics 1. 10-11 is not part of the textual core of Aristotle's ethics, it nevertheless ought not to be disregarded: these two chapters show Aristotle's attempt to relate his account of happiness to a popular Greek aphorism that forbids the attribution of happiness to anyone alive. Thus, as Kurt Pritzl argues in the preceding article, the passage is of interest for an understanding of Aristotle's methodology, an interest which has been obscured by much of the traditional commentary. While Pritzl has provided a helpful setting of the passage in its social context and a useful commentary on some points of interpretation, there inevitably remains more to be said. This reflection upon his article first reinforces his reading of one passage, but in the second part qualifies his general assessment of these chapters of the Nicomachean Ethics.

Happiness, unselfishness, and popularity.

Abstract: Summary The interrelations among happiness, unselfishness, and popularity were investigated in a sample of 175 men and women undergraduates and college-aged volunteers. Happiness and popularity were assessed directly by self-rating scales and unselfishness was measured covertly by reported interest in “helping people.” Happiness was found to be related to self-reported popularity with the opposite sex for men and women (rs = .37 and .35, respectively) but to unselfishness for men only (r = .27). Unselfishness also correlated with popularity for men only (r = . 26). For both sexes, the partial correlations between happiness and unselfishness (popularity controlled for) were insignificant. It was suggested that unselfish men may be more popular with the opposite sex and, therefore, report greater happiness.

Are Jewish Families Different? Some Evidence from the General Social Survey

Abstract: The 1972 through 1980 waves of the National Opinion Research Center's General Social Survey were pooled to examine the differences between Jewish and non-Jewish (i.e., Protestant and Catholic) family patterns in the United States. On general indicators of family-related attitudes and behaviors, such as marital happiness and social visits with relatives, there was little or no difference between Jews and non-Jews. Ever-married Jews were less likely to have divorced or separated, even with controls for social class and other potentially confounding factors. The completed family size of Jewish women was smaller than that of non-Jews, and Jewish parents placed a higher value on qualities of children associated with autonomy and self-direction. We conclude that, overall, the differences between Jewish and non-Jewish families are more modest than many previous writers have suggested. However, in the domain of childbearing and childrearings Jews do seem to be different; they tend to follow a strategy well suited to enhancing their children's social, economic, and intellectual achievements.

The marital happiness/disruption relationship by level of marital alternatives.

Abstract: The author tests the hypothesis that the inverse relationship between marital happiness and disruption will be strong under conditions of high marital alternatives and weak under conditions of low marital alternatives. Using micro data from a sample of 400 white urban American couples with wives under 35 years of age he finds no support for the hypothesis. (authors)

Practical solutions for teacher stress

Abstract: Developing meaningful solutions for the problem of teacher stress and burnout is more complex than it may appear. It involves change in human attitudes and behavior, a type of change very difficult to bring about, even when an individual's job satisfaction and physical health are at stake. It is one thing to list stressors and possible solutions; it is another thing to act on what we already know to be in our best interest. A "holistic approach" to the problem of teacher stress and burnout recognizes the complexity of this problem. Mind and body are viewed as interconnected. Thoughts, feelings, and physiological responses are related. Each of us is seen as ultimately responsible for our health and happiness because we make numerous decisions each day that influence to a large extent what we will become, both emotionally and physically. The holistic approach assumes that problems will be resolved most effectively when they are approached on several fronts simultaneously. Consequently, teachers need a diverse set of skills and understandings related to stress and burnout management. These skills and understandings can be defined and taught. Osipow (1979), in discussing a general orientation to the improvement of occupational mental health, suggests:

Color Associations of Children

Abstract: Summary Free color associations were collected from a total of 337 children in the fourth through sixth grades to 12 concepts: hope, anger, sadness, honesty, fear, happiness, pain, love, death, strength, school, and life. Their responses showed a predominant color in the cases of love (red), death (black), and anger (red, closely followed by black). Colors were much varied in life, honesty, happiness, and school but, across all concepts, blue, red, white, and black were salient. Overall, these color choices of children were quite similar to those reported of adults.

A Scale of Motivation for Parenthood: The Index of Parenthood Motivation

Abstract: Summary The development of an Index of Parenthood Motivation is described and the results of two studies employing the Index are reported. It is concluded that the Index is useful as a measure of intensity of parenthood motivation as well as an assessment of important categories of motivation. Scores on the Index were significantly related to memories of early parental nurturance, to happiness of early family life, and to present identification with an organized religion for both late adolescent and young adult subjects, and with traditional feminine sex-role identification for late adolescent female subjects.

The Case Against Raising And Killing Animals For Food

Abstract: The important ethical view that one ought to live in such a way that one contributes as little as possible to the total amount of suffering in the world and as much as possible to the world’s total happiness is called utilitarianism. In this paper I develop the classical utilitarian argument against raising and killing animals for food. I then examine this position in light of several arguments which have recently been raised to show that utilitarianism permits this use of animals. Throughout the paper I refer to nonhuman animals as animals, and to human animals as humans. Although such usage suggests an elitism that might offend some humans, the substantive arguments in the paper are better expressed if we follow ordinary usage, however unenlightened it may be.

Domain, scope and degree of happiness

Abstract: As part of the quality of life study in Townsville the happiness construct was studied by means of Cantril's self-anchoring scale. The analysis of the rationales for happiness and unhappiness suggested that the happiness-unhappiness construct is unidimensional and bipolar rather than multidimensional. Alleged causes and avowed degree of happiness were analysed with the help of Goodman's log-linear analysis for nominal data. It was concluded that the degree of subjective happiness is not linearly related to the stipulated causes. Similarly, the consistency of motives for the pursuit of happiness is not linearly related to the degree of happiness, suggesting that both sinners and saints can be equally (un)happy. The happy individual emerges as female, married, of mature age and conservative in nature. In this study the ideal type of the happy individual does not conform with Wilson's observations of 20 years ago but fits more recent findings from overseas, particularly within the tradition of indicators of social well-being.

Adults' emotional states and recognition of emotion in young children

Abstract: This study addressed the degree to which adults' emotional states influence their perception of emotional states in children and their motivation to change such states. Happiness, sadness, anger, or a neutral state was induced in adults, who then viewed slides of 4-year-old children who were actually experiencing various emotional states. Adults' own emotional states had little impact on their accurate recognition of children's emotions or on their motives for social action to change such emotions. However, adults' states did influence the intensity they assigned to children's emotions, with happy adults tending to rate some emotions as more intense for black children (sadness) and for girls (anger and neutrality). The base rates with which adults used different emotion labels also influenced judgments, increasing it for the recognition of happiness and reducing it for anger. The results are discussed in terms of the factors that influence whether or not emotional states affect judgment processes and the role of emotion labels in the effective recognition of ongoing emotional states. Also addressed is the consequence of adults' recognition of emotion in children for the effective socialization of emotion.

Correlates of Dimensions of Happiness in Urban and Nonurban Settings

Abstract: The NORC happiness scale, widely used in Administration on Aging (A.O.A.) needs assessment surveys, is a composite of both a negative and a positive dimension. A re-examination of this scale based on a survey of 1400 urban and nonurban elderly indicates that the independence of these two dimensions varies for different residences. Results indicate that a high proportion of urban elderly were bored, depressed, and lonely as well as pleased, proud, excited, and interested in things about them. This group of urban elders was extremely disadvantaged in a wide range of both objective and subjective indices; their apparent inconsistent feeling states may result from a general feeling of relative deprivation.

Tears of Joy

Abstract: And how this book will influence you to do better future? It will relate to how the readers will get the lessons that are coming. As known, commonly many people will believe that reading can be an entrance to enter the new perception. The perception will influence how you step you life. Even that is difficult enough; people with high sprit may not feel bored or give up realizing that concept. It's what tears of joy will give the thoughts for you.