Question 1

Positive psychologists argue that national statistics describing how we are doing as a society provide a misleading view of happiness and health because they

Accepted Answer

National statistics often focus on economic indicators and do not directly measure subjective well-being or positive mental health, which are crucial for understanding true happiness and health.

Question 2

Positive psychologists argue that statistics on the objective facts of people's lives give a misleading view of well-being because

Accepted Answer

Positive psychologists emphasize that subjective well-being is more closely related to how individuals interpret their life circumstances rather than the objective facts themselves.

Question 3

The difference between hedonic and eudaimonic conceptions of happiness boils down to the difference between

Accepted Answer

Hedonic happiness focuses on pleasure and immediate gratification, while eudaimonic happiness emphasizes meaning, personal growth, and self-realization.

Question 4

The word "daimon" in eudaimonia refers to

Accepted Answer

The word "daimon" in "eudaimonia" refers to one's true self or spirit, which is central to achieving a state of flourishing or well-being.

Question 5

According to Waterman's studies, eudaimonic enjoyment results from activities that create feelings of

Accepted Answer

Eudaimonic enjoyment is associated with activities that lead to personal expressiveness, meaning, challenge, competence, and growth, as these contribute to a sense of fulfillment and well-being beyond mere pleasure.

Question 6

When Waterman had people rate their 5 most self-defining activities according to their level of hedonic and eudaimonic enjoyment, he found that the hedonic and eudaimonic ratings

Accepted Answer

Waterman's study found that there was substantial overlap between hedonic and eudaimonic enjoyment ratings, indicating that many activities people find pleasurable also contribute to their sense of meaning and purpose.

Question 7

In a series of studies, Laura King and her colleagues examined the relationship between positive affect (e.g., happiness) and sense of meaningfulness or life purpose. Overall, these studies found that

Accepted Answer

The studies by Laura King and her colleagues consistently found a positive relationship between the experience of positive affect, such as happiness, and a sense of meaningfulness or life purpose.

Question 8

Subjective well-being (SWB) is defined and measured by

Accepted Answer

Subjective well-being (SWB) is typically defined and measured by life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect, which together provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual's overall well-being.

Question 9

Harker and Kletner examined the type of smile women showed in their women's college yearbook photographs and related smile-type to life outcomes 30 years later. What kind of smile predicted what life outcomes?

Accepted Answer

Duchenne smiles, which involve the muscles around the eyes and mouth, were found to be related to greater health, happiness, and more stable and satisfying marriages.

Question 10

The controversy regarding affect (emotion) concerns whether or not positive and negative affect

Accepted Answer

The controversy is about whether positive and negative affect are opposite ends of a single continuum or if they are independent dimensions that can coexist, allowing individuals to experience both simultaneously.

Question 11

According to research by Diener and his colleagues, happiness is built more on the 1.___________of positive emotions than on their 2.______________ .

Accepted Answer

Research by Diener and colleagues suggests that happiness is more strongly associated with the frequency of positive emotions rather than their intensity. Frequent positive experiences contribute more to overall happiness than occasional intense ones.

Question 12

The peak-end rule says that the impact of an emotional experience is determined by

Accepted Answer

The peak-end rule suggests that people judge an experience largely based on how they felt at its peak (the most intense point) and at its end, rather than the total duration of the experience.

Question 13

Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) involve

Accepted Answer

Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) involve capturing real-time data on individuals' experiences and emotions, often through prompts or diaries that participants fill out shortly after events occur, to minimize recall bias.

Question 14

The day reconstruction method developed by Kahneman and his colleagues asks people to

Accepted Answer

The day reconstruction method involves participants reconstructing their day as a sequence of episodes, similar to scenes in a film, and giving each episode a short name.

Question 15

The different information that may be gained through Experience Sampling Measures compared to Global Self-Report Surveys is highlighted in the Kahneman et al. study using the day reconstruction method. According to global surveys, raising children is a significant source of 1.________________ for most people. In contrast, Kahneman et al. found that women's day to day (ESM) positive emotional ratings of "taking care of my children" were 2.______________ .

Accepted Answer

Global surveys often report that raising children contributes to life satisfaction, but the day-to-day positive emotional ratings from the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) showed that activities like watching TV, shopping, or fixing meals were rated higher than taking care of children.

Question 16

According to your text's comparison of Experience Sampling Methods (ESM) and Global Measures, each measure has a "maximal sensitivity" to different influences on well-being. Which of the following best describes these different sensitivities?

Accepted Answer

ESM captures real-time data and is sensitive to situational influences, while global measures reflect stable personality traits over time.

Question 17

A criticism made of the hedonic definition and measure of subjective well-being by eudaimonic researchers such as Carol Ryff is that the hedonic view

Accepted Answer

Eudaimonic researchers argue that the hedonic view lacks depth in understanding well-being, as it focuses on happiness without exploring its underlying reasons or distinguishing it from other aspects like health.

Question 18

In the model of positive or complete mental health developed by Ryff and Keyes, the dimensions of psychological well-being and social well-being attempt to measure and define the

Accepted Answer

The model by Ryff and Keyes focuses on specific aspects or markers of positive functioning, such as autonomy, personal growth, and positive relations with others, which are dimensions of psychological and social well-being.

Question 19

Self-determination theory specifies three needs as the foundation for well-being. These are

Accepted Answer

Self-determination theory identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as the three basic psychological needs essential for well-being and motivation.

Question 20

In their 14-day diary study of "what makes a good day," Reis, Sheldon, and colleagues found that needs for relatedness and autonomy were more likely to be satisfied

Accepted Answer

Reis, Sheldon, and colleagues found that needs for relatedness and autonomy were more likely to be satisfied on weekends, as people typically have more free time and opportunities to engage in activities that fulfill these needs.

Quiz 2: The Meaning and Measure of Happiness