Evaluation

• M+P

  1. Self-report
  2. Correlations
  3. The samples
  4. Alternative evidence
• Self report

  • The data collected about SWB is subjective
  • Respondents may provide socially desirable answers to appear in a good light
  • Social desirability scores correlate with happiness socres
  • Another possibility is people only think they are happy because they are repressing true feelings
• Correlations

  • Many of the findings are correlational meaning we cannot assume that a particular factor is a cause of happiness (intervening variables)
• Samples

  • Lots of the data is based on Western samples as the researchers are American + conducted much of their research in the USA
  • The roots of happiness may be different in other cultures when comparing individualist + collectivist cultures
• Alternative evidence

  • An emergent idea in this study is that happiness stays at a fairly steady level through life, with occasional high or low
  • Some believe it could be partly due to genetics. One gene has been linked to happiness, the 5-HTT gene, which controls levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin