Life Satisfaction in relation to Happiness

Buddha left home in search of more meaningful existence and ultimately found enlighten, a sense of peace and happiness.Aristottle believed that eudaimonia (human flourishing associated with living a life of virtue), or happiness based on a lifelong pursuit of meaningful, developmental goals, was the key to good life (waterman, 1993).The word ―happiness‖ has different meanings, also in the realm of positive psychology. In the widest sense happiness is an umbrella term for all that is good. In this meaning it is often used interchangeably with term-well-being or quality of life. There have been many popular definitions of happiness: 1. Happiness is just about anything person could imagine. Happiness is a good job, good health, being loved, etc. Happiness according to this popular definition is just about anything, anyone, anywhere might think of as making themselves happy. 2. The second popular definition states that ,‖Happiness‖ is satisfaction,contentment,fulfillment, etc.It does not define ―happiness‖ but merely describes it using other words that means essentially the same. 3. Veenhoven (1984) define‖ happiness as the degree to which an individual judges the overall quality of his/her life own life as a whole favorably.‖ Argyle, Martin and Crosland (1989) believed that happiness is composed of three related components: positive affect (pleasant mood and emotions), absence of negative affect (unpleasant mood and emotion), and satisfaction with life as a whole. Veenhoven (2000) gave four qualities of life and shows the concept of happiness fits only one out of these fours. Liability of the environment: Liability is associated with the quality of society and the position of an individual in the society. Liability in the natural environment consists of the term life pollution, global warming and degradation of nature. Life ability of a person: Life ability of a person means inner ability of a person. These are the ability through which an individual cope up with the problems in the life. In the limited sense, health comes under this category. Utility of life: Utility of life consists of a good life. This assumes some high values.Herson (1976) refers to these effects as ―transcendental‖ conceptions of quality of life leading an objectively useful way contribute to the subjective appreciation of life. Satisfaction: It denotes the satisfaction in life, such as marriage satisfaction and job satisfaction. Satisfaction is often denoted with happiness. But satisfaction is broader term. A person is not called happy who is satisfied with marriage and job but has poor health. Theories of happiness has been divided into three types: need /goal satisfaction theories, process /activity theories, genetic /personality predisposition (Diener,2009).In regard to need/goal satisfaction theories, some specific school of psychotherapy offers the idea about happiness in advance. For example, psychoanalytic and humanistic theorists (Sigmund Freud and Maslow) suggested that the reduction of tension or satisfaction of needs leads to happiness. In regard to process/activity theories, theorists suggest that engaging in particular life activities generate happiness. For example Csikszentminalyi, proposed that people who experience flow in daily life found to be very happy. Genetic/personality predisposition theorist (Diener & Life satisfaction is a measure of well being .Life satisfaction may be assessed in stipulations of frame of mind, coping ability, goals that individual has achieved, satisfaction with relations with others , with achieved goals, self concept .Life satisfaction has been deliberated in relation to experiences, financial standing, amount of education, and residence as well as several other topics. Life satisfaction is related with the person‘s values, and depends on what individual holds important. Some people considers their family as a important part of their life, and for other it may be worship, wealth or other material objects, it varies from individual to individual. Every day life satisfaction was more strongly connected with daily accomplishment. According to Shin & Johnson (1978) ―Life satisfaction is a global assessment of a person‘s quality of life according to his chosen criteria‖. Diener, (1984) defined life satisfaction as ―cognitive judgmental global evaluation of one‘s life. It may be influenced by affect but is not itself a direct measure of emotion‖ Suldo & Huebner (2006) defined life satisfaction as‖ whole or in regard to specific domain of life such as family, environment, friends, and self.‖ Many factors play very important role in the life satisfaction of male and female. Macroeconomic theory states that when people have enough income for their life, they feel more satisfied with their life. Good physical health also found to be linked with life satisfaction. Individual who have more social support, feels more satisfaction with their life. Education, work related conditions, marital status also effect on life satisfaction. If a person perceive more social support, he feels stronger, it also effect on life satisfaction. Individual with bad health feels less satisfaction. Education makes a person able to think positively towards life, so it also effect life satisfaction. Life satisfaction is a subjective feeling because individual set their own criterion of their demands and when these demands are fulfill by the person, he feels satisfied. When there are difference between the expectations level of individual and present conditions, individual feels unhappy and less satisfied.

