Myers and Diener - Classic Evidence (Positive) - Mindmap in A Level and IB Psychology

Created by: chlopayne
Created on: 16-04-19 13:14

View mindmap

Myers and Diener - Who is happy?
- This study aims to pool together previous research in order to answer key questions.
  - Who are the happy people? What traits are related to happiness? What elements should be a part of theories of happiness?
- Methodology
  - Collected together the findings of many studies into happiness and used this to come to conclusions.
    - This is a literature review, includes current knowledge on a topic.
- Findings
  - Effect of age on happiness:
    - No time of life is notably happier (Latten 1989).
      - Reinforced by 1980s survey of 169,776 people sampled in 16 nations (Inglehard 1990).
    - Predictors of happiness changes with age.
      - Social relations are important in later life (Herzog, Rogers, Woodworth 1982).
  - Effect of gender on happiness:
    - Women are twice as likely to have depression and anxiety.
      - Men are 5x more likely to have alcoholism /antisocial personality disorder.
    - Meta-analysis of 146 studies, gender account for less than 1% of wellbeing (Haring, Stock +Okun 1984).
      - 1980s survey of 16 nations = 80% of men and women said they're 'fairly satisfied with life'.
  - Effect of race/culture of happiness:
    - Robins + Reiger 1991: African-Americans are just as happy as European-Americans (less vulnerable to depression)
      - Disadvantaged groups maintain self esteem by valuing things which they excel.
    - Nations differ in happiness.
      - 'Very happy' - Portugal = 10% Netherlands = 40%.
      - Swiss rank high on life satisfaction compared to German, French and Italian.
  - Effect of money on happiness:
    - 75% of American collegians essential life goal is to "be well off financially" (Astin, Korn + Riggs 1993).
      - Topped the list of 19 possible life objectives.
    - Adults share this materialism, increased income would make them happier (Strumptel 1976).
    - Food, shelter and safety is basic to wellbeing. Poor countries = satisfaction with finances is a moderate predictor (Diener).
    - Diener (1993) found in the United states theree is a correlation between income and happiness.
    - Forbes list of wealthiest Americans reported only slightly more happiness than normal Americans.
- Evaluation
  - Methodology + procedures
    - Literature review: issue of bias - couldn't include every piece of research and chose the studies they wanted to include.
      - it may not be representative and has researcher bias.
    - Self report data
      - Participants may lie, social desirability bias.
      - Subjectivity, wellbeing is different to everyone so may answer differently.
      - Lack of insight into their own behaviour and feelings to answer correctly.
      - Reliability - participants are only asked once. Happiness and wellbeing changes day to day.
    - Correlations: cannot align causation to the findings, careful when drawing conclusion, variable may get in the way of findings.
  - Ethical issues and social implications
    - Literature review doesn't involve experimentation on participants so they can't be harmed.
    - Self report data; rating your own happiness may cause psychological harm to the participants - may bring up painful thoughts and feelings.
      - May feel privacy is being invaded, questions are personal.
    - Observations; when beeper goes off, the participant would record their mental and emotional state.
      - Gain an overview of participants mental state over a period of time.
        However, it can be see as an invasion of privacy. They may not want to record personal issues.
    - Socially sensitive research; studies which there are potential consequences/ implications for the participants.
      - In this study, the findings relating to different groups and their happiness could be used to fuel discrimination.

Get Revising

Myers and Diener - Classic Evidence (Positive)

Comments

Similar Psychology resources: