International Journal of Happiness and Development (6 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Happiness and sustainable consumption in centennials: a multigroup analysis of environmental knowledge and willingness to pay for products with eco-friendly packaging  
  by Orlando Josué Martínez-Arvizu, Mario Alberto Salazar-Altamirano, Pedro Cuesta Valiño 
  Abstract: As sustainable consumption gains importance, understanding the willingness to pay (WTP) for eco-friendly products is crucial for academia, businesses, and policymakers. This study explores the impact of environmental knowledge and consumer happiness on centennials WTP for products with eco-friendly packaging. A survey of 390 young Mexicans was analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and multigroup analysis (MGA) by gender. Findings show that environmental knowledge positively influences WTP, partially mediated by consumer happiness. Gender differences emerged: for women, knowledge has a direct impact, while for men, happiness plays a more substantial mediating role. It suggests that women rely more on environmental information in purchasing decisions, whereas men are driven by emotional satisfaction from sustainable consumption. These insights expand consumer happiness theory and offer strategic implications for gender-differentiated marketing and public policies that link wellbeing to sustainable habits.
  Keywords: consumer happiness; environmental knowledge; WTP; willingness to pay; sustainable consumption; eco-friendly packaging; centennials; multigroup analysis; gender differences; pro-environmental behaviour; structural equation modelling.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2025.10077535
   
  
• Going beyond GDP and the problem of construct validity in well-being science: what are we really measuring?  
  by Luciano Espósito Sewaybricker, Gustavo Martineli Massola 
  Abstract: The global movement to transcend gross domestic product (GDP) as a sole indicator increasingly positions happiness and well-being as crucial alternative measures of progress; however, this shift introduces significant conceptual and methodological challenges, particularly regarding construct validity. This paper critically examines the historical interplay between wellbeing science and government policies, arguing that the strong emphasis on large-scale measurement, often driven by economic perspectives, frequently overlooks theoretical depth and the inherent complexities of happiness and well-being. Using the example of the Guarani Mby
  Keywords: beyond GDP; GDP; gross domestic product; construct validity; well-being science; measurement; wellbeing; happiness; public policy; epistemic injustice.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2026.10077536
   
  
• Psychological need satisfaction and mental well-being: the sequential mediating roles of authenticity and self-esteem  
  by Zeynep Şimşir Gökalp, Kemal Baytemir 
  Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the multiple mediations of authenticity and self-esteem in the relationship between psychological need satisfaction and mental well-being levels of young adults. The sample comprised 452 young adults, 309 (68%) females, and 143 (32%) males aged 1835. The results showed that both single and multiple mediation effects of authenticity and self-esteem were significant in the relationship between psychological need satisfaction and mental well-being. Moreover, the single mediation effect of self-esteem was more robust than the models in which authenticity and self-esteem mediated together. However, no statistically significant difference was detected between the model mediated by authenticity alone and that mediated by self-esteem alone. Based on the findings, as young adults meet their psychological need satisfaction, their authenticity and selfesteem levels increase, and as a result, their mental well-being levels increase. These results were evaluated and contextualised within the framework of prior research.
  Keywords: psychological need satisfaction; mental well-being; authenticity; self-esteem; young adults; happiness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2026.10079992
   
  
• Empowering Dalit women for sustainable development: mediating effects of socio-psychological determinants on discrimination and empowerment  
  by Monika , Piar Chand Ryhal, Sunder Kala Negi 
  Abstract: This study examines how caste-based discrimination influences the empowerment of Dalit women in Himachal Pradesh through psychosocial mediating mechanisms using structural equation modelling (SEM). Empowerment is conceptualised as a psychosocially mediated process structured through two higher-order constructs: Psychosocial Barriers (social exclusion, stigma, stereotype internalisation) and Psychosocial Resources (education, health, social support, self-efficacy). Findings reveal that discrimination does not exert a significant direct effect on empowerment but operates indirectly through these pathways. Discrimination is positively associated with psychosocial barriers, which are negatively related to empowerment, and negatively associated with psychosocial resources, which positively influence empowerment. This dual pathway indicates that structural discrimination corresponds with heightened barriers and diminished enabling capacities. The study advances empowerment theory by proposing and empirically validating a parsimonious dual higher-order psychosocial framework explaining how structural inequality shapes psychological empowerment outcomes among Dalit women.
  Keywords: Dalit women; caste-based discrimination; psychological empowerment; self-efficacy; social exclusion; stigma; education.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2026.10080063
   
  
• Impact of innovation on happiness  
  by Sharon Hadad 
  Abstract: This study examines the relation between national innovation and national happiness using cross-sectional data from 127 countries. Innovation is measured by the Innovation Output Sub-Index from the Global Innovation Index, whereas happiness is proxied by the Ladder Score in the 2024 World Happiness Report. To address potential endogeneity, we apply two-stage least squares estimation, using the Innovation Input Sub-Index as an instrument. The results suggest that innovation has a significant positive effect on happiness, particularly in countries with lower gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. However, the marginal benefit declines as income rises, becoming negligible or even negative beyond a GDP per capita of approximately USD 62,500. These findings suggest that innovations impact on national happiness varies systematically with economic development, with stronger effects observed in lower-income countries. This study contributes to the economics of happiness by identifying income-based heterogeneity in the innovationhappiness link and offering relevant policy insights.
  Keywords: innovation; happiness; subjective well-being; SWB; life satisfaction; economics of happiness; endogeneity; instrumental variables; two-stage least squares; 2SLS; GDP per capita; gross domestic product per capita; income inequality; Easterlin Paradox; Global Innovation Index; GII; economic development.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2026.10080302
   
  
• Advertising and media across cultures: a detailed look at wellbeing effects  
  by Namho Kim, Alexander Pastukhov, Astrid Schütz 
  Abstract: This study examines the relationship between advertising spending and three dimensions of subjective well-being (SWB): life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. While the association between advertising spending and life satisfaction showed mixed results, advertising spending demonstrated consistent positive correlations with affective well-being. Our findings reveal that cultural dimensions and national wealth moderate these relationships. In societies with stronger long-term orientation, advertising spending had weaker associations with all affective well-being measures. In less economically developed countries, advertising showed stronger relationships with affective well-being, potentially due to its entertainment value. Channel-specific analysis indicated that advertising through entertainment-focused media (magazines, cinema) positively correlated with affective well-being, while unavoidable advertising exposure (out-of-home, television) showed negative correlations. These findings suggest that advertisings impact on well-being depends on cultural context, economic development, and advertising channels, highlighting the complex relationship between consumerism, advertising, and SWB.
  Keywords: SWB; subjective well-being; happiness; life satisfaction; emotional well-being; advertising; culture; determinants of SWB; DAG; directed acyclic graph.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJHD.2026.10080318