Local And Global

Perspective of Happiness
Unit 4
 Subtopics
● Measuring Happiness: Key Indicators
● Happiness Index
● India in Global Happiness Index
 Measuring Happiness: Key Indicators

We know when we feel happy and when we don’t,

but how can we measure it?
When Martin Seligman (2011b, p. 11), often referred
to as the father of positive psychology, formulated
his theory of authentic happiness, he believed
happiness could be “analyzed into three different
elements that we choose for their own sakes: positive
emotion, engagement, and meaning.”
Measuring happiness is becoming an important tool.
Economic growth, physical health and confidence in the
future prospects of a person or country are all important
factors when assessing and comparing them.
Measuring happiness is tricky because it relies on mapping
subjective well-being. Of course, subjective well-being is
just that: an idea that will vary from person to person.
 Happiness Index
● Since 2012, the World Happiness Report has been
released annually around March 20th as part of the
International Day of Happiness celebration.
● The report ranks global happiness basis survey data
from people in over 150 countries.
● The ranking uses six key factors to measure
happiness — social support, income, health, freedom,
generosity, and absence of corruption.
Top Performers

For the sixth year in a row, Finland has been crowned as the happiest nation,
Denmark is at number two, followed by Iceland at number three.

Worst Performers:

Afghanistan was ranked as the unhappiest nation, followed by Lebanon, Sierra

Leone, Zimbabwe, respectively.

The World Happiness Report, which has been published since 2012, is founded on
two main principles:
● Identifying key elements that determine well-being and life evaluation across
countries.
● Happiness or life evaluation measured through opinion surveys.
 India in Global Happiness Index
● In the 2023 edition, India has improved its ranking to 126th position
out of 137 countries in comparison to the 135th position in the 2022
report.
● But, if we compare our neighbouring countries in South Asia, India
still ranks below countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, China and Bangladesh.
● India only ranked better than Afghanistan which was placed at 137,
the bottom position.
● Despite being the fastest economy India has secured a very low rank
in the index, even Russia and Ukraine, despite being at war for more
than one year, ranked better than India at 70th and 92nd in terms of
happiness. So it raises doubts about the credibility of the report and
the method of evaluation.
The happiness index of a country like India can be influenced by various factors. Some of the key
factors affecting the happiness index of India include:

Economic Factors: Income levels, employment opportunities, and economic stability can significantly
impact happiness.

Social Factors: Quality of social relationships, social support, and community engagement play a role
in overall happiness.

Health and Well-being: Access to healthcare, physical and mental health, and overall well-being
contribute to happiness.

Education: Access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities can enhance happiness.

Governance and Political Stability: Effective governance, low corruption, and political stability can
positively affect happiness.

Environmental Factors: Clean air, water, and a healthy environment contribute to well-being and
happiness.

Cultural and Societal Factors: Cultural values, diversity, and societal norms also play a role in
determining happiness levels.