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Processes Underlying Links to Subjective Well-being: Material Concerns, Autonomy, and Personality

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  • Weiting Ng

Abstract

This study explored the mediating processes underlying the associations between autonomy and subjective well-being (SWB), and those between personality and affective well-being. Using the World Values Survey dataset from Singapore, the results showed that autonomy and financial satisfaction were the strongest predictors of life satisfaction and happiness, whereas personality traits were the strongest predictors of positive feelings. Both personality and material concerns predicted negative feelings to some extent. Mediation analyses showed that the associations between autonomy and SWB, and those between personality and positive and negative emotions were mediated by material concerns. Thus, this study illustrates the process models of different SWB facets (life satisfaction, happiness, positive and negative emotions) and highlights that dispositional factors (extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, and autonomy) can exert both direct and indirect effects (via material factors) on SWB. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

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  • Weiting Ng, 2015. "Processes Underlying Links to Subjective Well-being: Material Concerns, Autonomy, and Personality," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1575-1591, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:16:y:2015:i:6:p:1575-1591
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-014-9580-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:pri:cepsud:125krueger is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Daniel Kahneman & Alan B. Krueger & David Schkade & Norbert Schwarz & Arthur A. Stone, 2006. "Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer? A Focusing Illusion," Working Papers 77, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..
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    5. Jan Delhey, 2010. "From Materialist to Post-Materialist Happiness? National Affluence and Determinants of Life Satisfaction in Cross-National Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 65-84, May.
    6. Christian Welzel & Ronald Inglehart, 2010. "Agency, Values, and Well-Being: A Human Development Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 43-63, May.
    7. Daniel Kahneman & Alan B. Krueger & David Schkade & Norbert Schwarz & Arthur A. Stone, 2006. "Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer? A Focusing Illusion," Working Papers 77, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..
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    Cited by:

    1. Leonie C. Steckermeier, 2021. "The Value of Autonomy for the Good Life. An Empirical Investigation of Autonomy and Life Satisfaction in Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(2), pages 693-723, April.
    2. Sonja Spitzer & Angela Greulich & Bernhard Hammer, 2018. "The Subjective Cost of Young Children: A European Comparison," VID Working Papers 1812, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    3. M. Joseph Sirgy, 2018. "The Psychology of Material Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 273-301, June.
    4. Weiting Ng, 2017. "Extending Traditional Psychological Disciplines to Positive Psychology: A View from Subjective Well-being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1553-1571, October.
    5. Lars Bauger & Rob Bongaardt & Jack J. Bauer, 2021. "Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1313-1340, March.
    6. Ngamaba, Kayonda Hubert & Armitage, Christopher & Panagioti, Maria & Hodkinson, Alexander, 2020. "How closely related are financial satisfaction and subjective well-being? Systematic review and meta-analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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