The evolving concept of subjective well-being: the multifaceted nature of happiness

Well-being is one of the central topics in psychology, and research on this topic has shifted from emotional experiences to flourishing life in recent years. Seligman's PERMA model is a prominent theory in this shift. However, this model is proposed in Western culture and has yet to be empirically validated in the Chinese context. The present research aims to examine the applicability of the five-dimension PERMA-Profiler in Chinese culture, which has been developed based on the PERMA model. A sample of 1468 Chinese adults participated in the research. After translation and validation, a series of psychometric analyses were conducted to examine the internal consistency reliability, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and factorial invariance across genders. The PERMA-Profiler Chinese showed high Cronbach's alpha coefficients (α = 0.79–0.88), good divergent (r = −0.19 to −0.38) and convergent validity (r = 0.53–0.85), as well as satisfactory structural validity. Results of the structural validity demonstrated a better fit to the first-order model with five correlated factors after modification (χ²/df = 4.65, RMSEA = 0.058, SRMR = 0.030, CFI = 0.943, TLI = 0.924) than the second-order model with a higher-order factor of well-being. However, the engagement dimension of the PERMA-Profiler Chinese could be improved further. In conclusion, the PERMA model is applicable to the Chinese culture, and the PERMA-Profiler provides a valid measure of well-being for Chinese adults.

The present study investigated the potential links between Internet Use Disorder tendencies, well-being and the impact of COVID-19 on Internet usage patterns.

A sample of 2498 participants filled out the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; the cognitive facet of well-being) and the Sofalizing Scale which comprises the Online Displacement and Social Compensation dimensions. Participants were also asked to report the extent to which changes in Internet use occurred due to COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., reductions, no changes, increases). The present study comprised a survey study with cross-sectional character.

The statistical analyses demonstrated that the aforementioned variables were robustly associated with each other. In a first mediation model, the association between higher levels of Internet Use Disorder and reduced well-being was partially mediated by the two dimensions of the Sofalizing scale called Online Displacement and Social Compensation. The results of the second mediation model showed that the relationship between changes in Internet use due to COVID-19 pandemic and well-being was fully mediated by CIUS scores, suggesting that increased Internet use due to the COVID-19 pandemic increased levels of Internet Use Disorder tendencies, which in turn decreased levels of well-being.

The findings are discussed in the context of human social needs in a time of crisis, where meeting people in-person was restricted.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is built into many products and has the potential to dramatically impact societies around the world.

This short theoretical paper aims to provide a simple framework that might help us understand how the introduction and/or use of products with AI might influence the well-being of humans.

It is proposed that considering the dynamic Interplay between variables stemming from Modality, Person, Area, Culture and Transparency categories will help to understand the influence of AI on well-being. The Modality category encompasses areas such as the degree of AI being interactive, informational versus actualizing, or autonomous. The Person variable contains variables such as age, gender, personality, technological self-efficacy, and perceived competence when interacting with AI, whereas the Area variable can comprise a certain product where AI is in-built or a certain domain where AI is used to make a difference (such as the health sector, military sector, education sector, etc.). The Culture variable is of importance to understand because cultural settings might shape attitudes towards AI. Finally, this might also be true for transparent AI (or understandable/explainable AI), with high degrees of transparency likely to elicit trust.

The proposed model suggests that there is no easy answer when one seeks to understand the impact of AI on the world and humans. Only by considering a myriad number of variables in a model, summed up in the acronym IMPACT (Interaction/Interplay of Modality-Person-Area-Culture-Transparency), we might get closer to an understanding of how AI impacts individuals’ well-being.

Research into perceived wellbeing (WB) can improve understanding of consumer food choices and support development of strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable eating habits. In this research, using online studies, food-related WB was explored among New Zealand consumers. In a “quasi-replication” of Jaeger, Vidal, Chheang, and Ares (2022), Study 1 uncovered word associations to different WB-related terms (‘Sense of wellbeing,’ ‘Lack of wellbeing,’ ‘Feeling good,’ ‘Feeling bad/unhappy,’ ‘Satisfied with life,’ and ‘Dissatisfied with life’) with 912 participants in a between-subjects design. The results confirmed the multidimensional nature of WB, and the need to consider positive and negative aspects of food-related WB, as well as differences linked to physical, emotional, and spiritual WB. Drawing on Study 1, 13 characteristics of food-related WB were identified, and in Study 2 their importance for feeling a ‘Sense of wellbeing’ and ‘Satisfied with life’ was determined with 1206 participants using a between-subjects design. In a further extension, Study 2 also adopted a product-specific perspective and explored the associations of, and importance, for 16 different foods and beverages to food-related WB. Based on Best-Worst Scaling and penalty/lift analysis, the four most important characteristics overall were ‘Is good quality,’ ‘Is healthy,’ ‘Is fresh,’ and ‘Is tasty,’ with the nuance that healthiness contributed most to feeling a ‘Sense of wellbeing’ while good quality contributed most to feeling ‘Satisfied with life.’ The associations to individual foods and beverages underscored that food-related WB is a complex construct arising from an overall evaluation of the different effects of foods (including physical health, social and spiritual aspects of food consumption) and their short-term effects on food-related behaviour. Contextual and individual differences in perceptions of WB in relation to food deserve further investigation.

Smart City conception has become a global trend with the advancement of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). Many cities have proposed Smart City development strategies to capture the opportunities brought by ICTs. However, little attention has been given to investigate whether and how Smart City acts upon human happiness. To fill this gap, this study introduces a Happiness Driven Smart City (HDSC) mechanism to better guide the development of Smart City towards a more human-centered direction. HDSC mechanism includes a three-layer interrelated structure and is underpinned by a set of Strategic Measures. The assessment criteria have also been established for applying HDSC mechanism to investigate the performance of Smart City initiatives. The HDSC mechanism established in this study is a first attempt to assess the performance of Smart City development from the lens of human happiness. By applying HDSC mechanism in investigating Manchester's Smart City initiatives, the mechanism is proven effective to help decision makers understand the status quo of Smart City development in their urban context, based upon which the strength and weakness in the process of HDSC development can be drawn out. Consequently, Smart City blueprint can be better achieved towards a happiness-driven direction via dynamic assessment and adjustment.