Slide1: Robert A. Cummins Jacqui Woerner Adrian J. Tomyn T’Meika Knapp Adele M Gibson Australian Centre on Quality of Life Deakin University and Anna L.D Lau Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Hong Kong Polytechnic University On the fifth anniversary of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: what have we learned about subjective wellbeing? Australian Centre on Quality of Life http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol This manuscript contains notes below each slide. To view these notes, open in Powerpoint , go to ‘View’, and click on ‘Notes Page’


Quality of Life: Quality of Life ?


Slide3: www.vermontdairy.com/ice_cream


What is subjective wellbeing?: What is subjective wellbeing? A normally positive state of mind that involves the whole life experience


“How satisfied are you with your -----?”: “How satisfied are you with your -----?”


The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Surveys: The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Surveys Geographically representative national sample N = 2,000 Telephone interview #1: April 2001 ------------ #16: Oct 2006


How satisfied are you with your --------?: How satisfied are you with your --------? Completely Dissatisfied Completely Satisfied Mixed [Jones and Thurstone ,1955] 11-point, end-defined scale


Slide8: We code all data to lie on a range from 0 100 Complete dissatisfaction Complete satisfaction


Personal Wellbeing Index: Personal Wellbeing Index


Satisfaction with feeling part of your Community: Satisfaction with feeling part of your Community >S4, S5, S11 >S1


Satisfaction with the State of the Natural Environment: Satisfaction with the State of the Natural Environment Intense media coverage of ‘global warming’ >S5 >S1

Satisfaction with the Social Conditions: Satisfaction with the Social Conditions


Satisfaction with Government: Satisfaction with Government


Slide14: Subjective wellbeing homeostasis In a manner analogous to the homeostatic maintenance of body temperature, we propose a psychological/neurological homeostatic system that functions to hold subjective wellbeing steady.


Each person (cat) has a set-point for their subjective wellbeing. : Each person (cat) has a set-point for their subjective wellbeing. 75 Time 60 90 Set-point range The average set-point http://kenpope.com/jacob/hi.jpg http://www.mypethaven.com/Images/sad%20cat.gif


Each person (cat) has a set-point for their subjective wellbeing. : Each person (cat) has a set-point for their subjective wellbeing. 75 Time 60 90 Set-point range When nothing much is happening to them, People (and cats?) rate how they feel about their life in terms of their set-point for SWB The average set-point http://kenpope.com/jacob/hi.jpg http://www.mypethaven.com/Images/sad%20cat.gif


Challenging wellbeing: Challenging wellbeing Depression


Protecting wellbeing: Protecting wellbeing External resources help to protect wellbeing against negative challenges √


Can money buy happiness?: Can money buy happiness?


Income and subjective wellbeing: Income and subjective wellbeing Median Total N ≈ 30,000 76.3 Normal Range 73.0 * 78.0 * 76.5 * 73.9 71.7 74.9 78.3 79.2 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 <$15 $15-30 $31-60 $61-90 $91-120 $121-150 $150+ Household Income ($'000) Subjective wellbeing *


Does money buy a better life?: “Has something happened to you recently causing you to feel happier or sadder than normal?” Does money buy a better life?


Does money buy a better life?: Does money buy a better life?


Household Structure and SWB: Household Structure and SWB Living with a partner Living without a partner


Money and Relationships are additive external resources: Money and Relationships are additive external resources


How much support do you receive from----?: How much support do you receive from----? Source of support


Is receiving support always good for wellbeing?: Is receiving support always good for wellbeing?


Level of Support from partner: Level of Support from partner 72.0 Never married 70.6 Live alone


Level of support from partner: Level of support from partner 72.0 Never married 70.6 Live alone 80% (51%) (15%) (14%)


Slide31: http://www.topics-mag.com/edition21/images-life/city.jpg http://www.gov.sk.ca/images/sask-photos/album/1121622170.19374.196546232.jpg Where is wellbeing higher? In the city? or in the country?


Australia: Australia


New South Wales: New South Wales Above average Below average Average


Victoria: Victoria Above average Below average Average


Conclusions: Conclusions The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index provides a unique view of the Australian population. It remains the only index in the world monitoring the subjective wellbeing of a population using a standardized instrument. The differences in subjective wellbeing can be interpreted in terms of Homeostatic Theory and point to the importance of wealth and relationships as buffers against challenging living conditions There are significant geographical difference in subjective wellbeing across Australia The results from the Index can be used to inform policy in relation to issues of national importance We anticipate that the Index will continue to develop and advance our understanding of how we might increase the life quality of all Australians


References: References Cummins, R.A. (1995). On the trail of the gold standard for life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research, 35, 179-200. Cummins, R.A. (1998). The second approximation to an international standard of life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research, 43, 307-334. Cummins, R.A. (2000a). Objective and subjective quality of life: An interactive model. Social Indicators Research, 52, 55-72. Cummins, R.A. (2000b). Personal income and subjective well-being: A review. Journal of Happiness Studies, 1, 133-158. Cummins, R.A. (2006). Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 14.1 – “Fifth Anniversary Special Report – Summarising the major findings”. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 1 74156 0454 http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm Cummins, R.A. & Gullone, E. (2000). Why we should not use 5-point Likert scales: The case for subjective quality of life measurement. Proceedings, Second International Conference on Quality of Life in Cities (pp. 74-93). Singapore: National University of Singapore. Cummins, R.A., & Nistico, H. (2002). Maintaining life satisfaction: The role of positive cognitive bias. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 37-69. 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. 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. Cummins, R.A., Davern, M., Okerstrom, E., Lo, S.K., & Eckersley, R. (2005a). Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 12.1 – “Special Report on City and Country Living”. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 1 74156 004 7


References: References Cummins, R.A., Knapp, T., Woerner, J., Walter, J. & Page, K.(2005b). Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 13.1 – “The Personal Wellbeing of Australians Living within Federal Electoral Divisions”. Melbourne: Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 1 7415 6025 X Davern, M., Cummins, R.A. & Stokes, M (2007). Subjective wellbeing as an affective/cognitive construct. Journal of Happiness Studies (in press) Diener, E. (2006) Guidelines for national indicators of subjective well-being and ill-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 397 – 404. 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. 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. IWBG (2006) International Wellbeing Group: Personal Wellbeing Index. http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm (accessed 06/01/07) Jones, L.V., & Thurstone, L.L. (1955). The psychophysics of semantics: An experimental investigation. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 39(1), 31-36. Juvenal (55 AD - 127 AD), Roman poet & satirist. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/29034.html (accessed 05/01/07) 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.