Affect In a Model of Subjective Wellbeing

1. Affect In a Model ofSubjective Wellbeing Melanie Davern Professor Bob Cummins NB. Please view via ‘Notes page’. You can then progress through the document using your mouse wheel, Page Down key, or the double-headed arrow to the right of this frame.

2. Earlier Studies • Model of SWB culmination of 3 separate studies • Initial interest in affect and SWB • Can SWB be used as measure of illbeing? • Importance of Unipolar (one-way) Response Scales in the assessment of affect • Reciprocal relationship between life satisfaction and dissatisfaction • Adequacy of the Circumplex Model of Affect

3. Brief SWB Literature Review • SWB also described as quality of life, happiness and life satisfaction • Inconsistencies in definition have increased measurement discrepancies • Cummins has found SWB to be held at around 75% maximum internationally • Theory of SWB Homeostasis proposes that SWB held within a narrow positive set-point • Generally between 70-80% of maximum

4. Brief Literature Review • Consensus that SWB consists of Cognitive and Affective aspects • These aspects of SWB not clearly defined in previous research • Multiple Discrepancies Theory (MDT) introduced by Michalos (1985) • MDT a measure of the cognitive component of SWB

5. Definition of MDT • Net satisfaction/happiness is a function of perceived gaps between current life and: • What one has and wants • What relevant other have • Best experienced in the past • Expected in the past • Expects to have in the future • What they deserve • What they need

6. Personality & SWB • Weak relationship between the Five Factor Model of Personality and SWB • Cummins, Gullone & Lau (2002) argue that personality (including cognition and affect) is mediates the relationship between external experiences and SWB • Does personality play such an important role in the maintenance of SWB?

7. Circumplex Theory of Affect ACTIVATED High NA High PA Activation Valence PLEASANT UNPLEASANT Low PA Low NA DEACTIVATED

8. Sample & Methodology • 854 participants from the longitudinal study of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index • Age range from 18-76+ yrs (Mean = 52.2) • 46% Male & 54% Female • Mailed paper and pencil questionnaires • 38% response rate

9. Measures • AUWBI – Personal Wellbeing Index How satisfied are you with your…. • Standard of living • Health • What you achieve in life • Personal relationships • Community connectedness • Safety • Future security

10. Measures • MDT items • NEO (FFM of Personality) • Affect items • Thinking about my life as a whole I feel… excited, happy, calm, sleepy, bored, dissatisfied, annoyed, active, lively, satisfied, relaxed, sluggish, exhausted, discontent, nervous, aroused, enthusiastic, content, at ease, unaroused, tired, unhappy, distressed, alert • Each octant of the circumplex represented by 4 affect items using a unipolar response scale

11. Initial Model

12. Model Fit Statistics

13. Final Model

14. Model Fit Statistics

15. Conclusions • SWB, affect, MDT and personality are all highly interrelated concepts • SWB is largely a measure of core affect • Poor discriminant validity in personality, MDT and SWB measures • All alternative measures of core affect