Happiness: as subjective well-being Adrian G White

A Global Projection of Subjective Well-being:

A Challenge to Positive Psychology?

 

Adrian G. White, University of Leicester 

 

Rarely in recent years has a development in the field of academic psychology captured such widespread attention as the current developments in positive psychology on the topic of happiness.  Whilst academic investigation of something as intangible as happiness may seem at first surprising the age long search for happiness, a primary motive of human behaviour, has ensured a broader audience than psychologists usually attract.

 

The search for happiness is not new and neither is academic interest in the topic.  In 1776 the American Declaration of Independence argued for “certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” (The American Declaration of Independence, 1776, as cited in Hawke, 1964).  As such, nations have been formed on the basis of the search for happiness, and this desire has been put on a par with the right to life and the right to freedom.  In the U.K. interest in happiness was brought to widespread attention with the moral philosophy of Jeremy Bentham (1789) who argued that the purpose of politics should be to bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. 

 

Political interest in happiness has not diminished in modern times.  A recent survey (Easton, 2006) found that 81% of the UK population agreed that the Government’s primary objective should be the creation of happiness not wealth.  Earlier this year David Cameron, HM Leader of the Opposition, put happiness firmly on the political agenda by arguing that “It’s time we admitted that there’s more to life than money, and it’s time we focused not just on GDP, but on GWB – general well-being" (BBC, 2006). 

via le.ac.uk

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