The Happy life and the Meaningful life Presentation at conference Thoughts on Happiness Haring Happiness Institute Oegsgeest, The Netherlands, November 5, 2008

Happy and Meaningful life Assumed relations Conceptual differences definition of happiness 3 notions of meaning Reality links Meaning  Happiness Meaning  Happiness

Assumed relations

Conceptual differences

definition of happiness

3 notions of meaning

Reality links

Meaning  Happiness

Meaning  Happiness

Happy and meaningful life Assumptions Problem Loss of meaning in modern society Resulting in lower happiness Solutions (New) Religion Therapy

Problem

Loss of meaning in modern society

Resulting in lower happiness

Solutions

(New) Religion

Therapy

Happy and meaningful life Assumptions Causal relations Direct Innate need for meaning Gratification results in happiness Indirect, e.g. Meaning  (Self) respect  Happiness

Causal relations

Direct

Innate need for meaning

Gratification results in happiness

Indirect, e.g.

Meaning  (Self) respect  Happiness

Happy and meaningful life What is the difference?

Happy and meaningful life What is the difference? Often mentioned in connection ‘ authentic happiness’ Seligman ‘ eudaimonic’ happiness Deci ‘ Purpose in Life Scale Crumbauch

Often mentioned in connection

‘ authentic happiness’ Seligman

‘ eudaimonic’ happiness Deci

‘ Purpose in Life Scale Crumbauch

Happy and meaningful life What is the difference? Not quite the same Notions of happiness Notions of meaningfulness

Not quite the same

Notions of happiness

Notions of meaningfulness

Notions of happiness Four qualities of life

Notions of Happiness Four qualities of life

Notions of Happiness Four kinds of satisfaction

Notions of Happiness Four kinds of satisfaction

Notions of happiness Measurement 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

What is the difference? Notions of meaningfulness

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

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

What is the difference? Notions of meaningfulness Living a life worth living ≠ Seeing meaning in life ≠ Active involvement in life

Living a life worth living ≠

Seeing meaning in life ≠

Active involvement in life

What is the difference? Notions of meaningfulness Seeing meaning in life Having a philosophy of life ≠ Seeing useful contribution in that context

Seeing meaning in life

Having a philosophy of life ≠

Seeing useful contribution in that context

What is the difference? Notions of meaningfulness Active involvement in life Having goals ≠ Reaching goals

Active involvement in life

Having goals ≠

Reaching goals

What is the difference? Notions of meaningfulness Most meaningful life Living a life worth living + Seeing meaning in life + Active involvement in life

Most meaningful life

Living a life worth living +

Seeing meaning in life

+

Active involvement in life

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-reports observation

Living a life worth living not measurable

Seeing meaning in life self-reports

Active involvement in life self-reports observation

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-reports observation

Living a life worth living not measurable

Seeing meaning in life self-reports

Active involvement in life self-reports observation

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

Self reports of seeing meaning

Purpose in Life test PIL

Life Regard Index LRI

Life Attitude Profile LAP

Meaning of Life Questionnaire MLQ

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’

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’

Reality links

Reality links Is there a correlation? If so, what causes what? Meaning  Happiness Meaning  Happiness

Is there a correlation?

If so, what causes what?

Meaning  Happiness

Meaning  Happiness

Reality links Is 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 ++

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 ++

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

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

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

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

What causes what? Perceived meaning  Happiness Empery: Experiments mood induction Positive mood  more meaning Positive mood  more distinction of meaningfulness

Empery: Experiments mood induction

Positive mood  more meaning

Positive mood  more distinction of meaningfulness

Reality links Involvement 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)

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)

Reality links Involvement 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

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

Reality links Involvement in life   Happiness Empery: experiments Activation therapy effective Induced happiness activates

Empery: experiments

Activation therapy effective

Induced happiness activates

Happy and meaningful life Conclusion Not quite the same Not all meaning gives happiness Only involvement does Happiness drives some kinds of meaning Perceived meaning Active involvement

Not quite the same

Not all meaning gives happiness

Only involvement does

Happiness drives some kinds of meaning

Perceived meaning

Active involvement

World Database of Happiness http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl