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Happiness Measures

Characteristics

Code:
A-AB-yd-mq-v-2-p
Focus:
Affect: Affect Balance (Various) (A-AB)
Time frame:
yesterday (yd)
Mode:
multiple questions (mq)
Scale Type:
verbal scale (v)
Scale Range:
2

Description

Self report on 16 questions

Did you yesterday..?
A  smile and laugh a lot
B  were you proud of something?
C  learn or do something interesting
D did you feel enjoyment?
E did you feel love?
F would you like to have more days like yesterday?
H  did you feel well rested?
I  were you treated with respect?
J  were you able to choose how you spend your time?
K did you have good tasting food?

Did you feel a lot yesterday
L  worry
M  sadness
N  depression
O  boredom
P  anger
Q  shame

Rated:
1: yes
0: no

Computation:
- Average % positive affect = (A-K)/10
- Average % negative affect = (L-Q)/6
- Affect Balance = Average % positive affect - Average % negative affect

These questions do not measure hedonic level of affect of individual persons adequately, since yesterday's mood does not always correspond with typical average mood. Yet these questions can be used for measuring hedonic level in aggregates, such as nations, since individual variations balance out in big samples.

List of Studies Using this Measure

Study Population N Mean
Standard Deviation
Oishi et al. (2012): study ZZ 2007 15+ aged, general public, 54 nations, 2007 N = 59634
Mean
= 0.490
SD
= 0.055