1Which of the following best describes the Hedonic perspective of well-being?
A.The actualization of human potential
B.The maximization of pleasure and minimization of pain
C.Living a life of virtue and meaning
D.Acceptance of suffering as a path to growth
Correct Answer: The maximization of pleasure and minimization of pain
Explanation:
The Hedonic perspective focuses on happiness as the experience of pleasure and the avoidance of pain, often summarized as subjective well-being.
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2Who is credited with the concept of Eudaimonia, distinguishing it from mere pleasure?
A.B.F. Skinner
B.Aristotle
C.William James
D.Sigmund Freud
Correct Answer: Aristotle
Explanation:
Aristotle introduced the concept of Eudaimonia, referring to 'daimon' or true self, emphasizing living in accordance with one's virtues and potential.
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3In the PERMA model of well-being developed by Martin Seligman, what does the 'A' stand for?
A.Acceptance
B.Achievement
C.Autonomy
D.Affection
Correct Answer: Achievement
Explanation:
PERMA stands for Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement (or Accomplishment).
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4According to Diener's tripartite model, Subjective Well-Being (SWB) consists of which three components?
A.Optimism, Resilience, and Hope
B.Pleasure, Meaning, and Engagement
C.Positive Affect, Negative Affect, and Life Satisfaction
D.Health, Wealth, and Relationships
Correct Answer: Positive Affect, Negative Affect, and Life Satisfaction
Explanation:
Subjective Well-Being is scientifically operationalized as the presence of frequent positive affect, infrequent negative affect, and a cognitive evaluation of life satisfaction.
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5The Easterlin Paradox refers to which finding regarding the relationship between income and happiness?
A.Money has absolutely no correlation with happiness at any level.
B.Happiness decreases as income increases due to stress.
C.Spending money on others creates less happiness than spending it on oneself.
D.Within a country, richer people are happier, but over time, as a society gets richer, average happiness does not increase.
Correct Answer: Within a country, richer people are happier, but over time, as a society gets richer, average happiness does not increase.
Explanation:
Richard Easterlin found that while income predicts happiness within nations, economic growth over time does not necessarily lead to increased average happiness levels for the nation.
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6Which theory posits that positive emotions expand an individual's momentary thought-action repertoire, leading to the accumulation of enduring personal resources?
A.Set-Point Theory
B.Discrepancy Theory
C.Broaden-and-Build Theory
D.Self-Determination Theory
Correct Answer: Broaden-and-Build Theory
Explanation:
Proposed by Barbara Fredrickson, the Broaden-and-Build theory suggests positive emotions broaden awareness and build resources (physical, social, intellectual) for the future.
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7According to Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, and Schkade's Sustainable Happiness Model, what represents the approximate breakdown of the determinants of happiness?
The model suggests that approximately of happiness is determined by a genetic set point, by life circumstances, and is within our control through intentional activities.
A.Humans quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative life events.
B.People require constantly increasing amounts of pleasure to feel happy.
C.Physical exercise is the primary driver of hedonic well-being.
D.Unhappy people are caught in a cycle of negative thinking.
Correct Answer: Humans quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative life events.
Explanation:
The Hedonic Treadmill describes the tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness (set point) after major life changes.
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9Which of the following scales is most commonly used to measure the cognitive component of Subjective Well-Being?
Correct Answer: SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale)
Explanation:
The SWLS, developed by Ed Diener, measures global life satisfaction, which is the cognitive/judgmental component of SWB, rather than emotional states.
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10In the context of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which three basic psychological needs are essential for well-being?
A.Pleasure, Power, Meaning
B.Optimism, Gratitude, Resilience
C.Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness
D.Safety, Belonging, Esteem
Correct Answer: Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness
Explanation:
SDT postulates that the satisfaction of the needs for Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness is necessary for psychological growth and well-being.
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11Ryff’s Six-factor Model of Psychological Well-being includes which of the following dimensions?
A.Physical Fitness
B.Environmental Mastery
C.Wealth Accumulation
D.Social Status
Correct Answer: Environmental Mastery
Explanation:
Carol Ryff's model includes: Self-Acceptance, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life, Environmental Mastery, Autonomy, and Positive Relations with Others.
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12Which research method involves asking participants to report their feelings at random intervals throughout the day using a pager or smartphone?
A.Retrospective Interview
B.Experience Sampling Method (ESM)
C.Day Reconstruction Method (DRM)
D.Longitudinal Cohort Study
Correct Answer: Experience Sampling Method (ESM)
Explanation:
ESM captures 'happiness in the moment' by prompting participants to record their current state in real-time environments, minimizing memory bias.
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13The concept of Flow, a state of deep absorption and optimal experience, was introduced by:
A.Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
B.Martin Seligman
C.Abraham Maslow
D.Carl Rogers
Correct Answer: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Explanation:
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identified 'Flow' as a state where skill level matches challenge level, resulting in deep engagement.
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14Which personality trait is most strongly positively correlated with happiness?
A.Conscientiousness
B.Openness
C.Neuroticism
D.Extraversion
Correct Answer: Extraversion
Explanation:
Extraversion is consistently the strongest positive personality predictor of subjective well-being, while Neuroticism is the strongest negative predictor.
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15What is the general shape of the relationship between age and happiness across the lifespan in many Western countries?
A.Linear decrease
B.Inverted U-shaped curve
C.Linear increase
D.U-shaped curve
Correct Answer: U-shaped curve
Explanation:
Research often shows a U-bend of happiness, where satisfaction dips in mid-life (40s-50s) and rises again in older age.
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16The PANAS scale is used to measure:
A.Positive and Negative Affect
B.Life Satisfaction
C.Depression levels
D.Meaning in life
Correct Answer: Positive and Negative Affect
Explanation:
PANAS stands for Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, measuring the emotional component of well-being.
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17Bottom-up theories of happiness suggest that:
A.Happiness is a state of mind independent of external events.
B.Happiness is determined by personality traits.
C.Happiness is genetically predetermined.
D.Happiness is the sum of many small positive experiences and satisfied needs.
Correct Answer: Happiness is the sum of many small positive experiences and satisfied needs.
Explanation:
Bottom-up theories argue that overall life satisfaction depends on the accumulation of satisfaction in specific domains (e.g., job, marriage, health).
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18Research on the effects of happiness indicates that happy people generally have:
A.Better physical health and longevity
B.Fewer social relationships
C.Lower career success due to complacency
D.Weaker immune systems due to lack of stress
Correct Answer: Better physical health and longevity
Explanation:
Happiness and positive affect are correlated with stronger immune function, lower cardiovascular risk, and increased longevity.
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19Which of the following is considered a valid critique of self-report measures of happiness?
A.They only work on children.
B.They are influenced by current mood and social desirability bias.
C.They are too expensive to administer.
D.They cannot be analyzed statistically.
Correct Answer: They are influenced by current mood and social desirability bias.
Explanation:
Self-reports can be swayed by the participant's transient mood at the time of the survey or the desire to appear happier than they are.
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20The Undoing Hypothesis within the Broaden-and-Build theory suggests that:
A.Positive emotions correct or 'undo' the aftereffects of negative emotions (e.g., cardiovascular stress).
B.One must undo past trauma to be happy.
C.Happiness is found by undoing social conditioning.
D.Negative emotions undo the progress made by positive emotions.
Correct Answer: Positive emotions correct or 'undo' the aftereffects of negative emotions (e.g., cardiovascular stress).
Explanation:
Fredrickson's Undoing Hypothesis suggests that positive emotions help the body recover physically and psychologically from the arousal caused by negative emotions.
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21Which of the following factors has a relatively weak correlation with long-term happiness once basic needs are met?
