Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction

The quality of people's relationships with and interactions with other people are major influences on their feelings of well-being and their evaluations of life satisfaction. The goal of this volume is to offer scholarly summaries of theory and research on topics at the frontier of the study of these social psychological influences-both interpersonal and intrapersonal-on subjective well-being and life satisfaction. The chapters cover a variety of types of relationships (e.g., romantic relationships, friendships, online relationships) as well as a variety of types of interactions with others (e.g., forgiveness, gratitude, helping behavior, self-presentation). Also included are chapters on broader social issues such as materialism, sexual identity and orientation, aging, spirituality, and meaning in life. Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction provides a rich and focused resource for graduate students, upper-level undergraduate students, and researchers in positive psychology and social psychology, as well as social neuroscientists, mental health researchers, clinical and counselling psychologists, and anyone interested in the science of well-being.

James E. Maddux is University Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology and Senior Scholar at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science.

Part I: Foundational Issues 1. Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction: An Introduction to Conceptions, Theories, and Measures James E. Maddux 2. Social Neuroscience of Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction Alex W. daSilva and Todd F. Heatherton 3. Cultural Differences in Subjective Well-Being: How and Why William Tov and Ze Ling Serene Nai Part II: Interpersonal Influences 4. Intimate Relations, Subjective Well-Being, and Health Behavior: Insights from a Dyadic Perspective Chloe O. Huelsnitz, Alexander J. Rothman, and Jeffry A. Simpson 5. The Role of Friendships in Well-Being Beverley Fehr and Cheryl Harasymchuk 6. Leave Well Enough Alone? The Costs and Benefits of Solitude Robert J. Coplan, John M. Zelenski, and Julie C. Bowker 7. Forgiveness Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Brandon J. Griffin, and Caitlin Provencher 8. Humility Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Don E. Davis, Joshua N. Hook, and Caitlin Provencher 9. Helping and Well-Being: A Motivational Perspective David A. Lishner and Eric L. Stocks 10. Gratitude Philip C. Watkins and Daniel Schriebe 11. Social Comparison Processes Pieternel Dijkstra and Abraham P. Buunk 12. Social Media Use and Well-Being Jung-Hyun Kim 13. The Social Psychology of Employee Well-Being: A Needs-Based Perspective Nathan A. Bowling Part III: Intrapersonal and Self-Related Influences 14. Meaning in Life in Context Samantha J. Heintzelman 15. The Impact of a Materialistic Value Orientation on Well-Being Helga Dittmar and Megan Hurst 16. Religiosity, Spirituality, and Well-Being Joshua A. Wilt, Nick Stauner, and Julie J. Exline 17. Self-Presentation and Subjective Well-Being James M. Tyler, Katherine E. Adams, and Peter Kearns 18. Self-Awareness, Hypo-Egoicism, and Psychological Well-Being Mark R. Leary 19. Sexual Orientation and Well-Being Adam W. Fingerhut 20. Motives, Goals, and Well-Being Throughout the Lifespan Jutta Heckhausen and Joseph S. Kay Part IV: Strategies for Enhancing Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction 21. Positive Activity Interventions to Enhance Well-Being: Looking Through a Social Psychological Lens Julia Revord, Lisa C. Walsh, and Sonja Lyubomirsky