The Underlying Perspectives on Pursuing Happiness, Research Paper Example

IFIU

The pursuit of happiness, a crucial goal to most of the people is usually governed by three major factors- genetic estimation of happiness set point, happiness associated factors together with its relevant activities and practices. Critical exploration of a research article in relevant to this study help in obtaining generalised assumptions on the ways, strategies and models of accomplishing individual’s level of happiness. This essay makes an effort in critically assessing a psychological article relevant to the pursuit of happiness. The underlying limitations, recommendations together with the article’s strength and weaknesses were illustrated in the essay.

Key words: Adaptation, Blessing, Pursuit of Happiness, Pessimism, Optimism, Demographic and Circumstantial variables and Kindness.

Critique of a Psychology Research Report

Lyubomirsky (Alumni Professor at the University of California, Riverside), Sheldon (Head of Psychology department at the University of Missouri, Columbia) and Schkade (Associate Professor at the University of California, Sandiego) had reviewed the underlying perspectives on pursuing happiness. Published with in the journal of “Reviews of General Psychology” in 2005, this research work had effectively reviewed by the field experts and the peer-reviewed article gained its copy rights over the same year. Considering an individual’s chronic level of happiness to be influenced by three factors, the study explores relevant literature on adaptation and dynamic processes to answer its research question on “why the activity category provides best prospects for sustainable potentiation happiness”. As a method, of data collection, the study reviewed existing literature that governed three major implications-genetical determination of set-point of happiness, happiness-associated circumstantial factors and happiness linked activities and practices. Besides, the guidance from contemporary academic psychology and predictions from research psychologists on an individual’s happiness and subjective well-being, had gathered to explore conclusions for the research questions. An effective description on historical sources of pessimism, present sources of optimism and models of happiness together with the relevant illustrations, helped in assessing the genetic, demographic and life status factors in influencing the individual’s happiness levels. This indicated a logical organization and flow in the data with an ease of readability and accessibility. The illustrations pertaining to the three factor distinction together with the relevant paradoxes and issues like questions on possibilities of becoming happier, associations amongst demographic and circumstantial variables, outlined in separate sections had represented the integration of previous studies related to the topic. However, descriptive review of literature on sustainability and ways of deserving scientific attention would help in developing reliable conclusions on the research questions explored.

Although the analysed findings of the study appeared to be supportive in relation to the associated controls, they were notably ineffective in testing the sustainability of well-being amongst the groups of “kindness” and “blessings”. Regardless of clear procedures in repeating or replicating the work, additional information on the potential moderators such as fit, effectiveness, variety, cultural membership, social support and habits would assist in drawing competent conclusions about the topic. Though the systematic review of literature and employed for data collection with the statistical methods of analysis, were acceptable, additional information considerations on the role of new activities especially that fit the individual’s level of interest and value may assist in obtaining relevant findings. The interpreted results indicated the role of gratitude expression should be regular and effective in exhibiting an increase amongst the person’s level of happiness. The crucial ways of finding out happiness, negative and stressful life experiences, ways of strengthening social relationships, bolstering coping resources, adaptive strategies that are incompatible with the negative emotions may aid in minimizing the feelings of envy, anger and greed. Presence of a “healthy body”, “AOL instant messenger”, “and accomplishing grateful things thrice a week” can help in contemplating the “blessings” and “increase in happiness” in the near future. Thus, an active engagement within the circumstances and stable objects from an interpretative or phenomenology point of view can be believed as certain ways of achieving individual’s success and happiness.

References

Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K.M. and Schkade, D (2005). Pursuing Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable Change. Reviews of General Psychology, 9, 2, 111-131.