The Happiness Syndrome: Methodological and Substantive Issues in the Study of Social-Psychological Well-being in Adulthood

Abstract

This paper delineates the possibilities that available survey data sources provide for investigating satisfaction-related concepts from theoretical perspectives of special interest in the study of aging and adulthood. Four conceptual and measurement issues are highlighted as in need of resolution in order to use satisfaction-related measures for substantive generalization. Six major national survey data sources are described and evaluated in terms of the possibilities they provide for resolving these issues.