This dissertation combines three contributions to the literature on the determinants of well-being and the social nature of preferences. Departures from self-centred, consumption-oriented decision making are increasingly common in economic theory and are empirically well motivated by a wide range of behavioural data from experiments, surveys, and econometric inference. The first two contributions are focused on the idea that reference levels set by others’ consumption may figure prominently in both experienced well-being and in decision making. In the first paper, the well-being question is addressed empirically through the use of self-reported life satisfaction and high-resolution census and survey data in Canada. Strong income externalities are found at multiple spatial scales after controlling for various confounding factors. The second paper explores the general equilibrium consequences of a utility function having an explicit comparison with neighbours’ consumption. The question is investigated in a model in which decision makers knowingly choose their neighbours — and hence their consumption reference level — as well as their own consumption expenditure, thereby helping to set the reference level for nearby others. For both discrete and continuous distributions of types in an economy with a heterogeneous population undergoing such endogenous formation of consumption reference groups, there exist general equilibria in which differentiation of neighbourhoods occurs endogenously. The novel welfare implications of growth in such economies are described. The final paper addresses econometric reservations about the use of subjective reports as dependent variables. The date and location of survey interviews are combined with weather and climate records to construct the random component of weather conditions experienced by respondents on the day of their interview. Standard inferences about the determinants of life satisfaction remain robust after taking into account this significant source of affective bias.

The relationship between positive emotions and school satisfaction was studied in 19 adolescents aged 13,57 to 15,17 years (M=14,45, SD=0,446), of these 50% were female. The subjects were all Caucasian native Swedish speakers. Schools satisfaction, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect and gratitude was measured at the beginning of the study and again fourteen days later. During the fourteen days, the subjects were given a task to carry out each day. The control condition was asked to list up to five things that had affected them during the last day. The experimental condition was asked to list up to five things they were grateful for in the last day. The results did not show any relationship between positive affect and school satisfaction. It is suggested that the results might be caused by either too little time for the intervention to cause a significant effect, by the subjects failing to carry out the given task each day or by too few subjects to rule out random effects.

This review is an exploration of evolutionary theories with the aim to investigate emotional states, well-being and ill-being from an evolutionary perspective. Functional evolutionary theories of emotional states, posit that emotions have evolved as behavior modifiers responding to specific situations that provided fitness benefits in our ancestral past. Exploring this theory gradually uncover clues towards practical, hands-on suggestions as to how to increase life satisfaction and quality of life. Specifically, these suggestions include interacting with kin, reaping stress-reducing and health effects from letting nature be a part of your life, developing deep friendships, and not comparing yourself with the best or most successful individuals in the world.

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Ausprägung von Angst, Depressivität und Körperbeschwerden bei Studierenden der Humanmedizin und deren Lebenszufriedenheit im Vergleich zu einer altersgleichen Repräsentativstichprobe und Studierenden anderer Studienrichtungen. Gesellschaftlicher Hintergrund ist die weite Verbreitung von Angst und Depressivität in der Gesamtbevölkerung und deren zunehmende Bedeutung für Arbeitsunfähigkeit und Frühberentung. Gleichzeitig haben psychische Erkrankungen einen stark negativen Einfluss auf die Lebenszufriedenheit der Betroffenen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass Angst, Depressivität und Körperbeschwerden bei Studierenden der Humanmedizin signifikant häufiger auftreten und sie mit einzelnen Bereichen des Lebens unzufriedener sind als die gleichaltrige Gesamtbevölkerung. Sie zeigen im Vergleich zu anderen Studierenden keine erhöhten Werte hinsichtlich Angst, Depressivität und Körperbeschwerden und sind nur in einzelnen Bereichen des Lebens signifikant unzufriedener als Studierende anderer Fachrichtungen. Germanistikstudierende leiden gegenüber den verglichenen Studierendengruppen signifikant stärker unter Angst, Depressivität und Körperbeschwerden und ihre Lebenszufriedenheit ist von allen befragten Studierenden am geringsten. Die Befragungen von Studierenden zum Thema psychische Gesundheit und Lebenszufriedenheit sollten ausgeweitet werden, um repräsentative Stichproben zu erhalten und weitere Studierendengruppen in die Untersuchungen einzubeziehen.

This study aims to describe the quality of life of Turkey in comparison with the European Union Member States including the other candidate countries Bulgaria and Romania. The main question in the study is to determine where Turkey stands in terms of quality of life domains in the membership process to the European Union. For this aim, &ldquo / The European Quality of Life Survey&rdquo / that has been launched in 2003 including 28 countries in Europe has been used. The survey consists of eight life domains including different objective and subjective indicators to measure the quality of life in these countries. The findings revealed that although Turkey displays similar patterns with the other candidate countries, it lags behind the European Union Member States in most of these eight quality of life domains.

