<p>This master thesis in economics discusses the time use of today as well as the observed trends in time use over the last 20 years in Sweden. This is done by analysing time-use and consumption data at the microeconomic level, i.e. by explaining individual behaviour given the economic assumption of a rational behaviour. We reach the conclusion that the value of time is an important explanatory variable concerning the rationality in that time is used differently by different individuals and in the changed use of time. Furthermore, other variables such as social norms and the process benefit of a certain activity, i.e. the satisfaction obtained from performing this activity, are also crucial determinants. In addition we discuss whether an increased value of time results in an increased level of stress, and we reach the conclusion that stress above all is attached to certain socioeconomic groups. However, we are of the opinion that the increased value of time can explain a perceived general increase in the speed of time. Finally, the thesis ends with a discussion in which time is linked to happiness and welfare, and we pose the question whether the indiviual uses his/her time in such a way that happiness is maximised. We conclude that it is difficult to use one’s time in this way, since it is impossible to know one’s total supply of time.</p>

<p>Neuroticism and partner relationship quality are associated with happines. A Swedish longitudinal project was utilized to examine whether these two aspects together determine happiness. Adolescent neuroticism was measured at age 15 witht he High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ). Measurements of neurotic manifestations were adminstered at ages 15-18. Adult neuroticism was measured at age 37 using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-I). Measures of partner relationship quality and happiness were also administered. An adolescent neurotic dimension and partner relationship quality were related to happiness. Overall, neuroticism appears to be a better predictor of happiness with both direct and indirect effects through the influence on partner relationship quality.</p> / <p>Neuroticism och partnerrelationens kvalitet är två aspekter relaterade till människans livsglädje. Data från ett svenskt longitudinalprojekt användes för att undersöka om dessa tillsammans verkar avgörande för livsglädjen. Ungdomsneuroticism mättes vid 15 års ålder genom High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ). Neurotiska manifestationer mättes också mellan 15 och 18 års ålder. Den vuxnes neuroticism mättes sedan vid 37 års ålder med Eysencks Personality Questionnaire (EQP-I). Partnerrelationens kvalitet och livsglädje användes som utfallsmått. En neurotisk dimension från adolescensen och partnerrelationens kvalitet i vuxen ålder var relaterad till livsglädjen. Totalt sett tycks ungdomsneuroticism vara en av de tydligaste förutsägelserna för livsglädjen; dels genom direkt påverkan och dels genom indirekt påverkan via partnerreltionens kvalitet.</p>

Bei N = 101 Arbeitnehmern verschiedener Berufe wurden mit der Experience Sampling Method (ESM) eine Woche lang Daten zum Flow-Erleben, zu Glück/Zufriedenheit und zur Zielausrichtung laufender Aktivitäten erhoben (N = 4603 Messungen). Die Daten wurden mit GLMM-Analysen ausgewertet. Auch bei der jetzt vollständigen Erfassung aller Flow-Komponenten mit der FKS bestätigte sich das „Paradoxon der Arbeit“, wonach während der Arbeit höhere Flow-Werte, aber niedrigere Werte für Glück/Zufriedenheit auftreten als jeweils in der Freizeit. Während der Arbeit waren Aktivitäten häufiger auf die Erreichung von Zielen ausgerichtet als während der Freizeit. Die Zielausrichtung wirkte auf Flow vs. Glück/Zufriedenheit signifikant verschieden. Während der Arbeit hat die Zielausrichtung auf Flow einen stark positiven Effekt, auf Glück/Zufriedenheit jedoch nicht. Im Freizeitbereich war der Effekt von Zielausrichtung auf Glück/Zufriedenheit sogar negativ. Das „Paradoxon der Arbeit“ lässt sich partiell als Effekt der Zielausrichtung verstehen. / For a week, data of N =101 employees with different professions was collected with the Experience Sampling Method (N = 4603 measurements). These data included flow-experience, happiness/satisfaction and goal adjustment of current activities. The data were analysed with GLMM. Flow-experience was measured with all components (FKS) and they confirmed the "paradox of work" (i.e., flow-scores are higher during work but scores for happiness/satisfaction are higher during spare time). During work, participants activities were more often directed towards reaching a goal. The effects of goal adjustment on flow vs. happiness/satisfaction differed significantly. During work goal adjustment had a strong positive effect on flow, but not on happiness/satisfaction. During leisure time goal adjustment had even a negative effect on happiness/satisfaction but a positive on flow. The "paradox of work" could be partially attributed to the stronger goal adjustment during work.

