Chapter - 5

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

 Happiness is not a fleeting matter. It is not a short-lived or variable

thing. If no major life-changes occur, it remains essentially stable

(Veenhoven, 1997). Certainly our own h a p p i n e s s varies over time, not

only day to day, b u t year to year. For most of u s , certain periods of life

obviously stick out in our mind a s being m u c h happier t h a n others. It

appears that, h a p p i n e s s t e n d s to fluctuate around a relatively stable

"base-point" for most of u s . Not only do most individuals' h a p p i n e s s

levels remain fairly stable over time, b u t also the happiness-traits which

create them. According to research despite daily or even yearly u p s a n d

downs, most people's h a p p i n e s s changes little over time. Both, in short-

term studies, or in longitudinal investigations, the d a t a shows t h a t most

people remain pretty m u c h the same in their happiness-levels.We w a n t

to know more about what contributes to h a p p i n e s s or what m a k e s a

person optimistic, kind ,giving, content, engaged, purposive or even

brilliant, the qualities that happy people seem to have more t h a n others.

To study this one h a s to look into their virtues a n d strengths.

Character strengths are those aspects of personality t h a t are

morally valued. As Baumrind(1998) noted, "It takes virtuous character to

will the good, and competence to do good well. Seligman and

Csikszentmihal}^ (2000) write "Psychologists need now to call for massive

research on h u m a n strengths and virtues.Character strengths have a

structure. In other words, people are high or low on different strengths of

character, and certain profiles are more typical t h a n others. Strengths

119

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

are moral traits whereas talents have nothing to do with morality.

Character h a s important consequences, but these consequences differ

according to the specific strength. Some character strengths are strongly

linked to happiness, others to physical health, a n d still others to success

at school and work. Although character strengths are usually stable over

time, they can and do change in response to important life events or a s a

result of deliberate actions that result in lifestyle changes. These

strengths refer to qualities within individuals t h a t lead t h e m to desire

and p u r s u e the good. It matters because it leads people to do the right

thing a n d the right thing can be productive a n d profitable.Strengths are

a component of virtues a n d are positive in n a t u r e . Virtues a n d vices are a

part of a person's value system,enduring beliefs of what is most

important to an individual, a set of ingrained rules that a n individual

lives by and it encompasses one's character.

It is around the family and home t h a t one's most dominating

individual virtues are created and the value system of h u m a n society is

strengthened and maintained.Family relationships shape adolescent

patterns of adaptation and manner of dealing with the outside

world.Parents have a duty to offer their children the best possible

environment in which to grow u p so they can become well-rounded a n d

secure adults.Itprovides the immediate environment conducive to the

growth and developmentof the child. Parents indicate to children the

path to true happiness.Adolescents are in need of a lot of a s s u r a n c e , a

120

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

stage commonly known a s 'identity crises - a critical turning point in the

life history of an individual. They are at their most vulnerable a n d

impressionable at this stage of life.Not only p a r e n t s b u t peers a n d the

other peripheral process have a major contribution to the overall

emerging temperament and character of the adolescent which in t u r n

h a s a n impact on how a n d what m a k e s them happy.

Happiness among adolescents was examined in this study along

with a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the influence of family environment and

character strengths on happiness.The study was done on a sample of

738 adolescents t h a t included boys (446) a n d girls (292). The sample

was further categorized on the basis of the class (juniors, 404; seniors,

334) a n d the type of school (Day school, 482; Boarding School, 256). The

s t u d e n t s were administered the Happiness Schedule (prepared by the

author). Family Environment Scale (Bhatia SsChadha, 1993) a n d the

Children's Strengths Survey (Dahlsgaard, 2002).

The major findings on the study are presented according to the

happiness, family environment a n d core virtues:

A. Happiness

• Adolescent girls are happier t h a n boys with their immediate family,

relatives and significant others. They are also happier in the choice of

their leisure activities and the things they indulge in.

• Adolescents studying in day schools are significantly happier t h a n the

boarding school adolescents on the leisure domain. However, on the

121

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

 domain of indulgences, it is the adolescents from boarding schools

who are happier.

• The junior children were happier than their seniors on the

relationship a n d the leisure domains of happiness.

Family environment

• Girls reported higher scores on aJl the 3 dimensions of the Family

Environment Scale, thereby indicating t h a t they perceive better family

environment in t e r m s of relationships, personal growth a n d system

maintenance in their families.

• Adolescents studying in the boarding schoolsreported open expression

of feelings and more involvement in the family and perceive higher

degrees of the extent of independence encouraged. On the other h a n d ,

adolescents from day schools report higher degrees of control on the

system maintenance dimension in their family.

• Children from junior classes reported better interpersonal relations

a n d closeness a n d indicated a higher degree of independence a n d

personal growth in their families.

Core virtues

• Adolescent girls showed stronger core virtues t h a n the adolescent

boys.

• Adolescents studying in day schools h a d significantly higher scores on

wisdom and knowledge, justice, temperance and transcendence.

122

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

• The junior children scored significantly higher on the virtue of

courage t h a n the seniors.

