Concepts of happiness across time and cultures

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Oishi, Shigehiro
Publication Date: 2012
Other Authors: Graham, Jesse, Kesebir, Selin, Galinha, Iolanda Costa
Format: Article
Language: eng
Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/11144/1836
Summary: We explored cultural and historical variations in concepts of happiness. First, we analyzed the definitions of happiness in dictionaries from 30 nations to understand cultural similarities and differences in happiness concepts. Second, we analyzed the definition of happiness in Webster’s dictionaries from 1850 to present day to understand historical changes in American English. Third, we coded the State of the Union addresses given by U.S. presidents from 1790 to 2010. Finally, we investigated the appearance of the phrases happy nation versus happy person in Google Ngram Viewer from 1800 to 2008. Across cultures and time, happiness was most frequently defined as good luck and favorable external conditions. However, in American English, this definition was replaced by definitions focused on favorable internal feeling states. Our findings highlight the value of a historical perspective in the study of psychological concepts.
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spelling Concepts of happiness across time and cultureshappinesssubjective well-beingculturehistoricalWe explored cultural and historical variations in concepts of happiness. First, we analyzed the definitions of happiness in dictionaries from 30 nations to understand cultural similarities and differences in happiness concepts. Second, we analyzed the definition of happiness in Webster’s dictionaries from 1850 to present day to understand historical changes in American English. Third, we coded the State of the Union addresses given by U.S. presidents from 1790 to 2010. Finally, we investigated the appearance of the phrases happy nation versus happy person in Google Ngram Viewer from 1800 to 2008. Across cultures and time, happiness was most frequently defined as good luck and favorable external conditions. However, in American English, this definition was replaced by definitions focused on favorable internal feeling states. Our findings highlight the value of a historical perspective in the study of psychological concepts.Sage Publications2015-10-05T15:02:22Z2012-01-01T00:00:00Z2012info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11144/1836eng10.1177/0146167213480042Oishi, ShigehiroGraham, JesseKesebir, SelinGalinha, Iolanda Costainfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)instname:FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainstacron:RCAAP2024-08-01T02:00:03Zoai:repositorio.ual.pt:11144/1836Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireinfo@rcaap.ptopendoar:https://opendoar.ac.uk/repository/71602025-05-28T18:39:40.652998Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP) - FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
title Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
spellingShingle Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
Oishi, Shigehiro
happiness
subjective well-being
culture
historical
title_short Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
title_full Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
title_fullStr Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
title_full_unstemmed Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
title_sort Concepts of happiness across time and cultures
author Oishi, Shigehiro
author_facet Oishi, Shigehiro
Graham, Jesse
Kesebir, Selin
Galinha, Iolanda Costa
author_role author
author2 Graham, Jesse
Kesebir, Selin
Galinha, Iolanda Costa
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Oishi, Shigehiro
Graham, Jesse
Kesebir, Selin
Galinha, Iolanda Costa
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv happiness
subjective well-being
culture
historical
topic happiness
subjective well-being
culture
historical
description We explored cultural and historical variations in concepts of happiness. First, we analyzed the definitions of happiness in dictionaries from 30 nations to understand cultural similarities and differences in happiness concepts. Second, we analyzed the definition of happiness in Webster’s dictionaries from 1850 to present day to understand historical changes in American English. Third, we coded the State of the Union addresses given by U.S. presidents from 1790 to 2010. Finally, we investigated the appearance of the phrases happy nation versus happy person in Google Ngram Viewer from 1800 to 2008. Across cultures and time, happiness was most frequently defined as good luck and favorable external conditions. However, in American English, this definition was replaced by definitions focused on favorable internal feeling states. Our findings highlight the value of a historical perspective in the study of psychological concepts.
publishDate 2012
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z
2012
2015-10-05T15:02:22Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11144/1836
url http://hdl.handle.net/11144/1836
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 10.1177/0146167213480042
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Sage Publications
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Sage Publications
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
instname:FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
instacron:RCAAP
instname_str FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
instacron_str RCAAP
institution RCAAP
reponame_str Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
collection Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
repository.name.fl_str_mv Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP) - FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
repository.mail.fl_str_mv info@rcaap.pt
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