With religious extremism being a destructive force in many parts of the world, the mission to understand and mitigate it is always actual. The current thesis tries to contribute to the knowledge of this phenomenon by investigating it through a very particular lens – its relation to subjective happiness. This is done through finding the answer to the research question “Does subjective (un)happiness predict religious extremism?”, using various quantitative gamma and chi-squared tests of association, as well as data from the World Values Survey, wave 7. Although it is hypothesised, based on previous research, that subjective happiness should have either a positive or negative relation with holding religiously extreme views, none of this is proven correct. Instead, a conclusion entirely new to the field of psycho-emotional well-being and political views emerges, namely that religious extremists tend to evaluate their happiness and sense of well-being just as extremely as they do societal and religious matters. This not only disproves the conclusions drawn by certain previous studies, it also provides a whole new perspective as to how to understand the inner worlds of individuals drawn to the ideas of religious extremism, something crucial for successful mitigation of this harmful phenomenon.

Objective: Chronic medical problems might amplify suicide risk in later life. Feelings of happiness may reduce this risk. We tested the hypothesis that happiness attenuates the association between number of self-reported chronic diseases and suicidal distress. Methods: A sample of 1,801 depressed, primary care patients, 60 years of age or older, entering a clinical trial, were assessed for the presence of positive emotion, suicidal distress and self-reported chronic medical problems. Results: Chronic medical problems are associated with suicide ideation and, as hypothesized, happiness attenuates the relationship between self-reported diseases and suicidal distress. Conclusions: Decreased risk for distressing thoughts of suicide in the context of medical illness is predicted by the presence of positive emotions. Our results suggest that treatments designed to help older primary care patients identify sources of joy and enhance happiness might decrease suicide risk.

This study was designed to investigate undergraduate university students' appraisals of their parents' marital happiness, and how those views affect respondents' current attitudes toward marriage. The sample included 1,437 undergraduate students between the years 1970 and 1999. The dependent variable was perceived marital happiness in the family of origin. The independent variables were perceived communication quality, perceived level of egalitarianism, level of education, and perceived religious activity of the respondents ' parents as reported by the respondents. Respondents' desire to have a communication situation in their own marriage similar to that of the parents' marriage, and desire to have a power situation in their own marriage similar to that of the parents' marriage was also assessed. The results indicate that respondents saw perceived communication quality as the strongest correlate of perceived marital happiness, and high perceived levels of parental marital happiness were associated with students ' desires to have both a power situation and a communication situation in their own marriage similar to that of their parents' marriage. Perceived communication quality yielded a strong correlation with perceived marital happiness Other correlates of perceived marital happiness included perceived level of egalitarianism and perceived religiosity. Parents' level of education correlated negatively with perceived marital happiness. Correlations among predictor variables fail to support the theoretical base used in this study, indicating that couples within the past 30 years do value the socially prescribed processes of communication quality and egalitarianism when evaluating marital happiness.

To understand the impact of daily travel on personal and societal well-being, researchers are developing measurement techniques that go beyond satisfaction-based measures of travel. Metrics related Subjective Well-Being (SWB), defined as an evaluation of one's happiness or life satisfaction, are increasingly important for evaluating transportation and land-use policies. This dissertation examines commute well-being, a multi-item measure of how one feels about the commute to work, and how it is shaped. Data are from a web-based survey of workers (n=828) in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., with three roughly equally sized groups based on mode: bike, transit and car users. Descriptive analysis shows that commute well-being varies widely across the sample. Those who bike and walk to work have significantly higher commute well-being than transit and car commuters. A multiple linear regression model shows that along with travel mode, traffic congestion, travel time, income, health, attitudes about travel, job satisfaction and residential satisfaction also play important individual roles in shaping commute well-being. A structural equation model reveals a significant correlation between commute well-being and overall happiness, controlling for other key happiness indicators. This research helps expand existing theory by demonstrating (1) how commute well-being can be measured and modeled; (2) how accessibility, distance and travel time impact commute well-being; (3) how individual mode choices interact with attitudes to impact commute satisfaction and (4) commuting's relationship to overall well being.

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Studiens syfte var att undersöka samband mellan personlighetsdrag och lycka. Studien ämnade även undersöka om det finns skillnad mellan kvinnors och mäns lycka och om det finns skillnad i lycka beroende på utbildningsnivå. I studien har ordet lycka ersatts med subjektivt välbefinnande som definieras som individens egen uppfattning om det egna välbefinnandet. En enkät utformades utifrån de validerade och välanvända självskattningsskalorna Mini-IPIP Scales, som mäter personlighet utifrån femfaktorteorin, och WHO-5 för att mäta subjektivt välbefinnande. Studien omfattar 200 deltagare mellan 18 och 87 år, av vilka var 163 kvinnor, 35 män och två som identifierar sig som annat. Ingen signifikant skillnad hittades gällande könsidentifikation eller utbildningsnivå i relation till subjektivt välbefinnande. Däremot visade resultaten att det fanns samband med vissa personlighetsdrag och subjektivt välbefinnande. Extraversion visade på ett måttligt positivt samband och samvetsgrannhet ett litet positivt samband. Neuroticism hade ett starkt negativt samband med subjektivt välbefinnande. Därav kan slutsatsen dras att det finns ett samband mellan vissa personligheter och SVB. Extroverta och samvetsgranna personligheter skattar sig lyckligare medan personligheter med hög neuroticism skattar sig mindre lyckliga. / The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personality traits and happiness. The study also intended to investigate whether there is a difference between women's and men's happiness and whether there is a difference in happiness depending on the level of education. In the present study, the word happiness has been replaced by subjective well-being, which is defined as the individual's own perception of their own well-being. A questionnaire was designed based on the validated and well-used self-report scales Mini-IPIP Scales, which measures personality based on The Five Factor Theory, and WHO-5 to measure subjective well-being. The study included 200 participants between 18 and 87 years old, of whom 163 were women, 35 men and two who identify as other. No significant difference was found regarding gender identification or educational level in relation to subjective well-being. However, the results showed that there were associations with certain personality traits and subjective well-being. Extraversion showed a moderate positive relationship and conscientiousness a small positive relationship. Neuroticism had a strong negative relationship with subjective well-being. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between certain personalities and SWB. Extroverted and conscientious personalities rate themselves as happier, while personalities with high neuroticism rate themselves as less happy.

