ERIC Number: ED236478
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-May
Pages: 23
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Factors Predicting Satisfaction Judgments: A Comparative Examination.
Emmons, Robert A.; And Others
A number of psychological models may explain why people vary in their satisfaction with various life domains (e.g., family, or grades). Six of the models are: (1) positive affect (the degree to which one experiences joy or happiness in each life domain); (2) negative affect (unpleasant emotions associated with domains); (3) social comparison (how one compares with others); (4) aspirations; (5) change (conditions which improve or deteriorate); and (6) objective factors (measurable external circumstances). To examine and compare the interaction and impact of these factors on satisfaction judgments, college undergraduates (N=149) completed a questionnaire assessing satisfaction in 11 life domains (friends, love life, grades, courses, recreation, standard of living, religion, future career, housing, and physical attractivenesss) and rated these domains according to the six models. Statistical analyses showed that social comparison and positive affect strongly predicted satisfaction across most domains. Satisfaction with love life correlated highly with overall life satisfaction, whereas satisfaction with friends was a poor predictor of global life satisfaction. In general, the results indicate that objective factors are often poor predictors of subjective well-being. (WAS)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Researchers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A