Abstract
In this paper, subjective well-being, as measured by survey questions on life satisfaction and happiness, is investigated from a sociological-comparative point of view. The central thesis is that happiness will be greater the more freedom a person has in her/his life decisions. It is hypothesized, therefore, that happiness will be higher in all those social contexts (micro and macro) which provide a person with greater freedom. Hence, happiness should be higher among the employed, among persons in higher positions and with higher incomes, and happiness should also be higher in free market and democratic, and in less stratified societies. A comparative empirical analysis (multilevel regression) is carried out, using survey data on 41 nations from the World Value Survey 1995–97. The finding that happiness is related significantly to the degree of individual freedom is fully confirmed. It also has been proven that people who live in circumstances providing more freedom of personal choice are happier. However, macro-social conditions are not directly relevant for personal freedom and happiness; this happens only through their perception and through their expected change (improvement or stagnation) in the future.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arendt, H. (1958): The Human Condition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Argyle, M. (1987): The Psychology of Happiness, London/New York: Routledge.
Bellebaum, A. (ed.) (1992): Glück und Zufriedenheit. Ein Symposium, Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Biswas-Diener, R. & E. Diener (2001): Making the Best of a Bad Situation: Satisfaction in the Slums of Calcutta, Social Indicators Research 55, 329–53.
Boudon, R. (1999): Le sens de valeurs, Paris: Presses Universitaire de France.
Boudon, R. (2000): Déclin de la Morale? Déclin des valeurs? Québec: Ed. Nota Benel Cefan.
Bradburn, N. M. (1969): The Structure of Psychological Well-Being, Chicago: Aldine.
Braverman, H. (1974): Labour and Monopoly Capital, New York/London: Monthly Review Press.
Bréchon, P. (2002): Les grandes enquetes internationales. (Eurobarometres, Valeurs, ISSP): Apports et limites, L’Année Sociologique 52, 105–30.
Campbell, A. (1981): The Sense of Well-Being in the America, New York: McGraw Hill.
Campbell, C. (1998): The Myth of Social Action, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990): Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, New York: Harper & Row.
Deci, E. L. & R. M. Ryan (1985): Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior, New York: Plenum Press.
Deeg, D. & R. van Zonneveld (1989): Does Happiness Lengthen Life? R. Veenhoven (ed.): How Harmful is Happiness? Consequences of Enjoying Life or not, Rotterdam/The Hague: Universitaire Pres Rotterdam, 29–43.
Diener, E. (2000): Subjective Well-Being. The Science of Happiness and a Proposal for a National Index. American Psychologist 55, 34–43.
Diener, E., M. Diener & C. Diener (1995): Factors Predicting the Subjective Well-being of Nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 5, 851–64.
Diener, E. & E. Suh (1997): Measuring Quality of Life: Economic, Social, and Subjective Indicators. Social Indicators Research 40, 189–216.
Doi, T. (1973): The Anatomy of Dependence, Tokyo: Kodansha International.
Durkheim, E. (1960): Le Suicide, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France (1st ed. 1897).
Doyle, K. O. & S. Youn (2000): Exploring the Traits of Happy People. Social Indicators Research 52, 195–209.
Eckersley, R. (2000): The State and Fate of Nations: Implications of Subjective Measures of Personal and Social Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research 52, 3–27.
Etzioni, A. (1995): The Spirit of Community. Rights, Responsibilities and the Communitarian Agenda, Hammersmith/London: Fontana Press.
Frey, B. S. & A. Stutzer (2002): Happiness and Economics. How the Economy and Institutions Affect Well-Being, Princeton/Oxford: Princeton University Press.
Fromm, E. (1956): The Art of Loving, New York: Harper.
Fuentes, N. & M. Rojas (2001): Economic Theory and Subjective Well-Being: Mexico. Social Indicators Research 53, 289–314.
Glatzer, W. & W. Zapf (1984a): Lebensqualität in der Bundesrepublik. Objektive Lebensbedingungen und subjektives Wohlbefinden, Frankfurt/New York: Campus.
