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Studies

Magnus & Diener (1991): study US 1986

Publication

Author(s):
Magnus, K.; Diener, E.
Title:
A Longitudinal Analysis of Personality, Life Events, and Subjective Well-Being.
Source:
Paper presented at 63rd Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, 1991, Chicago, USA

Investigation

Public
University students, USA, followed 4 years 1986-1990
Sample
Non-probability chunk sample
Respondents
N = 130
Non Response
Assessment
Multiple assesment methods
Self-report questionnaires, peer reports, and experinece sampling.

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

"Generally speaking, how (much) do you feel happy? What score do you give if we put ten for 'extremely happy, zero for extremely unhappy' and five for neither happy nor unhappy'?"
10 extremely happy
9
8
7
6
5  neither happy nor unhappy
4
3
2
1
0  extremely unhappy
Classification:
M-FH-g-sq-n-11-a
Author's label:
Fordyce
Page in publication:
25
Error estimates:
Disattenuated retest correlation= +.85
Full text:
Self report on single question:

How do you feel about your life as a whole.....?
7  delighted
6  pleased
5  mostly satisfied
4  mixed
3  mostly dissatisfied
2  unhappy
1  terrible

Name: Andrews & Withey's `Delighted-Terrible Scale'  (original version)
Classification:
O-DT-u-sq-v-7-a
Author's label:
Delighted-terrible scale
Page in publication:
26
Full text:
Self report in in-depth interview about affective nature of one's life.
Rated on the level of happiness by an expert rater on a 1-7 scale
Classification:
O-Sum-g-fi-?-7-a
Author's label:
Clinical interview
Page in publication:
26
Error estimates:
Interrater agreement: r=+.68 (N=35)
Full text:
Peer rating using single question:

Use the list below to answer the following question: IN GENERAL, HOW HAPPY OR UNHAPPY DOES X USUALLY FEEL? Check the one statement that best describes his/her average happiness.
10  extremely happy (feeling ecstatic, joyous, fantastic!)
9    very happy (feeling really good and elated!)
8    pretty happy (spirits high, feeling good)
7    mildly happy (feeling fairly good and somewhat cheerful)
6    slightly happy ( just a bit above neutral)
5    slightly unhappy (just a bit below neutral)
4    mildly unhappy (just a bit low)
3    pretty unhappy (somewhat "blue", spirits down)
2    very unhappy ( depressed, spirits very low)
1    extremely unhappy (utterly depressed, completely down)

Name: Fordyce's overall happiness item, peer rating version
Classification:
A-AOL-g-rdp-v-10-a
Author's label:
Peer Fordyce
Page in publication:
26

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Time Recent happiness (< 1 year ago) Satisfaction with life (SWLS) Earlier life-appraisals
Later life-appraisals
Happiness inventories involving unacceptable items
Peer satisfaction with life Earlier life-appraisals
Later life-appraisals
Congruency self-image and reputation
Happiness inventories involving unacceptable items
Rating of happiness by peers
Subjective well being (SWB) HAPPINESS: CORRESPONDENCE OF DIFFERENT MEASURES
O-DT by M-AO
M-AO by M-AO
M-AO by M-FH
Memory Earlier life-appraisals
Balance of negative- and positive life-events
Balance of positive and negative memories
Domain satisfaction Earlier life-appraisals
Satisfaction with multiple domains of life