Family environment and happiness

• Family environment significantly and positively influences the

happiness of adolescents. All the dimensions of the family

environment contribute to h a p p i n e s s in all the three domains. This

influence is common for both girls a n d boys.

• A differential influence of family environment on the h a p p i n e s s of

adolescents study in day schools a n d boarding schools. Though family

environment influences the happiness of these adolescents the

personal growth dimension of family environment of day scholars does

not significantly contribute to the performance-achievement domain of

happiness. Similarly, the system-maintenance dimension of family

environment of adolescents from boarding schools h a s no significant

influence on the leisure and indulgences domains of h a p p i n e s s .

• All the dimensions of family environment of adolescents stud5dng in

junior classes significantly influenced their h a p p i n e s s on all domains

excepting for the influence of system maintenance on indulgences

domain. The personal growth dimension of the family environment of

the senior children does not contributed significantly to achievement

a n d leisure domains of happiness.

123

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

Family environment and core virtues

• The family environment uniformly a n d significantly contributes to the

core virtues of adolescent girls and boys. However, this influence is

not significant in the case of virtues like humility, self-regulation a n d

caution among boys

• Regardless of type of school there is a definite impact of the

adolescent's perceptions of the psycho-social climate of one's own

family on the core virtues. There is no significant influence of the

system maintenance dimension on the core virtue of justice.

• The dynamics within the family relationships influence uniformly the

core virtues of adolescents from junior a n d senior classes. However,

this influence is not significant in the case of the virtues of courage

and transcendence among adolescents from senior classes.

Core virtues and happiness

• The core virtues of adolescents significantly but differentially

influence their h a p p i n e s s . Firstly, regardless of gender, h a p p i n e s s

with people-relationships and performance-achievements are a

function of the core virtues (except for temperance in girls) they

possess. Secondly, the core virtues of courage, justice and

transcendence significantly influence the h a p p i n e s s of boys. Thirdly,

the virtues of justice and transcendence relate positively with the

indulgences domain of happiness in girls. Lastly, except for the

124

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

 virtues of courage and temperance for boys a n d the virtue of

h u m a n i t y for the girls, all have an impact on the leisure domains.

• All the core virtues are significantly correlated with the extent of

happiness in day school a n d boarding school adolescents. Among the

students attending day schools the influence of the virtue of

temperance did not significantly correlate with the three domains of

happiness (performance-achievement, leisure a n d indulgences).

• The differential influence of core virtues on the happiness of

adolescents studying in different classes is observed. The core virtues

have a definite impact on the domains of people-relationship,

performance-achievement and leisure on the adolescent group

regardless of their class. However, the influence is not significant in

the case of the virtue of temperance. Further, h a p p i n e s s due to

indulgences are not a function of the core virtues of wisdom a n d

knowledge and courage (in both juniors a n d seniors) and in a n d

temperance in the case of the juniors.

Sources of Adolescents' Happiness

• Winning (either in competitions or games)seems to be the most

important source of h a p p i n e s s followed by m a r k s in examinations for

the majority of adolescents.

• Friends and p a r e n t s provide h a p p i n e s s more or less equally to most of

the adolescents.

125

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

• Musicalso forms one of the sources of happiness for these

adolescents.

• Gender differences indicate that boys are happiest winning games,

whereas girls are happiest when listening to music.

• Class differences demonstrate that the junior children are happy

when they win. On the other h a n d musicand friendsare the main

source of happiness for the seniors.

• No differences on school type were seen with regards to w h a t m a k e s

them the happiest.

Character strengths

• Four of the top five character strengths of adolescents belong to the

virtue of transcendence, indicating that the adolescents are reaching

out and not limiting themselves.

• No major differences are seen on the biases of gender, class a n d

school.

The conclusions that can be arrived from the study are the

following:

1. Happiness is multidimensional in nature

The findings of the study indicate t h a t adolescents find h a p p i n e s s

in the various people they interact with, the activities they perform, the

leisure activities and their indulgences. Similar findings have been

observed by van de Wetering, van Exel and Brouwer (2010) who found

that personal and context characteristics were associated with

126

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

adolescent overall happiness either directly or indirectly, via domain-

specific happiness. These adolescents differentiated their happiness

levels between life domains, which support the relevance of a

multidimensional approach in happiness studies. An earlier study by

Chaplin (2009) found five emergent h a p p i n e s s themes—"people and

pets," "achievements," "material things," "hobbies," and "sports".

2. Happiness c o m e s from people

The findings of the present study showed t h a t the h a p p i n e s s of the

adolescents revolved around activities they perform with others (winning

in competitions, games, listening a n d sharing music) rather t h a n what

they do individually. Adolescents are in need of approval a n d recognition

in order to become confident, satisfied a n d happy. Symonds (1937)

happy s t u d e n t s are more concerned with affairs outside themselves t h a n

are u n h a p p y ones. Demir, Ozen, Dogan, Bilyk and Tyrell (2010) state

that decades of empirical research have shown that friendship

experiences are an essential predictor of h a p p i n e s s . Thus, happiness

may not be in individual or in materialistic possessions b u t in the

pursuit of goals oriented toward others. S c h m u c k a n d Sheldon (2002)

state that happiness may be achieved by p u r s u i n g goals based on values

which lead the individual to excel him or herself. In the authors' words

"one should strive for something larger". Happiness is not merely relative

to what others have so m u c h a s it is influenced by comparisons with

one's own past and current situations.