A.Meaningful work
B.Quality of social relationships
C.Genetics
D.Income/Wealth
Correct Answer: Income/Wealth
Explanation:
Once basic needs are met, the correlation between additional income and happiness becomes weak (diminishing marginal utility).
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22The Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) attempts to combine the accuracy of real-time measurement with the efficiency of daily diaries by:
A.Using brain scans to reconstruct memories.
B.Recording video of the participants throughout the day.
C.Asking participants to predict their happiness for the next day.
D.Asking participants to reconstruct the previous day into episodes and rate emotions for each.
Correct Answer: Asking participants to reconstruct the previous day into episodes and rate emotions for each.
Explanation:
DRM asks respondents to break their previous day into episodes (e.g., commuting, working) and report the affect experienced during those specific episodes.
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23According to Social Comparison Theory, happiness may decrease if we:
A.Refuse to compare ourselves to others.
B.Focus on our own past performance.
C.Compare ourselves to those less fortunate (downward comparison).
D.Compare ourselves to those who are better off (upward comparison).
Correct Answer: Compare ourselves to those who are better off (upward comparison).
Explanation:
Upward social comparison often leads to feelings of envy, inadequacy, and reduced subjective well-being.
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24Who developed the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), a 4-item global assessment?
A.Martin Seligman
B.Sonja Lyubomirsky
C.Ed Diener
D.Albert Bandura
Correct Answer: Sonja Lyubomirsky
Explanation:
Sonja Lyubomirsky developed the SHS to assess a person's global, subjective assessment of whether they are a happy person.
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25Which term describes the psychological phenomenon where people judge their happiness relative to their recent past experiences?
A.Adaptation Level Theory
B.Self-Determination
C.Flow
D.Broadening
Correct Answer: Adaptation Level Theory
Explanation:
Adaptation Level Theory suggests we judge current stimuli relative to a standard (level) based on past experiences; we get used to things.
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26In the context of the effects of happiness, success is viewed as:
A.The sole cause of happiness.
B.Something that decreases happiness due to stress.
C.Often a consequence or byproduct of happiness.
D.Unrelated to happiness.
Correct Answer: Often a consequence or byproduct of happiness.
Explanation:
Research suggests the arrow of causality runs both ways; happy people are often more likely to be successful in marriage, friendship, income, and health.
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27The Cantril Ladder is a measurement tool that asks respondents to:
A.Imagine a ladder with steps 0-10, where 10 is the best possible life.
B.List their top 10 friends.
C.Climb a physical ladder to test physical well-being.
D.Rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10.
Correct Answer: Imagine a ladder with steps 0-10, where 10 is the best possible life.
Explanation:
The Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale involves imagining a ladder representing the best and worst possible lives and placing oneself on it.
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28Which of the following is a consistent demographic correlate of happiness?
A.Marriage (Married people tend to report higher happiness)
B.Climate (People in hotter climates are always happier)
C.Gender (Men are consistently significantly happier)
D.Education (PhDs are the happiest group)
Correct Answer: Marriage (Married people tend to report higher happiness)
Explanation:
While the causal direction is debated, married individuals consistently report higher levels of SWB than never-married, divorced, or widowed individuals.
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29The 'Set-Point' of happiness is believed to be primarily influenced by:
A.Geographic location
B.Heritable/Genetic factors
C.Income
D.Education level
Correct Answer: Heritable/Genetic factors
Explanation:
Twin studies suggest that the set-point—the baseline happiness level one returns to—is largely determined by genetics/temperament.
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30According to Self-Discrepancy Theory, emotional discomfort arises from:
A.The difference between income and expenses.
B.Having too many choices.
C.The gap between one's 'actual self' and 'ideal self' or 'ought self'.
D.Lack of sleep.
Correct Answer: The gap between one's 'actual self' and 'ideal self' or 'ought self'.
Explanation:
Self-Discrepancy Theory argues that discrepancies between who we are and who we want to be (or feel we should be) cause negative emotions.