This master thesis in economics discusses the time use of today as well as the observed trends in time use over the last 20 years in Sweden. This is done by analysing time-use and consumption data at the microeconomic level, i.e. by explaining individual behaviour given the economic assumption of a rational behaviour. We reach the conclusion that the value of time is an important explanatory variable concerning the rationality in that time is used differently by different individuals and in the changed use of time. Furthermore, other variables such as social norms and the process benefit of a certain activity, i.e. the satisfaction obtained from performing this activity, are also crucial determinants. In addition we discuss whether an increased value of time results in an increased level of stress, and we reach the conclusion that stress above all is attached to certain socioeconomic groups. However, we are of the opinion that the increased value of time can explain a perceived general increase in the speed of time. Finally, the thesis ends with a discussion in which time is linked to happiness and welfare, and we pose the question whether the indiviual uses his/her time in such a way that happiness is maximised. We conclude that it is difficult to use one’s time in this way, since it is impossible to know one’s total supply of time.

Tidigare forskning har funnit samband mellan självkänsla och olika hälsotillstånd. Forskning har även påvisat att personer med låg självkänsla förklarar misslyckanden med hjälp av inre faktorer till skillnad från personer med hög självkänsla. Detta kan påverka graden av välbefinnande. Syfet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka hur bassjälvkänsla, kompetensbaserad självkänsla samt attributionsstil predicerar subjektivt välbefinnande. En kvantitativ enkätstudie genomfördes på 132 gymnasieungdomar. Resultatet visade att bassjälvkänsla och kompetensbaserad självkänsla korrelerade, positivt respektive negativt med subjektivt välbefinnande. Vidare visade resultatet att bassjälvkänsla var starkast prediktor för subjektivt välbefinnande men även kompetensbaserad självkänsla var av signifikans. Det fanns inget signifikant samband mellan vilken attributionsstil deltagarna uppvisade samt uppmätt subjektivt välbefinnande. Den föreliggande studien påvisade vikten av en god bassjälvkänsla.

Neuroticism and partner relationship quality are associated with happines. A Swedish longitudinal project was utilized to examine whether these two aspects together determine happiness. Adolescent neuroticism was measured at age 15 witht he High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ). Measurements of neurotic manifestations were adminstered at ages 15-18. Adult neuroticism was measured at age 37 using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-I). Measures of partner relationship quality and happiness were also administered. An adolescent neurotic dimension and partner relationship quality were related to happiness. Overall, neuroticism appears to be a better predictor of happiness with both direct and indirect effects through the influence on partner relationship quality. / Neuroticism och partnerrelationens kvalitet är två aspekter relaterade till människans livsglädje. Data från ett svenskt longitudinalprojekt användes för att undersöka om dessa tillsammans verkar avgörande för livsglädjen. Ungdomsneuroticism mättes vid 15 års ålder genom High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ). Neurotiska manifestationer mättes också mellan 15 och 18 års ålder. Den vuxnes neuroticism mättes sedan vid 37 års ålder med Eysencks Personality Questionnaire (EQP-I). Partnerrelationens kvalitet och livsglädje användes som utfallsmått. En neurotisk dimension från adolescensen och partnerrelationens kvalitet i vuxen ålder var relaterad till livsglädjen. Totalt sett tycks ungdomsneuroticism vara en av de tydligaste förutsägelserna för livsglädjen; dels genom direkt påverkan och dels genom indirekt påverkan via partnerreltionens kvalitet.

Happiness research is advancing as an academic discipline as well as on the political agenda. An aspect, largely ignored in the field, is what impact an individual’s construction of the good life has on his or her subjective well-being. The purpose of this paper was to investigate how people in different situations in life and with different backgrounds construct the idea of a good life and the importance these constructions may have in explaining subjective well-being. Despite the differences between themselves, the respondents’ constructions of the good life were shown to have a lot in common. Some factors in the good life were shared by the respondents, such as relations to other people, access to food, water and housing, whereas in other aspects, such as money and time, the constructions of the good life differed quite a lot from one another. When evaluating their own lives the respondents used quite different criteria mostly corresponding to their idea of the good life. If this is a general pattern, possible to replicate in other studies, one may in the future be able to draw the conclusion that the construction of the good life has an effect on our subjective well-being.

Men and women in advertising - a study of the ads in the magazines Café and Elle is an essay in media and communication studies covering 15hp. The author examines what is considered masculinity and femininity in a variety of advertisements, and which products are linked to masculinity and femininity. Besides this, the author also examines the production of happiness, and how this may differ between men and women. Although stereotypes, myths and metaphors are examined. The essay is examined on the basis of gender theory, and theories about stereotypes and myths. This is examined by using both a less extensive quantitative approach and a more detailed qualitative method. Semiotics is the qualitative method used, which include denotation and connotation that is used as some of the tools. The result of the study shows that masculinity and femininity is something that is separate from each other. Different stereotypes, myths and metaphors could also be found in the material. One of the conclusions is that while masculinity seems to be something that is associated with doing something, femininity seems to be something that is associated with being something. Also happiness is something that differs between men and women.

Ought we to enhance our cognitive capacities beyond the normal human range? There is no denying that it might be a good idea to level out differences between people with respect to cognitive capacities, and there is no denying that some persons' reaching beyond normal capacities may have some good side-effects on society at large (but also bad side-effects, of course). But is there any direct gain to be made by having ones cognitive capacities enhanced? Will this as such make our lives go better? No, I argue, or, at least, there doesn't seem to exist any evidence suggesting that it would. And it doesn't matter whether we consider the question from a narrow hedonistic perspective, from a more refined hedonistic perspective, from a desire-satisfaction view, or if we adopt some reasonable objective list view of what makes a life go well. Only on an extremely perfectionist — and implausible —view of what makes our lives go well could any direct value in cognitive enhancement find support. Finally, there are no good reasons to do with our sense of identity to enhance even our capacity to remember. So, cognitive enhancement as such would not make our lives go any better. / <p>Author count: 1</p>

Uppsatsens syfte har varit att undersöka om det i ett urval av storsäljande självhjälpslitteratur med fokus på självutveckling förmedlas narcissistiska budskap. Studien grundar sig i tidigare forskning som behandlat narcissism utifrån både ett psykologiskt-, och ett samhällsperspektiv. Därutöver har forskning om självhjälpslitteratur utgjort en del av referensramen för studien. Kvalitativ innehållsanalys har applicerats på materialet. Det empiriska urvalet har bestått av tre svenska självhjälpsböcker som figurerat på topplistor för större återförsäljare av litteratur på internet. Materialet har analyserats ur ett samhällsperspektiv med hjälp av Eric Fromms teorier om frihet, individuationsprocessen, själviskhet och ideal samt delar av Erving Goffmans dramaturgiska perspektiv. Resultatet visade att självhjälpslitteraturen som studerats förmedlar budskap som var och ett för sig kan uppfattas som sunda och rimliga. Läsaren uppmanades sätta sig själv främst, vara målmedveten, lära sig att hantera relationen till sig själv och andra samt hantera sina svagheter. Texterna förmedlade att självrespekt och empati var förutsättningar för lycka. Sammanfattningsvis har vissa budskap återfunnits som i samspel med varandra kan ses som narcissistiska. Studiens slutsats var att litteraturen förmedlade narcissistiska budskap, där gränsen mellan det sunda och osunda i hur läsaren uppmanades sätta sig själv i fokus, använda relationer, sätta egna mål samt sträva efter lycka och framgång, inte var självklar. / The purpose of this study was to investigate if a selection of best-selling self-help literature focusing on self-development contained narcissistic messages. The study is based on previous studies which analyzed narcissism from a psychological as well as a sociologic perspective. Research concerning self-help literature has also been used in the study. Content analysis has been applied to the material. The empiric selection consisted of three popular Swedish self-help books. The material has been analyzed from a sociologic perspective by using Eric Fromm’s theories on freedom, the individuation process, selfishness and ideals as well as Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical perspective. The result showed that the chosen self-help literature contained messages that on their own could be interpreted as rational and sound. The reader was encouraged to focus on itself, be goal-oriented and learn how to manage the own self and its weaknesses. The texts conveyed that self-respect and empathy were necessary conditions for achieving happiness. In summary, some messages that in interplay encouraged narcissism were found. In the end it was concluded that the literature conveyed narcissistic messages, where the line between healthy and unhealthy in how the readers were encouraged to put themselves first, use relations, set their own goals as well as pursuing happiness and success, wasn’t obvious.