127

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

3. Happiness is influenced by one's family

The family plays a very dominant role in the development of

adolescents a n d it follows t h a t their happiness revolves around family

members and the activities performed in the family. The results of the

study have demonstrated that family members form on the important

sources of happiness. G u t m a n and Eccles (2007) Results demonstrated

family relations contributed either concurrently or longitudinally to at

least 1 of the adolescent outcomes. Happiness could be one s u c h

outcome.

4. Happiness is influenced by one's core virtues

The family is also the major source of development of core virtues.

The present study h a s shown that the core strengths are particularly

influenced by the family environment a n d these in t u r n determine the

happiness among adolescents. Earlier study by Park, Peterson a n d

Seligman (2004) showed that though Hope was among the important

predictors, but it was a s m u c h a robust predictor of h a p p i n e s s a s the

other character strengths like gratitude, love, a n d zest. Similarly, Park

and Peterson (2006) found t h a t the character strengths of love, zest, a n d

hope were associated with happiness; gratitude w a s associated with

happiness among older children.

5. Happiness depends on one's gender, type of school and class of

study

The present study showed differential influence of the adolescents'

gender, type of school they are attending and the class in which they are
128

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

studying significantly affects their happiness. Adolescent girls are

happier t h a n boys on three of the four dimensions of h a p p i n e s s .

Adolescents from day schools are happier with their leisure domain while

their counterparts from boarding schools are happier with the

indulgences domain. Finally, the adolescents in junior classes report

more happiness on the people-relationships a n d leisure domains. An

earlier study by Chaplin (2009) reported consistent age differences in

what children perceive to make them happy.

6. Profile of happiness in adolescents

The profile of h a p p i n e s s in adolescents (based on the top 5 sources

of happiness) shows that it is winning (either in games or competitions)

which is the most descriptive feature. Adolescents, unlike adults,seem to

seek happiness from outside, especially through interactions and

comparison with peers. They are happy if they receive recognition for

their performance and approval for their actions. Learning new things,

attending parties also contribute to their happiness.

7. Profile of strengths

The findings of the study show that 4 of the top 5 strengths belong

to the transcendence virtue. These are hope, zest, gratitude a n d humor.

Park, Peterson & Seligman (2005) found that the strengths of Hope,

Teamwork and Zest were more common among adolescents. Proctor,

Maltby and Linely (2009) found that strengths of hope a n d zest were

significant positive predictors of life satisfaction. Brdr a n d Kashdan

129

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

(2009) report that Vitality (with zest, hope, curiosity, a n d h u m o r as

indicators) emerged a s the most relevant to well-being. When examining

individual strengths, zest, curiosity, gratitude, and optimism/hope

emerged with the strongest associations with elevated life satisfaction,

subjective vitality, satisfaction of autonomy, relatedness, a n d competence

needs, and a pleasurable, engaging, a n d meaningful existence. Park,

Peterson, 85 Seligman (2006)conclude by saying t h a t results may reveal

something about universal human nature and/or the character

requirements minimally needed for a viable society.

Limitations of the present study

The major limitation of the study is the one that pertains to all

studies on happiness. The adolescents are indicating w h a t m a k e s t h e m

happy and their a s s e s s m e n t is based on their experiences with people,

events and objects. Further, it is determined by their memory a n d mood

at that point of study. Nonetheless, studies on h a p p i n e s s need to be

conducted in order to get insights into such positive experiences of

h u m a n beings

The second limitation is that the study h a s been conducted on

adolescents attending English medium schools and belonging to middle

and upper middle class sections of the Indian society.

130

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

Suggestions for future research

Further studies can be conducted to examine in detail the

influenceof interpersonal relations in determining h a p p i n e s s among

adolescents. A comparison of family a n d peer interpersonal relations can

be taken u p .

Studies can be u n d e r t a k e n to examine the extent of agreement

between the parent and children's' a s s e s s m e n t s of h a p p i n e s s among

children.

Longitudinal studies can be conducted to examine a n d study how

an individual's happiness experiences change over the years to

u n d e r s t a n d if there would be a shift in the factors t h a t determine

happiness.

Concluding thoughts

Is happiness universal? Is the happiness of adults different from

t h a t experienced by adolescents? Can happiness be m e a s u r e d ?

Answers to these questions may be obtained from the Seligman (2002).

He provides an equation to examine and m e a s u r e h a p p i n e s s

H = S + C +V

H= the enduring level of one's happiness.

S= s u m of a person's genetic capacity; the extent of positive affectivity

inherited from p a r e n t s

131

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

C= Circumstances that include factors like wealth, health, education,

social life, kind of marriage etc

V= factors under one's voluntary control which include forgiving,

gratitude, optimism, the ability to live in the present and not dwell on the

past.

This formula can probably be applied to understand the nature

and extent of happiness in any one individual or groups on individuals.

132

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam