Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Social Indicators and Quality of Life Research

Abstract

This chapter explains the concept of subjective well-being homeostasis. It concerns the proposal that subjective well-being (SWB) is managed by a system of psychological devices which have evolved for this purpose. The chapter begins by presenting some of the psychometric characteristics of SWB and introduces homeostasis as a theoretical construct that can account for these characteristics. This is followed by a discussion of the relationship between SWB and depression. The chapter ends with recommendations for measurement scales.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976). Social indicators of well-being: American’s perceptions of life quality. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bach, J. R., Campagnolo, D. I., & Hoeman, S. (1991). Life satisfaction of individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy using long-term mechanical ventilatory support. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 70, 129–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bat-Chava, Y. (1994). Group identification and self-esteem of deaf adults. Personality and Social Psychology Behavior, 20, 494–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blore, J. D. (2008). Subjective wellbeing: An assessment of competing theories. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Deakin University, Geelong.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., Converse, P. E., & Rodgers, W. L. (1976). The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations, and satisfactions. New York: Russell Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cropanzano, R., Weiss, H. M., Hale, J. M. S., & Reb, J. (2003). The structure of affect: Reconsidering the relationship between negative and positive affectivity. Journal of Management, 29, 831–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1995). On the trail of the gold standard for life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research, 35, 179–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1997). Quality of life: Its relevance to disability services. In P. O’Brien & R. Murray (Eds.), Working in human services (pp. 225–268). Auckland: Dunmore Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1998). The second approximation to an international standard of life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research, 43, 307–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2000). Personal income and subjective well-being: A review. Journal of Happiness Studies, 1, 133–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2002). Proxy responding for subjective well-being: A review. International Review of Research in Mental Retardation, 25, 183–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2003). Normative life satisfaction: Measurement issues and a homeostatic model. Social Indicators Research, 64, 225–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., & Gullone, E. (2000). Why we should not use 5-point Likert scales: The case for subjective quality of life measurement. Paper presented at the second international conference on Quality of Life in Cities, Singapore: National University of Singapore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., & Lau, A. L. D. (2005a). Personal wellbeing index-pre- school manual (3rd ed.). Melbourne: School of Psychology, Deakin University and Hong Kong: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm

  • Cummins, R. A., & Lau, A. L. D. (2005b). Personal wellbeing index – Intellectual disability manual (3rd ed., pp. 1–37). Melbourne School of Psychology, Deakin University and Hong Kong: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm

  • Cummins, R. A., & Lau, A. L. D. (2005c). Personal wellbeing index – school children, manual (3rd ed.). Melbourne: School of Psychology, Deakin University and Hong Kong: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm

  • Cummins, R. A., & Nistico, H. (2002). Maintaining life satisfaction: The role of positive cognitive bias. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 37–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Gullone, E., & Lau, A. L. D. (2002). A model of subjective well being homeostasis: The role of personality. In E. Gullone & R. A. Cummins (Eds.), The universality of subjective wellbeing indicators: Social indicators research series (pp. 7–46). Dordrecht: Kluwer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Eckersley, R., Pallant, J., Van Vugt, J., & Misajon, R. (2003). Developing a national index of subjective wellbeing: The Australian unity wellbeing index. Social Indicators Research, 64, 159–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Woerner, J., Tomyn, A., Knapp, T., & Gibson, A. (2005). Australian unity wellbeing index: Report 14.0 – “The wellbeing of Australians – Personal relationships”. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm

  • Cummins, R. A., Hughes, J., Tomyn, A., Gibson, A., Woerner, J., & Lai, L. (2007). Australian unity wellbeing index: Report 17.1 the wellbeing of Australians – Carer health and wellbeing. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm

  • Cummins, R. A., Woerner, J., Gibson, A., Lai, L., Weinberg, M., & Collard, J. (2008). Australian unity wellbeing index: Report 19.0. The wellbeing of Australians – Links with exercise, nicotine and alcohol. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 978 1 74156 113 5. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm

  • Davern, M., Cummins, R. A., & Stokes, M. (2007). Subjective wellbeing as an affective/cognitive construct. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8, 429–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Depue, R. A., & Collins, P. F. (1999). Neurobiology of the structure of personality: Dopamine facilitation of incentive motivation and extraversion. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 491–569.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. D., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. D., Napa Scollon, C. N., & Lucas, R. E. (2004). The evolving concept of subjective well-being: The multifaceted nature of happiness. In P. T. Costa & I. C. Siegler (Eds.), Recent advances in psychology and aging (pp. 187–219). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science BV.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgas, J. P. (2008). The strange cognitive benefits of mild dysphoria: On the evolutionary advantages of not being too happy. In J. P. Forgas, M. G. Haselton, & W. von Hippel (Eds.), Evolutionary psychology and social cognition (pp. 107–121). New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujita, F., & Diener, E. (2005). Life satisfaction set point: Stability and change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88, 158–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanestad, B. R., & Albrektsen, G. (1992). The stability of quality of life experience in people with type 1 diabetes over a period of a year. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17, 777–784.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B. (2008). The set-point theory of well-being: Negative results and consequent revisions. Social Indicators Research, 85, 389–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., & Wearing, A. (1986). The sense of relative superiority – Central to well-being. Melbourne: University of Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., & Wearing, A. (1987). A theory of life satisfaction and psychological distress. Melbourne: University of Melbourne.

    Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., & Wearing, A. (1988). The sense of relative superiority – Central to well-being. Social Indicators Research, 20, 497–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., & Wearing, A. (1989). Personality, life events, and subjective well-being: Toward a dynamic equilibrium model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 731–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., Holmstrom, E., & Wearing, A. (1984a). The impact of life events and changes in domain satisfactions on well-being. Social Indicators Research, 15, 203–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Headey, B., Holmstrom, E., & Wearing, A. (1984b). Well-being and ill-being: Different dimensions? Social Indicators Research, 14, 115–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, S. (1977). The social network, support and neurosis. The function of attachment in adult life. British Journal of Psychiatry, 131, 185–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Wellbeing Group. (2006). Personal wellbeing index manual. Melbourne: Australia, Deain University. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm

  • Jones, L. V., & Thurstone, L. L. (1955). The psychophysics of semantics: An experimental investigation. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 39, 31–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozma, A., Stone, S., & Stones, M. J. (2000). Stability in components and predictors of subjective well-being (SWB): Implications for SWB structure. In E. Diener & D. R. Rahtz (Eds.), Advances in quality of life: Theory and research (pp. 13–30). Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, A. L. D., Cummins, R. A., & McPherson, W. (2005). An investigation into the cross-cultural equivalence of the personal wellbeing index. Social Indicators Research, 72, 403–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. W., Jones, P. S., Mineyama, Y., & Zhang, X. E. (2002). Cultural differences in responses to a Likert scale. Research in Nursing and Health, 25, 295–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, B. (1975). Quality of life: Concept, measure and results. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 34, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales. Sydney: Psychology Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E. (2007). Adaptation and the set-point model of subjective well-being: Does happiness change after major life events? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16, 75–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E., Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1996). Discriminant validity of well-being measures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 616–628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lykken, D., & Tellegen, A. (1996). Happiness is a stochastic phenomenon. Psychological Science, 7, 186–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michalos, A. C. (1985). Multiple discrepancies theory (MDT). Social Indicators Research, 16, 347–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieboer, A. P. (1997). Life events and well-being: A prospective study on changes in well-being of elderly people due to a serious illness event or death of the spouse. Amsterdam: Thesis Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ormel, J. (1983). Neuroticism and well-being inventories. Measuring traits or states? Psychological Medicine, 13, 165–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ormel, J., & Schaufeli, W. B. (1991). Stability and change in psychological distress and their relationship with self-esteem and locus of control: A dynamic equilibrium mode. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 288–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J. R., & Snyder, S. S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 5–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, J. A. (2003). Core affect and the psychological construction of emotion. Psychological Review, 110, 145–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, J. A. (2009). Emotion, core affect, and psychological construction. Cognition & Emotion, 23, 1259–1283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., & Pierce, G. R. (1990). Social support: The search for theory. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 9, 137–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, N. (1999, February). Self-reports: How the questions shape the answers. American Psychologist, 54(2), 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, N., & Strack, F. (1991). Evaluating one’s life: A judgement model of subjective well-being. In F. Strack, M. Argyle, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Subjective well-being: An interdisciplinary perspective (pp. 27–47). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stening, B. W., & Everett, J. E. (1984). Response styles in a cross-cultural managerial study. Journal of Social Psychology, 122, 151–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stones, M. J., & Kozma, A. (1991). A magical model of happiness. Social Indicators Research, 25, 31–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeny, K., Carroll, P. J., & Sheppard, J. A. (2006). Is optimism always best? Future outlooks and preparedness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15, 302–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tesser, A., Pilkington, C. J., & McIntosh, W. D. (1989). Self-evaluation maintenance and the mediational role of emotion: The perception of friends and strangers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 442–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigger, D. (2003). Does the way we measure poverty matter? Canberra: University of Canberra, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein, N. D. (1989). Optimistic biases about personal risks. Science, 246, 1232–1233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (1997). World values surveys; GNP/capita purchasing power estimates from World Bank, world development report, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2009, from http://margaux.grandvinum.se/SebTest/wvs/articles/folder_published/article_base_56

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

We thank Ann-Marie James for her assistance in the preparation of this manuscript and Australian Unity for their continued support of this research. We also acknowledge the key role played by Renee Bear, Wendy Kennedy, and Melissa Weinberg in coining the term Homeostatically Protected Mood.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia

    Robert A. Cummins & Anna L. D. Lau

  2. McCaughey Centre, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Melanie T. Davern

Authors
  1. Robert A. Cummins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anna L. D. Lau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Melanie T. Davern
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert A. Cummins .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University, Hudson Hall 130, Durham, 27708, North Carolina, USA

    Kenneth C. Land

  2. , Faculty of Arts, Brandon University, 18th Street 270, Brandon, R7A 6A9, Manitoba, Canada

    Alex C. Michalos

  3. Pamlin College of Business, Dept. Marketing, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Pamplin Hall 2025, Blacksburg, 24061-0236, Virgin Islands, USA

    M. Joseph Sirgy

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Netherlands

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Cummins, R.A., Lau, A.L.D., Davern, M.T. (2012). Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis. In: Land, K., Michalos, A., Sirgy, M. (eds) Handbook of Social Indicators and Quality of Life Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2421-1_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation