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Studies

Diener et al. (1991): study US 1989 /2

Publication

Author(s):
Diener, E.; Pavot, W.; Sandvik, E.
Title:
Happiness is the Frequency, not Intensity, of Positive versus Negative Affect.
Source:
Strack, F.;et al (Eds).: "Subjective Well-Being", Pergamon, 1991, Oxford, UK, 119 - 140

Investigation

Public
Students, USA, 1989
Sample
Non-probability chunk sample
Respondents
N = 42
Non Response
Assessment
Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

Use the list below to answer the following question: IN GENERAL, HOW HAPPY OR UNHAPPY DO YOU USUALLY FEEL? Check the one statement that best describes your 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.
Classification:
M-FH-g-sq-v-10-a
Full text:
Self report on 18 questions:

How have things been going in the past few weeks? Please tick one of the two boxes for each of the questions below:
A  Have you been annoyed with someone?
B  Have you ever felt lonely or remote from people?
C  Have you ever felt that things were going your way?
D  Have you ever felt very worried
E  Have you ever felt pleased because you've got friends?
F  Have you ever been afraid of what might happen?
G  Have you ever felt particularly excited or interested in something?
H  Have you ever felt depressed or unhappy?
I   Have you ever been full of energy?
J  Have you ever felt really tired?
K  Have you ever felt so restless that you could not sit long in a chair?
L  Have you ever felt that you were really enjoying yourself?
M  Have you ever felt really cheerful?
N  Have you ever felt like crying?
O  Have you ever felt at the top of the world?
P  Have you ever felt confident about the future?
Q  Have you ever felt bored?
R  Have you ever felt pleased about having accomplished something?

Rated:
0:  no
1:  yes

Computation: (C+E+G+I+L+M+O+P+R) - (A+B+D+F+H+J+K+N+Q)

Name: Bradburn's Affect Balance Scale: extended version
Classification:
A-AB-cm-mq-v-2-a
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

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Frequency of positive affect