Sustainable Change in Long-Term Positive Affect

长期积极影响的可持续变化

• 批准号: 6725147
• 负责人: Sonja Lyubomirsky
• 金额: $ 19.74万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6725147
• 关键词: European; behavior modification; behavioral /social science research tag; behavioral genetics; behavioral medicine; caucasian American; clinical depression; clinical research; emotions; human subject; human therapy evaluation; immigrant; lifestyle; longitudinal human study; patient oriented research; psychotherapy; quality of life; racial /ethnic difference; southeast Asian; university student

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Long-term positive affect (the core component of happiness or well-being) is a central criterion of mental health and has been found to be associated with numerous tangible benefits, such as enhanced physical health, heightened vocational and social functioning, superior coping skills, and even longer life. Although enhancing people's levels of positive affect thus appears to be a worthy scientific goal, a surprisingly modest amount of scientific research has focused on how well-being can be increased, let alone sustained. Moreover, the broad conclusion of the existing work is that the pursuit of happiness may be futile. Two major findings support this pessimism - the idea of a genetically -determined set point for well-being, and the notion of a hedonic treadmill. Both of these ideas suggest that, even after intensely positive life events or circumstantial changes, people are fated to return to their previous "baseline" of well-being. Nevertheless, emerging research findings give reason for optimism regarding the possibility of sustainable well-being increases. How can this paradox be resolved? The research question motivating this application is "By what mechanisms can a level of well-being higher than a person's genetically-determined set point be achieved and sustained?" We believe that durable increases are indeed possible and focus our investigation on identifying the mechanisms of sustainable change in long-term positive affect. Accordingly, we present a new conceptual model of well-being, which proposes that an individual's chronic happiness level is governed by three classes of factors - (1) his or her genetically-determined set point (or set range) for happiness, which is relatively immune to influence, (2) happiness-relevant circumstantial factors (such as location, income, and marital status), which are difficult but not impossible to change, and (3) intentional cognitive, motivational, and behavioral activities that can influence well-being, and are feasible but effortful to deploy. Seven longitudinal studies (8 mos. to 2 yrs.) are proposed, which comparatively examine the immediate and longer-term effects of applying three promising happiness-boosting activities: 'counting one's blessings," "visualizing best possible selves,' and 'committing acts of kindness." The studies will include undergraduate samples, as well as community adult, and immigrant South Korean and Russian samples. In addition, we will test whether the model can be applied to clinically depressed individuals, as most depression interventions have focused on remedying distress, rather than increasing well-being directly. Several moderators (dedicated activity enactment, optimal timing and variety of activity enactment, personality-activity fit, interpersonal support, and basic circumstances) and one mediator (accumulated positive daily experiences) of activity-based happiness increases will be examined.

描述（由申请人提供）：长期积极影响（幸福或幸福感的核心组成部分）是心理健康的中心标准，已被发现与许多有形的好处相关，例如增强的身体健康，提高职业和社会功能，卓越的应对能力，甚至更长的寿命。尽管增强人们的积极影响水平似乎是一个值得的科学目标，但出乎意料的适度的科学研究集中在如何增加福祉上，更不用说持续了。此外，现有工作的广泛结论是，追求幸福可能是徒劳的。两个主要发现支持这种悲观主义 - 遗传确定的幸福感和享乐跑步机的概念的想法。这两种想法都表明，即使在强烈积极的生活事件或环境变化之后，人们也会恢复其以前的幸福感。然而，新兴的研究结果使人们对可持续福祉增加的可能性有了乐观的理由。如何解决这个悖论？ 促使该应用的研究问题是“通过哪些机制可以达到和持续的遗传确定的设定点的水平？”我们认为，持久的增加确实是可能的，并将我们的调查集中在确定长期积极影响中可持续变化的机制上。 Accordingly, we present a new conceptual model of well-being, which proposes that an individual's chronic happiness level is governed by three classes of factors - (1) his or her genetically-determined set point (or set range) for happiness, which is relatively immune to influence, (2) happiness-relevant circumstantial factors (such as location, income, and marital status), which are difficult but not impossible to change, and (3) intentional cognitive, motivational, and behavioral activities这可能会影响幸福感，并且可行但努力部署。七项纵向研究（8个月至2个 提出了Yrs。）提出，它相对检查应用三个有希望的幸福活动的直接和长期影响：“计算一个人的祝福”，“可视化最佳的自我，并承诺善意行为。”研究将包括本科生的样本，以及临时抑郁症，以及最初的抑郁症。干预措施的重点是补救困扰，而不是直接提高福祉（专门的活动颁布，最佳的时机和各种活动纳入，人格活动拟合，人际关系支持和基本情况）以及一个基于活动的幸福感（积极的日常经验）。