On the cognitive basis of subjective well-being analysis: What do individuals have to say about it?

This study examined the perceived importance of comparison and causal attribution for well-being in the process of subjective well-being (SWB) evaluation. After having reporting their SWB level, 240 participants from two age groups (young adults and their parents) were asked to indicate the extent to which they based their SWB judgment on different types of comparisons [social, temporal and telic (what I would like it to be) comparisons]. The participants also indicated if they perceived various causes (internal and external) to be responsible for their current level of well-being. Results indicated that social comparisons were not perceived as being important in SWB evaluation. Telic comparison was reported to be more used than other comparison types by young adults, but related negatively to the SWB level. Participants attributed their well-being more to internal than external causes. However, the more strongly they could ascertain various causes (internal and external) to explain their SWB, the higher their SWB level was. It is suggested that individuals' accounts of the processes involved in their personal well-being evaluation could be a useful approach to understand and promote the experience of happiness.