Surprising Results?

[Catseye3]

I was surprised . . .

A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2004 concluded:

"We investigated the relationship between various character strengths and life satisfaction among 5,299 adults from three Internet samples using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths. Consistently and robustly associated with life satisfaction were hope, zest, gratitude, love, and curiosity. Only weakly associated with life satisfaction, in contrast, were modesty and the intellectual strengths of appreciation of beauty, creativity, judgment, and love of learning.

"In general, the relationship between character strengths and life satisfaction was monotonic, indicating that excess on any one character strength does not diminish life satisfaction.

"A character strength is 'a disposition to act, desire, and feel that involves the exercise of judgment and leads to a recognizable human excellence or instance of human flourishing'.”

I'd have accorded more rank to the appreciation of beauty and creativity. Strongly agree with the significance of hope, though.

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.473.1295&rep=rep1&type=pdf

[Mik]

Doing > watching

[Horace]

There is little selective advantage to being happy. Probably the opposite.

[Catseye3]

@Horace said in Surprising Results?:

There is little selective advantage to being happy.

Sorry? I don't understand your response.

[Horace]

@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:

@Horace said in Surprising Results?:

There is little selective advantage to being happy.

Sorry? I don't understand your response.

I mean it is not clear or IMO probable that “life satisfaction” was optimized for in our psychological makeup. It is not a refutation of the point of the article, just a random note.

[Doctor Phibes]

Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?

[Horace]

I’m not sure your average go getting hard worker is capable of relaxing happily.

[Catseye3]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:

Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?

According to this survey, creativity was only weakly associated with life satisfaction (happiness), so maybe he wasn't, despite his magnificent work.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:

Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?

According to this survey, creativity was only weakly associated with life satisfaction (happiness), so maybe he wasn't, despite his magnificent work.

My point was that if he’d been happy he probably wouldn’t have created his magnificent work. Being happy is what I want for myself, not necessarily for humanity

[Catseye3]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:

My point was that if he’d been happy he probably wouldn’t have created his magnificent work.

Yes, isn't that interesting to think about? Maybe there's a form of unhappiness that leaves you with a hunger, which leads to a striving, which can take the form of creation. If you can't find what you need in your life, you are compelled to make it yourself. If you're content, how hungry can you be?

[Horace]

Christianity and presumably most other religions have a good idea to convince people to live their lives as if trying to maximize their own happiness when looking back on themselves after they die.

[Copper]

Are the people who did the study happy?

[Catseye3]

It turns out the results I cited in Post #1 were derived from responses from people who took the survey offered on the website, which is devoted to positive psychology. It's free, and described this way: "The VIA Survey of Character Strengths is a free self-assessment that takes less than 15 minutes and provides a wealth of information to help you understand your best qualities. VIA Reports provide personalized, in-depth analysis of your free results, including actionable tips to apply your strengths to find greater well-being." Then there's a blue bar you click on, and away you go. https://www.viacharacter.org/

They flog their $49 book, but it's not hard to disregard. You also have to provide your email for their mailings.

I have no idea what credence to give it. The study paper comes across as credible and thorough, FWIW.

My results were kind of disquieting. My #1 strength, Judgment, was listed as one of the weak correlates with life satisfaction, and the rest were fair to middlin'. One of the big five, Zest, for me came in last.

Obviously a stupid test with stupid test makers and I hate all of them because they are completely stupid.

[Axtremus]

@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:

I have no idea what credence to give it. …

Obviously a stupid test with stupid test makers and I hate all of them because they are completely stupid.

It seems you’ve found your answer.

[Catseye3]

@Axtremus said in Surprising Results?:

It seems you’ve found your answer.

Well, no. I was kidding. I was being judgmenty.

[Horace]

If your strategy is to maximize happy feelings over time, do drugs and don’t stop doing drugs and try to stay alive.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:

Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?

According to this survey, creativity was only weakly associated with life satisfaction (happiness), so maybe he wasn't, despite his magnificent work.

I think for most people that's probably true. Because most people aren't creative. But it's a lot like being famous: people think they want it, only because they're on the other side of things and they have no idea what they're actually saying.

[Horace]

Happiness isn’t about where you are, it’s about where you want to be, and whether you feel you’re making progress to get there. Which means the secret to happiness is to be ambition free. But that’s boring.