Happiness and Well-being in Turbulent Times 9 th December 2008 Centre for Confidence & Well-being,...

Happiness and Well-being in Turbulent Times9th December 2008Centre for Confidence & Well-being, Glasgow

Nic MarksFounder of centre for well-beingnef (the new economics foundation)

Turbulent Times?

What do we mean by Well-being?

The Foresight Project

A Dynamic Model of Well-being

Values and Well-being

Five Ways to Well-being

Happy Planet Index

What do we mean by “well-being”?

Well-being = The quality of people’s experience of their lives

WHO definition of health as:

“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity”: 1946



WHO definition of health as:

“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity”: 1946

dynamic



“Feeling good AND doing well” A 1960s definition of self-esteem…

The Foresight Project Sponsored by DIUS – Department for

Innovation, Universities and Skills

Two year project, reported in October 2008

Involved over 400 experts – neuroscience to economics

Mental CapitalThis encompasses a person’s cognitive and emotional resources. It includes their cognitive ability, how flexible and efficient they are at learning, and their “emotional intelligence”, such as their social skills and resilience in the face of stress. It therefore conditions how well an individual is able to contribute effectively to society, and also to experience a high personal quality of life.

The idea of “capital” naturally sparks association with ideas of financial capital and it is both challenging and natural to think of the mind in this way.

Mental Well-BeingThis is a dynamic state, in which the individual is able to develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others, andcontribute to their community.

It is enhanced when an individual is able to fulfil their personal and social goals and achieve a sense of purpose in society.

The Foresight ProjectMain Findings: Early Intervention is crucial

Small increases in well-being can produce a decrease in mental health problems

Substantial scope for improving how to tackle the huge problem of mental ill-health – which costs £77 billion a year

Enablingconditions

Psychologicalresources

A dynamic model of well-being

Enablingconditions



Mental Capital

Enablingconditions


e.g. resilience, optimism, self-esteem

e.g. opportunities and obstacles,

inequalities, social norms, culture


Enablingconditions






Enablingconditions


Functioning welland satisfaction

of needs





Enablingconditions



of needs

e.g. to be autonomous,

competent, and connected to others





Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life







Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life







Well-Being

Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life






e.g. happiness, satisfaction, interest, boredom and distress


Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life








GDP and Life SatisfactionA Challenge to the Political Status Quo

UK - GDP and Life Satisfaction 1973 - 2002

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

200%

1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

GDP

Life Satisfaction

-1.25

-1.00

-0.75

-0.50

-0.25

0.00

0.25

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Years

Cen

tere

d L

ife

Sat

isfa

ctio

n

Year of Widowhood

Micro data: Widowhood and Well-being

-1.25

-1.00

-0.75

-0.50

-0.25

0.00

0.25

-9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Years

Cen

tere

d L

ife

Sat

isfa

ctio

nMicro data: Divorce and Well-being

Year of Divorce

Micro data: Marriages and Well-being

Marriage Paths of Life Satisfaction

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Years of Marriage

Ad

jus

ted

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

Mean

Positive Group

Negative Group

Diminishing marginal returnsof well-being to income

Life satisfaction and Household income in the UK

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

7.00

7.50

8.00

£0 £20,000

£40,000

£60,000

£80,000

£100,000

£120,000

£140,000

Household total net income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)


Life satisfaction and Household income in the UK

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

7.00

7.50

8.00

£0 £20,000

£40,000

£60,000

£80,000

£100,000

£120,000

£140,000

Household total net income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)


Life Satisfaction and Income Quintiles

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5

Low Income Low-MediumIncome

MediumIncome

High-MediumIncome

High Income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)

Average Social Connections


Life Satisfaction and Income Quintiles

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5


MediumIncome

High-MediumIncome

High Income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)


Income & Social Connections

Income and Social Connectedness

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5


MediumIncome

High-MediumIncome

High Income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)

Strong Social Connections


Poor Social Connections



4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5


MediumIncome

High-MediumIncome

High Income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)






4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5


MediumIncome

High-MediumIncome

High Income

Lif

e S

ati

sfa

cti

on

(0

-10

)




Turbulent Times?






Happy Planet Index

Tim KASSER: values circumplexSelf-transcendence

Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

Reference:

Grouzet, F., Kasser, T., Ahuvia, A., Fernández, J.M., Kim, Y., Lau, S., Ryan, R., Saunders, S., Schmuck, P., & Sheldon, K. (2005).

The structure of goal contents across 15 cultures.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 800-816.


Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity


Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity


Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity


Physical self

Extrinsic Intrinsic

Spirituality

Community

Affiliation

Self-acceptance

Physical health

SafetyHedonism

Financialsuccess

Image

Popularity

Conformity

People with more extrinsicvalues have…

• Higher levels of:– anxiety– depression– physical symptoms (e.g. sleeplessness, headaches)– unpleasant emotions– drug & alcohol use

• Lower levels of:– vitality– satisfaction with their lives– pleasant emotions

People with more extrinsicvalues show…

• Less pro-social and more anti-social behaviour• Less empathy for others • Greater competitiveness• Less inclination to shared & act generously

And critically…• higher ecological footprints and perform fewer

positive environmental behaviors• Report less concern for the environment

And we’re moving in thewrong direction..

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

901

96

7

19

69

19

71

19

73

19

75

19

77

19

79

19

81

19

83

19

85

19

87

19

89

19

91

19

93

19

95

19

97

19

99

% s

ay

ing

th

is is

"V

ery

imp

ort

an

t"o

r "E

ss

en

tia

l"

Be very well off financially

Develop a meaningful philosophy of life

Turbulent Times?






Happy Planet Index

Five ways to well-beingCommissioned by the Foresight Project – the brief was as

below:

Building on the findings of the draft outputs of the Mental Capacity and Wellbeing Project, Foresight would like to develop an evidence-based wellbeing equivalent of the health promotion dictum “five fruit and vegetables a day”.

Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life








Enablingconditions



of needs

Experience of life








Five ways to well-being


Connect…

With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.


Be active…

Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness.


Take notice…

Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.


Keep learning…

Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.


Give…

Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

Turbulent Times?






Happy Planet Index

HPI in Europe over time

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% c

hang

e si

nce

1961

HLY

Footprint

Efficiency

HPI 2050: Sustainable Living

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% ch

ange

sinc

e 196

1

Footprint

HLY

Efficiency

2050

60 - 80% reduction in CO2 emissions

Life Expectancy 80yrsLife Satisfaction 8/10

Resource efficiency to improve by over 80%

Creating Timely Feedback Loops

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001

% ch

ange

sinc

e 196

1

Footprint

HLY

Efficiency

2050

60 - 80% reduction in CO2 emissions

Life Expectancy 80yrsLife Satisfaction 8/10

Resource efficiency to improve by over 80%

Three recent reports

Measuring Wellbeing in Policy; Sam Thompson, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

Local Wellbeing – can we measure it? ; Nicola Steuer, Nic Marks; Young Foundation & nef; Sept 08

Five Ways to Wellbeing: the evidence; Jody Aked, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

Three recent reports

Measuring Wellbeing in Policy; Sam Thompson, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

Local Wellbeing – can we measure it? ; Nicola Steuer, Nic Marks; Young Foundation & nef; Sept 08

Five Ways to Wellbeing: the evidence; Jody Aked, Nic Marks; Foresight & nef; Oct 08

Forthcoming:

National Accounts of Well-being; January 2009

Happy Planet Index; July 2009

nef’s centre for [email protected]

Reports downloadable from

www.neweconomics.org

Nic Marks: [email protected]

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Happiness and Well-being in Turbulent Times 9 th December 2008 Centre for Confidence & Well-being,...

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