Study Wessman & Ricks (1966): study US 1957 /1

Public

Male college students, followed 3 years, Harvard University, USA, 1957-60

Sample

Respondents

N = 17

Non Response

37%: 9 dropouts, incomplete; about the same happiness distribution.

Assessment

Multiple assesment methods
Mood diary kept 30 days and repeated interviews and tests during three years.

Correlate

Authors's Label

Companionship vs being isolated

Our Classification

Operationalization

Repeated closed question on 'the extent to which you felt emotionally accepted by, or isolated from other people', ra- ted on a 10-point scale:

10. Complete participation in warm, in-
    timate friendship.
9. Enjoy the warmth of close compan-
    ionship.
8. Thoroughly and genuineley liked.
7. Feel accepted and like.
6. More or less accepted.
5. Feel a little bit left out.
4. Feel somewhat neglected and lonely.
3. Very lonely. No one seems to care
    about me.
2. Tremendously lonely. Friendless and
    forlorn.
1. Completely isolated and forsaken.
    Abandoned. Ache with loneliness.

Scale scored each night for highest, lowest and average experience of the day.
(Wessman & Ricks Companionship vs Being Isolated Scale).

   

Observed Relation with Happiness