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How Does More Attention to Subjective Well-Being Affect Subjective Well-Being?

Author

Listed:
  • Kai Ludwigs

    (Happiness Research Organisation)

  • Richard Lucas

    (Michigan State University)

  • Martijn Burger

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Ruut Veenhoven

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Lidia Arends

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Abstract

There is an ongoing debate as to whether pursuing happiness is beneficial for people’s subjective well-being (SWB). To address this question, we tested whether attention to SWB – measured by participation in SWB surveys – is related to experienced SWB in two longitudinal studies. The initial study was conducted from November to December 2013 (N = 129), and the replication study, three years later from November to December 2016 (N = 120). The studies include two groups: one group (the control group) answered three SWB surveys over 4 weeks, and the other group (the experimental group) followed the same procedure but additionally tracked their SWB in detail using the experience sampling method four times a day and the day reconstruction method once a day using a smartphone application for two weeks to heighten their attention to their SWB. Both studies show higher SWB scores at later measurements compared to the first ones.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai Ludwigs & Richard Lucas & Martijn Burger & Ruut Veenhoven & Lidia Arends, 2018. "How Does More Attention to Subjective Well-Being Affect Subjective Well-Being?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 1055-1080, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:13:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s11482-017-9575-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-017-9575-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Ruut Veenhoven, 2004. "Subjective Measures of Well-being," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2004-07, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Michael Eid & Ed Diener, 2004. "Global Judgments of Subjective Well-Being: Situational Variability and Long-Term Stability," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 65(3), pages 245-277, February.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lianne P. Vries & Bart M. L. Baselmans & Meike Bartels, 2021. "Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment of Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for Future Studies," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2361-2408, June.
    3. Siu Ming Chan & Hung Wong, 2022. "Housing and Subjective Well-Being in Hong Kong: A Structural Equation Model," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1745-1766, June.
    4. Tsung-Chi Cheng & Chao-Yin Lin & Shu-Chen Wang, 2023. "Exploring factors related to agreement between importance and satisfaction of subjective well-being indicators: evidence from Taiwan," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 2811-2839, June.
    5. Carmem M. Cunha & Nathalie Dens & Georg D. Granic, 2023. "University Students’ Well-Being and Engagement in Activities in the Early Days of Covid-19," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 279-303, February.

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