Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction
Studies of happiness have examined the impact of demographics, personality and emotions accompanying daily activities on life satisfaction. We suggest that how people feel while contemplating aspects of their lives, including their weight, children and future prospects, is a promising yet uncharted...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2013-09-01
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| Series: | Judgment and Decision Making |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500003697/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797695982191771648 |
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| author | Talya Miron-Shatz Ed Diener Glen M. Doniger Tyler Moore Shimon Saphire-Bernstein |
| author_facet | Talya Miron-Shatz Ed Diener Glen M. Doniger Tyler Moore Shimon Saphire-Bernstein |
| author_sort | Talya Miron-Shatz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies of happiness have examined the impact of demographics, personality and emotions accompanying daily activities on life satisfaction. We suggest that how people feel while contemplating aspects of their lives, including their weight, children and future prospects, is a promising yet uncharted territory within the internal landscape of life satisfaction. In a sample of 811 American women, we assessed women’s feelings when thinking about major life domains and frequency of thoughts about each domain. Regression and dominance analyses showed that emotional valence of thoughts about major life domains was an important predictor of current and prior life satisfaction, surpassing, in descending order, demographics, participants’ feelings during recent activities, and their neuroticism and extraversion scores. Domains thought about more frequently were often associated with greater emotional valence. These results suggest that life satisfaction may be improved by modifying emotional valence and frequency of thoughts about life domains. Moreover, these thoughts appear to be an important and relatively stable component of well-being worthy of further study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:20:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4f7c9f890e00416dabf469dd6ffed084 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-2975 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:20:04Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Judgment and Decision Making |
| spelling | doaj.art-4f7c9f890e00416dabf469dd6ffed0842023-09-03T14:02:51ZengCambridge University PressJudgment and Decision Making1930-29752013-09-01860361610.1017/S1930297500003697Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfactionTalya Miron-Shatz0Ed Diener1Glen M. Doniger2Tyler Moore3Shimon Saphire-Bernstein4Center for Medical Decision Making, Ono Academic College, 104 Zahal St., Kiryat Ono, 55000, IsraelDepartment of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignCenter for Medical Decision Making, Ono Academic CollegeDepartment of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaDepartment of Psychology, University of California, Los AngelesStudies of happiness have examined the impact of demographics, personality and emotions accompanying daily activities on life satisfaction. We suggest that how people feel while contemplating aspects of their lives, including their weight, children and future prospects, is a promising yet uncharted territory within the internal landscape of life satisfaction. In a sample of 811 American women, we assessed women’s feelings when thinking about major life domains and frequency of thoughts about each domain. Regression and dominance analyses showed that emotional valence of thoughts about major life domains was an important predictor of current and prior life satisfaction, surpassing, in descending order, demographics, participants’ feelings during recent activities, and their neuroticism and extraversion scores. Domains thought about more frequently were often associated with greater emotional valence. These results suggest that life satisfaction may be improved by modifying emotional valence and frequency of thoughts about life domains. Moreover, these thoughts appear to be an important and relatively stable component of well-being worthy of further study.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500003697/type/journal_articlelife satisfactionlife domainsruminationsavoringactivitiestime use |
| spellingShingle | Talya Miron-Shatz Ed Diener Glen M. Doniger Tyler Moore Shimon Saphire-Bernstein Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction Judgment and Decision Making life satisfaction life domains rumination savoring activities time use |
| title | Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| title_full | Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| title_fullStr | Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| title_short | Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| title_sort | charting the internal landscape affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction |
| topic | life satisfaction life domains rumination savoring activities time use |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500003697/type/journal_article |
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