Happiness: a critical literature review

The debate about what happiness is has been raging on for more than a century now. Without unanimity of definition though, the importance of happiness has manifested itself in the increase in happiness studies in journals and even in public policies. The study aims to bring a more unified definition...

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Main Author: Mandishekwa, Robson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Research Journal of Economic and Management Studies 2021
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Online Access:http://ihttp://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/440r.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/433
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4518
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author Mandishekwa, Robson
author_facet Mandishekwa, Robson
author_sort Mandishekwa, Robson
collection DSpace
description The debate about what happiness is has been raging on for more than a century now. Without unanimity of definition though, the importance of happiness has manifested itself in the increase in happiness studies in journals and even in public policies. The study aims to bring a more unified definition by bringing together the main components involved in defining happiness. It also aims to highlight the importance of a working definition in happiness research. An outline of the operational definition helps identify whose happiness is being analysed. Findings from the systematic review of existing literature indicate that the debate still stands. Economists and positive psychologists, however, seem to concur that utility is a defining concept in happiness studies. Lastly, a group of authors seem to relegate to the peripheries the importance of the working definition of happiness in research yet this improves study evaluation. Thus, the misunderstanding of happiness is sometimes exacerbated by lack of the working definitions in some studies. The absence of operational definitions makes the question on whose happiness an important one to answer. The importance of indicating working definitions for controversial terms like happiness is recommended in this study
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spelling ir-11408-45182022-06-27T13:49:06Z Happiness: a critical literature review Mandishekwa, Robson Happiness Subjective well-being Satisfaction Life Quality Utility The debate about what happiness is has been raging on for more than a century now. Without unanimity of definition though, the importance of happiness has manifested itself in the increase in happiness studies in journals and even in public policies. The study aims to bring a more unified definition by bringing together the main components involved in defining happiness. It also aims to highlight the importance of a working definition in happiness research. An outline of the operational definition helps identify whose happiness is being analysed. Findings from the systematic review of existing literature indicate that the debate still stands. Economists and positive psychologists, however, seem to concur that utility is a defining concept in happiness studies. Lastly, a group of authors seem to relegate to the peripheries the importance of the working definition of happiness in research yet this improves study evaluation. Thus, the misunderstanding of happiness is sometimes exacerbated by lack of the working definitions in some studies. The absence of operational definitions makes the question on whose happiness an important one to answer. The importance of indicating working definitions for controversial terms like happiness is recommended in this study 2021-11-15T09:39:21Z 2021-11-15T09:39:21Z 2021 Article 2789-6803 http://ihttp://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/440r.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/433 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4518 en Research Journal of Economic and Management Studies;Vol. 1; No. 2 open Research Journal of Economic and Management Studies
spellingShingle Happiness
Subjective well-being
Satisfaction
Life
Quality
Utility
Mandishekwa, Robson
Happiness: a critical literature review
title Happiness: a critical literature review
title_full Happiness: a critical literature review
title_fullStr Happiness: a critical literature review
title_full_unstemmed Happiness: a critical literature review
title_short Happiness: a critical literature review
title_sort happiness: a critical literature review
topic Happiness
Subjective well-being
Satisfaction
Life
Quality
Utility
url http://ihttp://ir.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/440r.gzu.ac.zw:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/433
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4518
work_keys_str_mv AT mandishekwarobson happinessacriticalliteraturereview