The present study aimed at understanding the subjective perception of happiness in a sample of Indian participants from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Using convenience sampling, individual interviews were conducted with 60 participants aged between 19 to 73 years (M Age = 40 years). This study employed reflexive thematic analysis to analyse the written transcripts. Nine themes were generated which captured the essence of happiness for Indians—Feelings and Expressions of Happiness; Human Ties and Happiness which encompassed four sub-themes—family bond, the company one keeps, the pandemic and social disengagement, and the nation, society and happiness; Satisfaction with Material Needs and Resources; Lifestyle and Health; Work and Play; Accomplishment and Appreciation; Nature Connectedness; Religious and Spiritual beliefs; and Happiness as a Personal responsibility—Role of Positive Personality Traits. These findings revealed our respondent's multidimensional conceptualization of happiness, and adds to the growing body of happiness literature from the South Asian context.

Research performance metrics inform decision making across the higher education sector. In this study we calculated up-to-date lifetime bibliometric research performance norms for academic psychologists in the UK, stratified by academic level and university mission group. Our performance metrics were publications, citations, h-index scores, first-author publications and average SJRs (SCImago Journal Ranks) for published in journals. These metrics were extracted from Scopus for a representative sample of 1339 academic psychologists employed at UK universities offering BPS (British Psychological Society) accredited undergraduate courses. We found that lifetime performance increased with seniority, though not in the predictable manner observed overseas. Academic psychologists in the Russell Group outperformed those outside of the Russell Group on all metrics, but these differences were largely due to the very strong research performance of the Russell Group professoriate, and could not be accounted for by the tendency for Russell Group academics to have been research active for a longer period of time than their equivalents outside the group. Overall, the research performance of UK academic psychologists was comparable to that of their Australian equivalents. Our research performance norms will be useful for benchmarking at the individual, departmental and institutional levels. However, they must be interpreted in context and considered alongside other indicators of scholarly productivity and performance.

Purpose This study aims to examine the lay notions of happiness and determine the factors that influence one’s experience of happiness. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative technique to understand better how happiness is conceptualised. This study uses a purposive sample to select a diverse and representative sample (N = 357). Participants responded to an open-ended questionnaire designed to elucidate their understanding of happiness. The data is analysed using grounded theory and a bottom-up approach. Findings Happiness is defined as a harmonious state where the individual’s physiological and psychological needs are satisfied in the past, present and future, leading them to live a meaningful and contented life. However, several factors may affect an individual’s level of happiness. Family and friends; health and wellness; personal and professional successes; recreation and personal traits all contributed to the feeling of happiness. On the other hand, factors impeding happiness include unfavourable surroundings, work and play impediments, strained relationships and undesirable behavioural characteristics. The authors compare and contrast these findings to the current empirical literature and hypotheses. Originality/value Despite the substantial study, no uniform definition of happiness exists. The existing body of knowledge is dominated by western viewpoints, which are not necessarily congruent with their eastern counterparts. This study presents a thorough and culturally unique understanding of happiness. This understanding would enable academics, policymakers and educators to develop successful policies that promote happiness. Additionally, this study aid future researchers to develop new measures that enable cross-regional and cross-national comparisons of happiness dynamics

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