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31What is the relationship between social relationships and happiness?
A.They only matter for extroverts.
B.They are necessary but not sufficient for happiness.
C.They are the single most important variable; very happy people usually have strong social ties.
D.Solitude is more correlated with happiness than socializing.
Correct Answer: They are the single most important variable; very happy people usually have strong social ties.
Explanation:
Diener and Seligman found that 'very happy' people were highly social and had stronger romantic and social relationships than less happy people.
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32Which intervention has been empirically shown to increase well-being by focusing on the past?
Expressing gratitude for past benefits or towards people who helped in the past is a proven intervention to boost SWB.
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33Top-down theories of happiness emphasize:
A.That specific joyful events build up to create happiness.
B.The role of government in creating happiness.
C.That happiness comes from spiritual authorities.
D.That personality and cognitive outlook determine how we perceive events.
Correct Answer: That personality and cognitive outlook determine how we perceive events.
Explanation:
Top-down theories suggest that an individual's global propensity to experience the world in a positive way influences their momentary satisfaction.
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34The positivity ratio (often cited as roughly ) refers to:
A.The ratio of positive to negative emotions required to flourish.
B.The ratio of money spent on others vs. self.
C.The ratio of happy people to unhappy people in a country.
D.The ratio of work hours to leisure hours.
Correct Answer: The ratio of positive to negative emotions required to flourish.
Explanation:
Fredrickson proposed (though the exact math is debated) that flourishing requires experiencing significantly more positive emotions than negative ones (tipping point).
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35In the context of the effects of happiness on cognition, positive affect is associated with:
A.Global, flexible, and creative thinking
B.Reduced problem-solving ability
C.Narrow, focused attention
D.Analytical, critical thinking
Correct Answer: Global, flexible, and creative thinking
Explanation:
Positive affect generally promotes cognitive flexibility, creativity, and a 'big picture' focus (associated with Broaden-and-Build).
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36Which of the following is an example of Savoring?
A.Analyzing why a bad event happened
B.Mindlessly eating while watching TV
C.Mentally prolonging a positive experience by sharing it with others
D.Moving quickly to the next task after a success
Correct Answer: Mentally prolonging a positive experience by sharing it with others
Explanation:
Savoring involves thoughts or behaviors capable of generating, intensifying, and prolonging enjoyment.
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37The Nun Study (Danner et al., 2001) is famous in positive psychology for demonstrating that:
A.Diet is the main factor in well-being.
B.Prayer is the only path to happiness.
C.Positive emotional content in early-life autobiographies predicted longevity.
D.Nuns are happier than the general population.
Correct Answer: Positive emotional content in early-life autobiographies predicted longevity.
Explanation:
The study analyzed essays written by nuns in their 20s and found that those expressing more positive emotions lived significantly longer.
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38What is the primary focus of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire?
A.Assessing financial satisfaction
B.Measuring momentary pleasure
C.Measuring broad psychological well-being including self-esteem and sense of purpose
D.Diagnosing depression
Correct Answer: Measuring broad psychological well-being including self-esteem and sense of purpose
Explanation:
The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire measures happiness as a broad construct involving self-esteem, sense of purpose, social interest, and humor.
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39Which concept describes the pursuit of goals that are consistent with one's core values and interests?
A.Hedonism
B.Self-Concordance
C.Learned Helplessness
D.Extrinsic motivation
Correct Answer: Self-Concordance
Explanation:
Self-concordant goals are those that match a person's enduring interests and values, leading to greater well-being upon attainment.
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40Regarding the correlation between health and happiness:
A.Objective health (doctor's report) correlates stronger than subjective health.
B.There is no correlation.
C.Only mental health matters, not physical health.
D.Subjective perception of health correlates stronger than objective health stats.
Correct Answer: Subjective perception of health correlates stronger than objective health stats.
Explanation:
How a person perceives their health is a stronger predictor of their happiness than their actual medical records (objective health).