Goldstein, H. (1995): Multilevel Statistical Models, London: Edward Arnold.
Greenspoon, P. J. & D. H. Saklofske (2001): Toward an Integration of Subjective Well-Being and Psychopathology. Social Indicators Research 54, 81–108.
Gurin, G., J. Veroff & S. Feld (1960): Americans View Their Mental Health, New York: Basic Books.
Haller, M. (1981): Gesundheitsstörungen als persönliche und soziale Erfahrung. Eine soziologische Studie über verheiratete Frauen im Beruf, München/Wien: Oldenbourg/ Verlag für Geschichte und Politik.
Haller, M. (2002): Theory and Method in the Comparative Study of Values. European Sociological Review 18, 139–58.
Haller, M. (2003): Soziologische Theorie im systematisch-kritischen Vergleich, Opladen: Leske & Budrich (2nd ed.).
Haller, M. & M. Hadler (2002): Wer hat von den politischen Reformen der 90er Jahre profitiert? Modernisierungsgewinner und -verlierer in Ost- und Westeuropa und den USA. Europäische Rundschau 30/1, 115–27.
Hayek, F. A. (1960): The Constitution of Liberty, London/Chicago: Routledge & Kegan Paul/University of Chicago Press.
Hayo, B. & W. Seifert (2003): Subjective Economic Well-being in Eastern Europe. Journal of Economic Psychology 24, 329–48.
Headey, B., E. Holmström & A. Wearing (1984): Well-being and Ill-being: Different Dimensions. Social Indicators Research 14, 115–39.
Hout, M., C. Brooks & J. Manza (1993): The Persistence of Classes in Post-industrial Society. International Sociology 8, 259–76.
Inglehart, R. et al. (2000): World Values Surveys and European Value Surveys, 1981–1984, 1990–1993, and 1995–1997, ICPSR — Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan (mimeo).
Inglehart, R. & J.-R. Rabier (1986): Aspirations Adapt to Situations — but Why are the Belgians so Much Happier than the French? A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Subjective Quality of Life. F. M. Andrews (ed.): Research on the Quality of Life, Michigan: The Survey Research Center/Institute for Social Research, 1–56.
Inkeles, A. (1989): National Character Revisited. M. Haller, H.J. Hoffmann-Nowonty & W. Zapf (eds.): Kultur und Gesellschaft, Frankfurt/New York: Campus, 98–112.
Jahoda, M., P. Lazarsfeld & H. Zeisel (1997): Die Arbeitslosen von Marienthal: Ein soziographischer Versuch über die Wirkungen langandauernder Arbeitslosigkeit, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.
Kahnemann, D. & E. Diener (eds.) (1999): Well-Being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology, New York: Russel Sage Foundation.
Lane, R. A. (2000): The Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies, New Haven/London: Yale University Press.
Lewada, J. (1992): Die Sowjetmenschen 1989–1991. Soziogramm eines Zerfalls, Berlin: Argon (Russ. ed. 1991).
Magen, Z. (1996): Commitment beyond Self and Adolescence: The Issue of Happiness. Social Indicators Research 37, 235–67.
Methfessel, K. & J. Winterberg (1998): Der Preis der Gleichheit. Wie Deutschland die Chancen der Globalisierung verspielt, Düsseldorf/München: Econ.
Michalos, A. C. (1991): Global Report on Student Well-Being. Life Satisfaction and Happiness, Vol. I, New York: Springer.
Miles, M. A. et al. (2004): Index of Economic Freedom, Washington: Heritage Foundation.
Myers, D. G. (1993): The Pursuit of Happiness: Who is Happy and Why? New York: Avon.
Myers, D. G. (2000): The Funds, Friends, and Faith of Happy People. American Psychologist 55, 56–67.
Noll, H.-H. & R. Habich (1990): Individuelle Wohlfahrt: Vertikale Ungleichheit oder horizontale Disparitäten? Soziale Welt, Sonderband 7: Lebenslagen, Lebensläufe, Lebensstile, ed. by P. A. Berger & S. Hradil, 153–88.
Nozick, R. (1989): The Examined Life. Philosophical Meditations, New York: Simon & Schuster.
Przeworski, A. & H. Teune (1970): The Logic of Comparative Inquiry, New York: Wiley.
Rabash, J. et al. (2000): A User’s Guide do MlWin, Version d.1d, Centre for Multilevel Modelling, Institute of Education, University of London.
Rawls, J. (1972): A Theory of Justice, London/Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.
Ryan, R. M. & E. L. Deci (2000): Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation. Social Development, and Well-Being. American Psychologist 55, 68–78.
Ryan, L. & S. Dziurawiec (2001): Materialism and its Relationship to Life Satisfaction. Social Indicators Research 55, 185–97.
Saris, W. E. (2001): The Relationship between Income and Satisfaction: The Effect of Measurement Error as Suppressor Variables. Social Indicators Research 53, 117–36.
Schoeck, H. (1960): Envy. A Theory of Social Behaviour, New York: Harcourt, Brace & World.
Schulz, W. et al. (1981): Glücksvorstellungen, Glückserfüllung, psychische Belastung und deren soziostrukturelle Variation, Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld, Fakultät fur Soziologie.
Schulz, W. et al. (1988): Subjektive Lebensqualität in Österreich. SWS-Rundschau 28, 162–73.
Schulz, W. (1995): Multiple-Discrepancies Theory Versus Resource Theory. Social Indicators Research 34, 153–69.
Schwartz, B. (2000): Self-Determination. The Tyranny of Freedom. American Psychologist 55, 79–88.
Schyns, P. (1998): Crossnational Differences in Happiness: Economic and Cultural Factors Explored. Social Indicators Research 43, 3–26.
Seligman, M.E.P. & M. Csikszentmihalyi (2000): Positive Psychology. American Psychologist 55, 5–14.
Sen, A. (1999): Development as Freedom, New York: Alfred Knopf
Sennett, R. & J. Cobb (1972): The Hidden Injuries of Class, New York: Vintage Books.
Sève, L. (1972): Marxisme et théorie de la personnalité, Paris: Editions Sociales.
Tocqueville, A. (1947): Democracy in America, New York: Oxford University Press.
Veenhoven, R. (ed.) (1989): How Harmful is Happiness? Consequences of Enjoying Life or not, Rotterdam/The Hague: Universitaire Pres Rotterdam.
Veenhoven, R. (1993): Happiness in Nations: Subjective Appreciation of Life in 56 Nations 1946–1992, Rotterdam: Erasmus University Press.
Veenhoven, R. (1994): Is Happiness a Trait? Tests of the Theory that a Better Society Does not Make People any Happier. Social Indicators Research 32, 101–60.
Veenhoven, R. (1999): Quality-of-Life in Individualistic Society. A Comparison of 43 Nations in the early 1990’s. Social Indicators Research 48, 157–86.
Verkley, H. & J. Stolk (1989): Does Happiness Lead into Idleness? Veenhoven, R. (ed.) (1989): How Harmful is Happiness? Consequences of Enjoying Life or not, Rotterdam/The Hague: Universitaire Pres Rotterdam, 79–93.
Vittersø, J., E. Roysamb & E. Diener (2002): The Concept of Life Satisfaction across Cultures: Exploring its Diverse Meaning and Relation to Economic Wealth. R. Cummins & E. Gallone (eds.), The Universality of Subjective Wellbeing Indicators, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 81–103.
Vittersø, J. & F. Nielsen (2002): The Conceptual and Relational Structure of Subjective Well-being, Neuroticism, and Extraversion: Once again, Neuroticism is the Important Predictor of Happiness. Social Indicators Research 57, 89–118.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Haller, M., Hadler, M. (2004). Happiness as an Expression of Freedom and Self-Determination. In: Glatzer, W., Von Below, S., Stoffregen, M. (eds) Challenges for Quality of Life in the Contemporary World. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2903-5_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2903-5_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6741-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-2903-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive