• Happiness is subjective, therefore is hard to find a shared metric.
• Questionnaires that ask to answer specific questions and rate the happiness level is typically used in research.
• One of the most used questionnaire is Subective Happiness Scale.

Related Questions:

Related Topics:

References

• Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137-155. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com.

There are two main different views between philosopher and researchers. There is who claims that it is better to pursue eudaimonic happiness and who claims that it is better to pursue hedonic happiness.

In the course Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most is claimed that it is better to pursue eudaimonic happiness because it enriches ourselves and others, while hedonic happiness is related only to our own pleasure.

Definitions

• Eudaimonic happiness is the long term happiness and is the happiness we feel when:
  • we pursue our values.
  • we satisfy our basic psychological needs.
  • we try to develop the best in oneself and therefore we pursue a personal growth path.
• Hedonic happiness is the short term happiness and is the happiness we feel when we pursue pleasure that is an end in itself.

Characteristics

In the paper Pursuing Pleasure or Virtue - The Differential and Overlapping Well-Being Benefits of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives is claimed that:

• Happiness is:
  • a way to describe how much one person thinks to be satisfied of his life in a particular moment or in the overall.
  • absence or at least experience few negative emotions and negative thoughts compared to positive emotions and thoughts.
  • a positive emotion experienced when we reach well-being
  • subjective.
• There are two types of happiness:
  • Eudaimonic
  • Hedonic

Related Questions:

Related Topics:

• Happiness

References

Researches suggest that the following elements contribute to well-being:

• Competence
• Autonomy
• Relatedness
• using our own signature strengths to reach our goals
• Gratitude
• Kindness
• Savoring happy moments

Related Questions:

• what are signature strengths

Related Topics:

• How self determination theory is related to happiness
• What is self determination theory

References

• Introduction to Self-Determination Theory | University of Rochester by Coursera
• The Science of Well-Being | Yale University by Coursera

In the course Introduction to Self-Determination Theory is claimed that:

• a basic psychological need is a need that, if satisfied, leads to greater well-being.
• SDT claims the existence of three basic psychological needs based on various researches. Therefore the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs contributes to our well-being and therefore to happiness.

Related Questions:

• What contributes to well-being?

Related Topics:

References

• Introduction to Self-Determination Theory | University of Rochester by Coursera