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The Happy life and
the Meaningful life
Presentation at conferenceThoughts on Happiness
Haring Happiness InstituteOegsgeest, The Netherlands,
November 5, 2008
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Happy and Meaningful life
• Assumed relations
• Conceptual differences– definition of happiness– 3 notions of meaning
• Reality links– Meaning Happiness– Meaning Happiness
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Happy and meaningful lifeAssumptions
Problem
• Loss of meaning in modern society
• Resulting in lower happiness
Solutions
• (New) Religion
• Therapy
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Happy and meaningful lifeAssumptions
Causal relations
• Direct– Innate need for meaning– Gratification results in happiness
• Indirect, e.g.– Meaning (Self) respect Happiness
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Happy and meaningful lifeWhat is the difference?
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Happy and meaningful lifeWhat is the difference?
Often mentioned in connection
• ‘authentic happiness’ Seligman
• ‘eudaimonic’ happiness Deci
• ‘Purpose in Life Scale Crumbauch
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Happy and meaningful lifeWhat is the difference?
Not quite the same
• Notions of happiness
• Notions of meaningfulness
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Notions of happinessFour qualities of life
external
internal
chances
outcomes
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Notions of HappinessFour qualities of life
external
internal
chances
Livability
Life-ability
outcomes
Utility
Satisfaction
with life
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Notions of HappinessFour kinds of satisfaction
Passing
Enduring
Part
Whole
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Notions of HappinessFour kinds of satisfaction
Passing
Enduring
Part
Pleasure
Domain
satisfaction
Whole
Top experience
Life-satisfaction
(happiness)
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Notions of happinessMeasurement of happiness
Self report on single question
Taking all together, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dissatisfied Satisfied
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
• Living a life worth living
• Seeing meaning in life– Having a philosophy of life– Seeing useful contribution in that context
• Active involvement in life– Pursuing goals– Reaching goals
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
• Living a life worth living
≠• Seeing meaning in life
≠• Active involvement in life
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
•
• Seeing meaning in life– Having a philosophy of life
≠– Seeing useful contribution in that context
•
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
•
• Active involvement in life– Having goals
≠– Reaching goals
•
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What is the difference?Notions of meaningfulness
Most meaningful life
• Living a life worth living+
• Seeing meaning in life
+
• Active involvement in life
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What is the difference?Measures of meaningfulness
• Living a life worth living not measurable
• Seeing meaning in life self-reports
• Active involvement in life self-reportsobservation
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What is the difference?Measures of meaning
• Living a life worth living not measurable
• Seeing meaning in life self-reports
• Active involvement in life self-reportsobservation
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What is the difference?Measures of meaning
Self reports of seeing meaning
• Purpose in Life test PIL
• Life Regard Index LRI
• Life Attitude Profile LAP
• Meaning of Life Questionnaire MLQ
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What is the difference?Measures of meaning: Example
Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ)
• I understand my life’s meaning• I am looking for things that make my life meaningful• My life has a clear sense of purpose• I am seeking a mission in life• I have discovered a satisfying purpose• I have a good sense of what makes my life
meaningful
Rating: 1 ‘untrue’ to 10 ‘absolutely true’
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Reality links
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Reality links
• Is there a correlation?
• If so, what causes what?– Meaning Happiness– Meaning Happiness
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Reality linksIs there a correlation?
• Living a life worth living ?
• Seeing meaning in life– Having a philosophy of life 0– Seeing a role in that context +
• Involvement in life– Having goals +/0– Reaching goals ++
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What causes what?Perceived meaning Happiness
Theory
• No need for meaning– No survival value– Hence unlikely to be hard-wired
• Rather a universal striving– Consequence of human thinking– Not linked to affect
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What causes what?Perceived meaning happiness
Empery: Follow-up
• Short-term: day-by-day – Meaning does not predict happiness– Happiness predicts meaning
• Long-term: 2 years– Happiness does not predict meaning– Meaning does not predict happiness
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What causes what?Perceived meaning Happiness
Empery: Experiments mood induction
• Positive mood more meaning
• Positive mood more distinction of meaningfulness
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Reality linksInvolvement in life Happiness
Theory
• Involvement Happiness– Innate need for functioning is functional– Involvement involves functioning– Hence involvement rewarding in itself
• Happiness Involvement– Happiness works as a ‘go’ signal– Hence fosters involvement(Broaden & Built theory)
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Reality linksInvolvement in life Happiness
Empery: follow-up
• Involvement Happiness– Active hours predict happiness years later– Social participation predicts happiness years later
• Happiness Involvement– Happiness predicts social participation years later
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Reality linksInvolvement in life Happiness
Empery: experiments
• Activation therapy effective
• Induced happiness activates
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Happy and meaningful lifeConclusion
• Not quite the same
• Not all meaning gives happiness– Only involvement does
• Happiness drives some kinds of meaning– Perceived meaning– Active involvement
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World Database of Happiness
http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl