A Review of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well-Being: Implications for Conceptualization, Operationalization, Analysis, and Synthesis

Abstract

Subjective well-being (SWB) comprises a global evaluation of life satisfaction and positive and negative affective reactions to one's life. Despite the apparent simplicity of this tripartite model, the structure of SWB remains in question. In the present review, the authors identify five prominent structural conceptualizations in which SWB is cast variously as three separate components, a hierarchical construct, a causal system, a composite, and as configurations of components. Supporting evidence for each of these models is reviewed, strengths and weaknesses are evaluated, and commonalities and discrepancies among approaches are described. The authors demonstrate how current ambiguities concerning the tripartite structure of SWB have fundamental implications for conceptualization, measurement, analysis, and synthesis. Given these ambiguities, it is premature to propose a definitive structure of SWB. Rather, the authors outline a research agenda comprising both short-term and longer-term steps toward resolving these foundational, yet largely unaddressed, issues concerning SWB.

The Association of Childhood Factors with Children’s Subjective Well-Being and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties at 11 years old

“…The affective component is sub-divided into positive and negative affect. There is considerable empirical evidence to support this tripartite model of subjective well-being although the nature of the relationship between the three components has still not been fully clarified (Busseri and Sadava 2011). Life satisfaction has been found to be more temporally stable than affective subjective well-being which fluctuates over the short term (Eid and Diener 2004).…”

Fragility of Happiness Beliefs Across 15 National Groups

“…We included positive affect, negative affect, and personal growth initiative (Robitschek 1998) in the model. Positive and negative affect are recognized as two of the most robust predictors of life satisfaction, because they are a common source of information upon which people rely when making life satisfaction judgments (Busseri and Sadava 2011;Suh et al 1998). That is why the magnitude of the correlation between affective scales and life satisfaction has reached up to 0.8 in prior studies (Schimmack 2008).…”

The pains and pleasures of parenting: When, why, and how is parenthood associated with more or less well-being?

“…In this article, we review studies that assess one or more components of well-being in parents, including emotional experience, subjective happiness, and life satisfaction, as well as related constructs, such as self-esteem, depression, and psychological distress (see Table 1 for a complete list, along with common measures). Theorists have conceptualized well-being in multiple ways (Busseri & Sadava, 2011;Diener et al, 1999;Ryff, 1989). Our own conceptualization is an adaptation of the causal model proposed by Busseri and Sadava (2011), positing that positive and negative emotions are predictors of overall well-being.…”

“…Theorists have conceptualized well-being in multiple ways (Busseri & Sadava, 2011;Diener et al, 1999;Ryff, 1989). Our own conceptualization is an adaptation of the causal model proposed by Busseri and Sadava (2011), positing that positive and negative emotions are predictors of overall well-being. Mirroring some of the ambiguity present in the well-being literature, we use the terms well-being, subjective well-being, and happiness interchangeably throughout this article to characterize well-being in its broadest representation (see Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Shkade, 2005).…”