Title: Thinking outside the box about indicators of well-being: agency, communion and positivity

Authors: Danilo Garcia; Erik Lindskär; Trevor Archer

Addresses: Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health (CELAM), University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 8, SE 431 41 Mölndal, Gothenburg, Sweden; Network for Empowerment and Well-Being, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 500, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden ' Network for Empowerment and Well-Being, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 500, SE 405-30 Gothenburg, Sweden ' Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 500, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; Network for Empowerment and Well-Being, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 500, SE 405-30 Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract: Flourishing encompasses both feeling good and doing good and is suggested to be a function of high positivity. The present study investigated the relationship between agentic (e.g., being autonomous, responsible and having self-control) and communal (e.g., showing empathy, helping behaviour and social tolerance) traits to positivity. Positivity was measured as either a two-dimensional construct comprising positive and negative affect, as positivity ratios (i.e., positive affect/negative affect) and as affect balance (i.e., positive affect-negative affect). The results suggest that agency and communion predict high levels of positivity and that positivity as a two-dimensional construct might be a more straightforward and theoretically sound way of measuring positivity. Agency, communion and positivity, however, show evidence of being separate indicators of well-being. Further empirical work should answer the question whether agency and communion (i.e., doing good) and positivity (i.e., feeling good) could be used as an index of a nation success.

Keywords: affect balance; agency; character; communion; cooperativeness; flourishing; negative affect; positive affect; positivity ratio; self-directedness; well-being index; community; autonomous; responsibility; self-control; empathy; helping behaviour; social tolerance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2015.070078

International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2015 Vol.2 No.2, pp.182 - 191

Received: 11 Aug 2014
Accepted: 18 Nov 2014
Published online: 26 Jun 2015 *

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