Increasing population happiness through the distribution of resources
Abstract
This paper concerns the ways in which public policy regarding the distribution of resources might be used to increase the happiness of the Thai population. The term happiness refers to the subjective side of life quality, which in contemporary science is more commonly referred to as subjective wellbeing (SWB). The SWB construct is described within the theoretical context of SWB homeostasis. This is a proposed management system which has the role of maintaining a positive view of the self. It will be described how the homeostatic system can be challenged by hardship. The resources that the system requires to manage such challenges will also be described. Recommended forms of SWB measurement will be considered. It is concluded that public policy which directs resources to disadvantaged population sectors may be one of the most effective initiatives to enhance population wellbeing and national productivity.
References
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30. 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, Vol. 25, pp. 295-306.
31. Lykken, D. & Tellegen, A. 1996. "Happiness in a Stockastic Phenomenon." Psychological Science, Vol. 7, pp. 186-9.
32. Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. & Diener, E. 2005. "The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?" Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 131, pp. 803-55.
33. Ministry of Women Family and Community Development 2007, retrieved 27 May 2007, <http://www.kpwkm.gov.my>.
34. 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, Vol. 42, pp. 5-37.
35. Sarason, B.R., Sarason, I.G. & Pierce, G.R. 1990. Social Support: An Interactional View. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
36. Schalock, R.L. 1997. "The Conceptualization and Measurement of Quality of Life: Current Status and Future Considerations." Journal of Developmental Disabilities, Vol. 5, pp. 1-21.
37. Spilker, B. 1990. "Introduction". Quality of life assessments in clinical trials, Raven Press, New York.
38. Stening, B.W. & Everett, J.E. 1984. "Response Styles in a Cross-Cultural Managerial Study." Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 122, pp. 151-6.
39. United Nations 2006, "Table 15: Inequality in income or expenditure (PDF). Human Development Report 2006 335. United Nations Development Programme," retrieved 21 May 2007, <http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/pdfs/report/HDR06-complete.pdf#page=335>.
40. World Bank 1997, World Values Surveys; GNP/Capita purchasing PowerEstimates from World Bank, World Development Report, 1997, Inglehart, R. Collection of Graphs Presenting WVS Data, retrieved 13 January, 2007, <http://margaux.grandvinum.se/SebTest/wvs/articles/folder_published/article_base_56>.
41. Wu, Z. & Schimmele, C.M. 2006. "Psychological Disposition and Self-Reported Health Among the ‘Oldest-old’ in China." Ageing & Society, Vol. 26, pp. 135-51.
2. Andrews, F.M. & Withey, S.B. 1976. Social indicators of well-being: American's perceptions of life quality. Plenum Press, New York.
3. Braungart, J.M., Plomin, R., DeFries, J.C. & Fulker, D.W. 1992. Genetic influence on tester-rated infant temperament as assessed by Bayley's infant behavior record: Nonadoptive and adoptive siblings and twins. Developmental Psychology, Vol. 28, pp. 40-7.
4. Campbell, A., Converse, P.E. & Rodgers, W.L. 1976. The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations, and satisfactions. Russell Sage Foundation, New York.
5. Canadian International Development Agency 2005, The Second International Conference on Gross National Happiness, retrieved 27 May 2007, <http://www.gpiatlantic.org/conference>.
6. Cummins, R.A. 1995. "On the Trail of the gold Standard for Life Satisfaction." Social Indicators Research, Vol. 35, pp. 179-200.
7. Cummins, R.A. 1998. "The Second Approximation to an International Standard of Life Satisfaction. Social Indicators Research," Vol. 43, pp. 307-34.
8. Cummins, R.A. 2000a. "Objective and Subjective Quality of Life: An Interactive Model." Social Indicators Research, Vol. 52, pp. 55-72.
9. Cummins, R.A. 2000b. "Personal Income and Subjective Well-Being: A Review." Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 1, pp. 133-58.
10. Cummins, R.A. 2001. "The Subjective Well-Being of People Caring for a Severely Disabled Family Member at Home: A Review." Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Vol. 26, pp. 83-100.
11. Cummins, R.A. 2003. "Normative Life Satisfaction: Measurement Issues and a Homeostatic Model." Social Indicators Research, Vol. 64, pp. 225-56.
12. Cummins, R.A. & Nistico, H. 2002. "Maintaining Life Satisfaction: The Role of Positive Cognitive Bias." Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 3, pp. 37-69.
13. 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, Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp. 7-46.
14. Cummins, R.A., Walter, J. & Woerner, J. 2007, Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 16.1 - "The Wellbeing of Australians - Groups with the highest and lowest wellbeing in Australia", Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne.
15. 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, Vol. 64, pp. 159-90.
16. Cummins, R.A., Woerner, J., Tomyn, A., Gibson, A. & Knapp, T. 2006, Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 16.0 - "The Wellbeing of Australians - Mortgage payments and home ownership", Australian Centre on Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Deakin University, <http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm>.
17. Davern, M., Cummins, R.A. & Stokes, M. 2007. "Subjective Wellbeing as an Affective-Cognitive Construct." Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 8, pp. 429-49.
18. Diener, E. 2006. "Guidelines for National Indicators of Subjective Well-being and Ill-being." Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 7, pp. 397-404.
19. Diener, E., Emmons, R.A., Larsen, R.J. & Griffin, S. 1985. "The Satisfaction with Life Scale." Journal of Personality Assessment, Vol. 49, pp. 71-5.
20. Dolan, P., Peasgood, T. & White, M. 2006, Review of Research on the Influences on Personal Well-Being and Application to Policy Making, Tanaka Business School, Imperial College, retrieved 28 May, 2007, <www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/publications/pdf/WellbeingProject2.pdf>.
21. Fordyce, M.W. 1983. "A Program to Increase Happiness: Further Studies." Journal of Counseling Psychology, Vol. 30, pp. 483-98.
22. Griffoin, A. 2007, "Is happiness measurable and what do those measures mean for policy?," retrieved OECD Statistics Newsletter April 2007, <http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/19/38492896.pdf>.
23. 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, Vol. 17, pp. 777-84.
24. Headey, B. 1981. "The Quality of Life in Australia." Social Indicators Research, Vol. 9, pp. 155-81.
25. Headey, B. & Wearing, A. 1989. "Personality, Life Events, and Subjective Well-Being: Toward a Dynamic Equilibrium Model." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 57, pp. 731-9.
26. Henderson, S. 1977. "The Social Network, Support and Neurosis. The Function of Attachment in Adult Life." British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 131, pp. 185-91.
27. Hoornweg, D., Ruiz Nunez, F., Freire, M., Palugyai, N., Villaveces, M. & Herrera, E.W. 2007, "City Indicators: Now to Nanjing", retrieved 28 May 2007, <http://ssrn.com/abstract=958174>.
28. International Wellbeing Group 2006, "Personal Wellbeing Index," retrieved 28/12/06, <http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing_index.htm>.
29. 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, Vol. 72, pp. 403-30.
30. 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, Vol. 25, pp. 295-306.
31. Lykken, D. & Tellegen, A. 1996. "Happiness in a Stockastic Phenomenon." Psychological Science, Vol. 7, pp. 186-9.
32. Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. & Diener, E. 2005. "The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?" Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 131, pp. 803-55.
33. Ministry of Women Family and Community Development 2007, retrieved 27 May 2007, <http://www.kpwkm.gov.my>.
34. 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, Vol. 42, pp. 5-37.
35. Sarason, B.R., Sarason, I.G. & Pierce, G.R. 1990. Social Support: An Interactional View. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
36. Schalock, R.L. 1997. "The Conceptualization and Measurement of Quality of Life: Current Status and Future Considerations." Journal of Developmental Disabilities, Vol. 5, pp. 1-21.
37. Spilker, B. 1990. "Introduction". Quality of life assessments in clinical trials, Raven Press, New York.
38. Stening, B.W. & Everett, J.E. 1984. "Response Styles in a Cross-Cultural Managerial Study." Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 122, pp. 151-6.
39. United Nations 2006, "Table 15: Inequality in income or expenditure (PDF). Human Development Report 2006 335. United Nations Development Programme," retrieved 21 May 2007, <http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/pdfs/report/HDR06-complete.pdf#page=335>.
40. World Bank 1997, World Values Surveys; GNP/Capita purchasing PowerEstimates from World Bank, World Development Report, 1997, Inglehart, R. Collection of Graphs Presenting WVS Data, retrieved 13 January, 2007, <http://margaux.grandvinum.se/SebTest/wvs/articles/folder_published/article_base_56>.
41. Wu, Z. & Schimmele, C.M. 2006. "Psychological Disposition and Self-Reported Health Among the ‘Oldest-old’ in China." Ageing & Society, Vol. 26, pp. 135-51.
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Published
2018-07-24
How to Cite
Cummins, R. A. (2018). Increasing population happiness through the distribution of resources. Thailand and The World Economy, 26(2), 29–48. Retrieved from https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/TER/article/view/136449
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Research Article