This research aims to explore the social satisfaction and happiness in the life of people who immigrated to Sweden from developing countries. The study will also analyse the reasons for migration among international immigrants who have moved to Sweden and what challenges they faced after moving to Sweden.  I will draw upon the concepts of sustainable development, social sustainability, perception, survival, hope, ambition, and well-being to investigate the reasons for immigration and the positive and negative impact of migration on immigrants’ lives (pre and post-migration) and their overall well-being.  Moreover, this research will study the host country's role in shaping migrants' well-being and the effects on the social sustainability of immigrant communities. By conducting qualitative interviews, I aim to gain insights into immigrants’ lives, their pre and post-immigration experiences, reasons for migration, challenges faced, and adaptation to the changes they experience.  The findings of this research will ultimately enhance our understanding of well-being, social sustainability, and their implications on international migrants.

The purpose of this study was to bring more clarification to the concepts of spirituality and happiness, their meaning, attainability, and position in the field of Multicultural Education. In general, people think they will find joy and happiness if they graduate from a post-secondary educational institution with an undergraduate or graduate degree, find a good work environment, position, salary, living standards, status, etc. Yet, in the real world there may be a different way to find genuine happiness and joy which is fair, simple, easy and equal for all human beings even those who cannot afford higher levels of education. In order to present the data, the study discussed the life, philosophy and teachings of Imam Sheikh Iskender Ali Mihr, president of Mihr Foundation in Turkey, International Mihr Foundation in the United States and University of Allah in Virginia, and utterly an Ottoman. The review of literature was also included to assist the readers to grasp the different perspectives of the subject matter. Education should be inclusive and equal for all and so should joy and happiness! In today’s world where diversity is the key factor for almost every community, it is important for educators (teachers/instructors/administrators) to know what shapes students’ lives. This study encompassed the idea that only educating our students’ minds and bodies is not enough, and without spirituality the education is not complete. As Pamela Leigh (1997) stated, “..acknowledging that people come to work with more than their bodies and minds, they bring individual talents and unique spirits” (p. 26). Students also come with their unique spirits and we should take them as a whole and value them with all the qualities they possess. Nurturing their spirit should be part of our school system. No matter if they believe in God or not, educators should be ready to address the aspect of spirituality and religion. The research was to bring a greater understanding to questions such as how we can better accommodate students’ different spiritual beliefs, what the pros and cons are of bringing them together or keeping them separate. In order to answer these questions in a fashionable manner, we need to know “how much the spiritual beliefs of these students shape their cultures and their lives.” In a greater context, the questions like; what we really know about ‘true’ Islam as one of the fastest growing beliefs in the U.S., is it any different than other beliefs or is it the same, is there a way to eradicate the Islam-phobia that occurred after the 9/11 attack, what was the Ottoman Islamic model, were also answered. As educators, how do we cope with students who hear voices and start shooting around in a schoolyard, or students who binge drink or get suicidal? Even more importantly, how do we help the remaining population live a healthy and happy life without thinking of ending their own or others’ lives, as these examples turn out to be a daily life for us all! The remainder of this study looked at the “neutrality” of the school systems in the United States. Should educators stay neutral or not will be each individual’s decision to make.

Целью данной работы является многоаспектное изучение функционирования концепта счастье в сознании носителей языка. Объектом исследования является смысловое поле концепта счастье в русском языке, а предметом работы – исследование структуры значения концепта счастье с точки зрения различных подходов (когнитивного, психолингвистического, метафорического). / The aim of this work is a multifaceted study of the functioning of the concept happiness in the minds of native speakers. The object of the study is the semantic field of the concept happiness in Russian language, the subject is the research of the structure of the concept’s meaning in terms of different approaches (cognitive, psycholinguistic, metaphoric).

So far, numerous studies have been devoted to investigate the relationship between happiness and income by asking the question whether economic growth has a positive impact on happiness. However, the reversed relationship from happiness to economic output has received much less attention in the literature. This paper attempts to investigate such relationship by using data from the European Value Survey that contains subjective reported well-being (happiness, or life satisfaction) values across 47 European countries from 1981 to 2009. Gender imbalance is used as an instrument for happiness in order to disentangle the causal effect of happiness on income. Based on a derived Solow model, where labor efficiency is assumed to be positively affected by worker happiness, regression analyses suggest that the sense of happiness does have a positive and highly significant impact on GDP per worker. Robustness tests further show that the result also holds for life satisfaction. According to the results, the author recommends governments to use well-being oriented index, along with GDP to measure the overall economy.