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41The Telos in Aristotelian virtue ethics relates to happiness as:
A.The moment of physical pleasure.
B.The end goal or purpose of human life.
C.The accumulation of wealth.
D.The avoidance of death.
Correct Answer: The end goal or purpose of human life.
Explanation:
Telos means 'end' or 'purpose'. Aristotle viewed Eudaimonia as the telos of human life.
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42Studies on purchasing and happiness suggest that:
A.Spending money never increases happiness.
B.Saving money is the only way to be happy.
C.Buying material goods brings more sustained happiness than experiences.
D.Buying experiences brings more happiness than material goods.
Correct Answer: Buying experiences brings more happiness than material goods.
Explanation:
Experiential purchases (travel, concerts) tend to yield more lasting happiness due to positive memories and social connection, whereas material goods succumb to adaptation.
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43Which of the following describes Telic theories of happiness?
A.Happiness comes from the journey, not the destination.
B.Happiness is biological.
C.Happiness is achieved when a specific state or goal is reached.
D.Happiness is random.
Correct Answer: Happiness is achieved when a specific state or goal is reached.
Explanation:
Telic (from 'telos') theories suggest happiness results from the attainment of goals or needs.
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44Cultural differences in happiness measurement show that Collectivist cultures tend to:
A.Rate happiness based on personal achievement.
B.Rate happiness based on social harmony and fulfilling duties.
C.Report higher levels of happiness than Individualist cultures.
D.Not value happiness at all.
Correct Answer: Rate happiness based on social harmony and fulfilling duties.
Explanation:
In collectivist cultures, well-being is often tied to social context, relationship harmony, and meeting social expectations rather than personal self-esteem.
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45The Peak-End Rule suggests that when people evaluate a past experience, they focus on:
A.How long the experience lasted (duration neglect).
B.The most intense moment (peak) and the final moment (end).
C.The very beginning and the very end.
D.The average of every moment experienced.
Correct Answer: The most intense moment (peak) and the final moment (end).
Explanation:
Kahneman's research shows that memory of an experience is dominated by the most intense point and the end, ignoring the total duration.
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46Which neurotransmitter is most commonly associated with the reward system and the anticipation of pleasure?
A.Melatonin
B.Dopamine
C.Cortisol
D.Serotonin
Correct Answer: Dopamine
Explanation:
Dopamine is key to the brain's reward system, driving motivation, desire, and the anticipation of pleasure.
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47In the context of measurements, what does 'Social Desirability' refer to?
A.The desire to be famous.
B.The goal of social policy.
C.The correlation between extraversion and happiness.
D.A response bias where respondents answer in a way that will be viewed favorably by others.
Correct Answer: A response bias where respondents answer in a way that will be viewed favorably by others.
Explanation:
It is a bias in self-report measures where participants deny negative traits and claim positive ones to look good to the researcher.
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48Research suggests that unemployment:
A.Has a scarring effect and significantly lowers SWB, often without full adaptation.
B.Has a temporary negative effect that people adapt to fully within 2 months.
C.Increases happiness due to more free time.
D.Has no impact on life satisfaction.
Correct Answer: Has a scarring effect and significantly lowers SWB, often without full adaptation.
Explanation:
Unlike many other life events, people often do not fully adapt to the loss of well-being associated with long-term unemployment.
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49The concept of 'Flourishing' usually implies:
A.High psychological and social well-being combined with high emotional well-being.
B.High positive affect and low negative affect only.
C.Making a lot of money.
D.Being physically fit.
Correct Answer: High psychological and social well-being combined with high emotional well-being.
Explanation:
Flourishing (often measured by Keyes' Mental Health Continuum) implies optimal functioning in emotional, psychological, and social domains.
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50Which variable helps explain why some people stay happy despite adversity (Resilience)?
The ability to reinterpret negative events in a less threatening or more temporary way (reframing) is a key component of resilience and sustained well-being.