PROBLEM

To study the correlation between life satisfaction and happiness.

1. To assess and compare the life satisfaction of male and female adolescents. 2. To assess and compare the happiness of male and female adolescents. 3. To examine the relationship between life satisfaction and happiness.

2. There would be no significant differences in happiness of male and female adolescents. 3. There would be significant positive relationship between life satisfaction and happiness.

METHOD

Sample: A sample of 100 students (50 male and 50 female) was selected from the rural area on non random basis. Participants were the students of eleventh and twelfth classes and adolescents were belonged to an age of 15-18 years. Tools: The following tools were used to collect the data: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS): Satisfaction with Life scale was developed by Diener, Emmons, Larson and Griffin (1980).This test is design to measure global cognitive judgments of one‘s life satisfaction. This scale contains 5 items and seven point scale .Coefficient alpha of this test ranged from .79 to .89 .Test- retest reliability of this test is .84, .80(over a month interval) and .82 (over a two month period). Oxford Happiness Scale: The Oxford Happiness Scale has twenty-nine items. It is six point scale. Procedure: After establishing appropriate rapport with the students, informed consent was obtained and the questionnaires were administered to each participant. After scoring, data were analyzed by using SPSS software.

RESULTS

Mean, Standard Deviation, independent sample t-

*correlation is significant at .05 level Above table shows that mean value of male on life satisfaction is 25.52 and SD is 4.95.Mean value of female on life satisfaction is 23.52 and SD is 4.98.Value of independent t is 2.01.It indicates that

Happiness Male 150.86 11.36 1.48(NS) Female 147.46 11.58 NS: Non Significant Above table shows that mean value of male on happiness is 150.86 and SD is 11.36.Mean value of female on happiness is 147.46 and SD is 11.58.Value of independent t is 1.48.It indicates that male adolescent are not significantly higher on happiness than female adolescent. There is no difference between male and female in the use of happiness.

Category Happiness Life Satisfaction .58** ** Significant at .01 level Results of correlation show that life satisfaction is positively correlated with happiness. Value of correlation between life satisfaction and happiness is .58.

The aim of the present study was to study the correlation between life satisfaction and happiness. The first objective of the study was to assess and compare the life satisfaction of male and female adolescents. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant differences in the life satisfaction of male and female adolescents. Results of the study indicate that male adolescents are more satisfied with their life than female adolescents. Many factors play important role in life satisfaction of male and female adolescents. Social and cultural factors also effects on life satisfaction. According to the results of the study first hypothesis is rejected. Diener (1984) analyzed the results of thirteen studies and also found the gender differences on life satisfaction .The second objectives of the study was to assess and compare the happiness of male and female adolescents. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant differences in the happiness of male and female adolescents. Results of the study indicate that male and female adolescents have no differences in the use of happiness. They use happiness in almost the same man did not report higher Subjective Well Being than women, and women who are independent, confident and decisive have higher Subjective Well Being. Results of the present study confirmed the second hypothesis. The third objective of the study was to examine the relationship between life satisfaction and happiness. It was hypothesized that there would be significant positive relationship between life satisfaction and happiness. Results of the present study show that there is positive correlation between life satisfaction and happiness. It suggests that individuals who are happy in their life are also satisfied with their life. According to the results of present study third hypothesis is conformed.

According to the results of the study it can be concluded that life satisfaction is positively associated with happiness. Individuals who are high on happiness feel control on their lives. It helps them to set goals and then break them into daily aims which are best way to achieve their goals. It will increase the quality of life of individuals which leads life satisfaction. Individuals high on happiness act happily which leads them towards positive self–esteem. Happiness increases helpfulness. Happiness is also positively associated with life satisfaction.

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Poonam Devi* Department of Elementary Education, Haryana, Rohtak