The aim of this study is to investigate the vulnerability stress model in prediction of the psychological problems and life satisfaction of newcomer Turkish immigrants in the Netherlands. Vulnerability factors were considered to be personal characteristics of immigrants which they had both prior and after to their arrival. Stress factors, on the other hand, were selected based on the immigrants&rsquo / experiences after their arrival. Depending upon this distinction, attachment, independent and interdependent self construals, ethnic identity and ethnic self-esteem, religiousness, religious support, and social support were all organised as vulnerability factors. Migration related factors, namely time spent in the Netherlands, level of spoken Dutch, level of socialisation with Dutch natives, level of media use, satisfaction with life in the Netherlands, perceived discrimination, and acculturation orientations were organised as stress factors. Psychological problems of the immigrants were measured by their scores of depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic complaints. The participants of the study were 109 newcomer Turkish immigrants who arrived in the Netherlands after 1998. In the regression analysis that attempted to predict the psychological problems of immigrants, the results revealed several significant effects including gender, host culture acculturation orientation, perceived discrimination, and independent self construals. Furthermore, the interaction of independent self construal and host culture acculturation orientation as well as the interaction of religion and host culture orientation showed significant effects on psychological problems. In the regression analysis to predict life satisfaction, only independent self construal revealed a significant relationship with life satisfaction.

ABSTRACT THE DETERMINANTS OF LIFE SATISFACTION IN POST-SOVIET AZERBAIJAN Galip, Hilal MSc., Department of Sociology Supervisor: Dr. Adnan Ak&ccedil / ay September 2007, 99 pages The study aims to investigate main determinants of life satisfaction in newly independent country, Azerbaijan. Taking into consideration of local and cultural characteristics of the region, this research will give the opportunity for making cross-cultural analysis to understand subjective well-being of people living in the country in transition. Moreover, it provides deeper interpretation of daily experiences of people in different fields of life compared to Soviet period. In the survey, 1030 households were selected according to multistage cluster sampling and face to face interviews were conducted with those families. In addition, fifty in-depth interviews were applied to people who are coming from different social backgrounds. All macro societal changes influences subjective well-being of the Azerbaijani people and the further analysis of data will help to taking picture of the society and individuals in a closer perspective. Within this framework, this paper attempts to figure out the quality of life in Azerbaijan from the eyes of Azerbaijani people.

Present study investigated the role of gender, age, perceived level of impairment, income, social activity level, and perceived social support from family, friend, and significant other in predicting total, family, friend, self, school, and living environment related life satisfaction of visually impaired Turkish adolescents. Participants were consisted of 138 volunteered visually impaired adolescents resides in Ankara. Age of the participants ranged between 11 and 22 with the mean of 14.38 (SD = 2.17). Data was collected via Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, &amp / Farley, 1988) and Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994). Six seperate Multiple Regression Analyses were employed to examine the data. Results of the study indicated that age and perceived family support significantly predicted total life satisfaction of participants. Self related life satisfaction of participants was predicted significantly by perceived level of impairment and income. Friend related life satisfaction was predicted significantly by perceived social support from friend. Family related life satisfaction was predicted by perceived family support and age of the participants. Results of the study are discussed in light of the relevant literature and implications of the results are mentioned. Finally, suggestions for future research are presented.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relation of mother daughter relationship to well- being of the daughters with respect to self-esteem and life satisfaction. The sample was consisting of 426 female university students from Ankara and Kirsehir with a mean age of 21.62 (SD= 2.35). The scales which were used in that study are Adult Daughter Questionnaire (MAD) (Rastogi, 1995), The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, &amp / Griffin, 1985). Adult Daughter Questionnaire (MAD) (Rastogi, 1995) has been used to measure the current mother-daughter relationship. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) has been used to measure global self esteem, and The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin, 1985) has been used to measure the global life satisfaction. The canonical correlation analysis was utilized to examine the relationships between the mother daughter questionnaire&rsquo / s subscales ( connectedness, interdependency and trust in hierarchy) and the two indicators of well being namely life satisfaction and self-esteem. The results of the study showed that the three indicators of the mother-daughter relationship (connectedness, interdependency, and trust in hierarchy) and the two indicators of well being (self-esteem and life satisfaction) were interrelated. In other words mother daughter relationship is positively related to life satisfaction and self esteem of the daughters.

The purpose of this study was to investigate predictive value of life satisfaction, academic achievement, number of clients, number of counseling sessions, and satisfaction level of supervision both in terms of quality and quantity in determining counselor trainees&rsquo / counseling self-efficacy levels. The sample of this study was the 470 voluntary senior counselor trainees (335 females, 135 males) enrolled in Department of Guidance and Counseling at eleven universities in Turkey. Participants were administered a demographic data form, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Counselor Self-Estimate Inventory and the Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales. In the context of this study, the Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales were translated to Turkish, validity and reliability studies were conducted. Additionally, reliability studies of the other scales used for the sample of the present study were conducted. Data analysis was carried out by Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis. Results of the study indicated that life satisfaction, number of counseling sessions and satisfaction with quality of supervision explained 13% of the total variance of counseling self-efficacy scores of the counselor trainees. Life satisfaction was found as the most important predictor of counseling self-efficacy, explaining 8.2 % of the total variance. On the other hand, academic achievement, number of clients and satisfaction with quantity of supervision were not found to be significant predictors of counseling self-efficacy.