caa a22 4500 467916934 CHVBK 20180406152905.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170328e20060101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11205-004-6297-y doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11205-004-6297-y How Social Relations and Structures can Produce Happiness and Unhappiness: An International Comparative Analysis [Elektronische Daten] [Max Haller, Markus Hadler] In this paper, subjective well being, as measured by survey questions on happiness and life satisfaction, is investigated from a sociological-comparative point of view. The central thesis is that happiness and satisfaction must be understood as the outcome of an interaction process between individual characteristics and aspirations on the one side, and social relations and macrosocial structures on the other side. A distinction is made between life satisfaction and happiness; the former is more seen as the outcome of an evaluation process including material and social aspirations and achievements, the latter as an outcome of positive experiences, particularly close personal relationships. The focus of this paper is on micro- and macrosocial conditions favouring or inhibiting the emergence of happiness and satisfaction. It is hypothesized that dense and good basic social relations, occupational involvement and success, sociocultural (religious and altruistic) orientations and participation are conducive to happiness and life satisfaction; the same should be true at the macrolevel for economic prosperity, relatively equal social structures, a well-established welfare state and political democracy. The latter conditions, however, should be more important for life satisfaction than for happiness. A comparative, multilevel regression analysis of happiness in 41 nations around the world is carried out (using the World Value Survey 1995-1997). Both our general assumption and most of the specific hypotheses could be confirmed. It turned very clearly that "happiness” and "life satisfaction” are two different concepts. It could be shown that microsocial embedding and sociocultural integration of a person are highly relevant for happiness. However, contrary to earlier studies, we find that macrosocial factors like the economic wealth of nation, the distribution of income, the extent of the welfare state and political freedom are also relevant, particularly for satisfaction. What counts most is the ability to cope with life, including subjective health and financial satisfaction, close social relations, and the economic perspectives for improvement in the future, both at the level of the individual and at that of the society. These abilities are certainly improved by favourable macrosocial conditions and institutions, such as a more equal income distribution, political democracy and a welfare state. Springer, 2006 happiness nationallicence international comparison nationallicence life satisfication nationallicence social institutions nationallicence social structure nationallicence social structure and happiness nationallicence Haller Max Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University Graz, Austria and Facoltà di Sociologia, Università degli Studi, Trento, Italy aut Hadler Markus Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University Graz, Austria aut Social Indicators Research Kluwer Academic Publishers 75/2(2006-01-01), 169-216 0303-8300 75:2<169 2006 75 11205 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-004-6297-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-004-6297-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Haller Max Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University Graz, Austria and Facoltà di Sociologia, Università degli Studi, Trento, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Hadler Markus Department of Sociology, Karl Franzens-University Graz, Austria aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Social Indicators Research Kluwer Academic Publishers 75/2(2006-01-01), 169-216 0303-8300 75:2<169 2006 75 11205 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer