Introversion-extroversion and the many measures of happiness are both much debated areas of psychological interest. Universally accepted conceptualizations of introversion-extroversion and happiness have, thus far, not been agreed upon. The present study reviewed and empirically examined the psychometric properties of Susan Cain’s recently constructed Quiet Introversion Questionnaire, the domai...

This paper develops a formal economic theory that is mainly proposed to explain and study the Easterlin paradox — a puzzle at the heart of our lives: average happiness levels do not increase as countries grow wealthier. This theory provides a foundation for studying happiness from the perspectives of social happiness maximization and pursuing individual self-interest. It takes into account both...

Does variety increase happiness? Eight studies examine how the variety among the activities that fill people’s day-to-day lives affects subsequent happiness. The studies demonstrate that whether variety increases or decreases happiness depends on the perceived duration of the time within which the activities occur. For longer time periods (like a day), variety does increase happiness. However, ...

UNLABELLED Happiness is a core dimension of a person's life, related to both functioning and success. As patients with schizophrenia experience marked functional deficits, it would be informative to investigate their level of happiness. There are limited data currently available, perhaps due to the longstanding belief that anhedonia is an inherent feature of this illness. The present study set ...

The issue Nineteenth century utilitarian philosophers considered happiness as the highest good (‘utility’ in their words) and claimed political priority for attempts to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. In reaction, many of their contemporaries cried out that happiness is not good at all, because it turns people into ‘contented cows’ and undermines social bonds. Modern psy...

In a review of recent cross-cultural evidence on happiness and well-being, the authors identified substantial cultural variations in (1) cultural meanings of happiness, (2) motivations underlying happiness, and (3) predictors of happiness. Specifically, in North American cultural contexts, happiness tends to be defined in terms of personal achievement. Individuals engaging in these cultures are...

We review the history of happiness research that gave rise to our 1995 review. We then summarize-and update with a quick synopsis of more recent research-each of our conclusions regarding the associations of subjective well-being with age, gender, income, personal traits, social support, and religious engagement. Finally, we briefly review new research on the benefits of happiness, and of happi...