Easy as (Happiness) Pie? A Critical Evaluation of a Popular Model of the Determinants of Well-Being

Abstract

An underlying principle behind much of the research in positive psychology is that individuals have considerable leeway to increase their levels of happiness. In an influential article that is frequently cited in support of such claims, Lyubomirsky et al. (Rev Gen Psychol 9:111-131, 2005. https ://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111) put forward a model (subsequently popularized under the name of the "happiness pie") in which approximately 50% of individual differences in happiness are due to genetic factors and 10% to life circumstances, leaving 40% available to be changed via volitional activities. We re-examined Lyubomirsky et al.'s claims and found several apparent deficiencies in their chain of arguments on both the empirical and the conceptual level. We conclude that there is little empirical evidence for the variance decomposition suggested by the "happiness pie," and that even if it were valid, it is not necessarily informative with respect to the question of whether individuals can truly exert substantial influence over their own chronic happiness level. We believe that our critical re-examination of Lyubomirsky et al.'s seminal article offers insights into some common misconceptions and pitfalls of scientific inference, and we hope that it might contribute to the construction of a more rigorous and solid empirical basis for the field of positive psychology.

The impact of digital technology use on adolescent well-being

“…Although some researchers maintain that 40% of happiness is volatile and therefore malleable, 24 more recent investigations argued that the influences of potentially stabilizing factors such as genes and life circumstances are substantially larger. 25 These results are aligned with the so-called set-point hypothesis, which posits that life satisfaction varies around a fixed level, showing much interpersonal but little intrapersonal variance. 26 The hypothesis has repeatedly found support in empirical studies, which demonstrate the stability of life satisfaction measures.…”

Teaching Happiness to Teachers - Development and Evaluation of a Training in Subjective Well-Being

“…In addition, knowledge about periods regarding well-being or ill-being, such as more relaxed or more stressful times, could be used to determine the right timing for well-being interventions. Furthermore, findings in this area could also make valuable contributions to the current discussion on hedonic adaptation and set point theory (Brown and Rohrer, 2019; Luhmann and Intelisano, 2018).…”

Is social media use associated with children's well‐being? Results from the UK Household Longitudinal Study

“…Other shortfalls of UKLS data refer to the lack of information on genetic factors. Genetic make-up undoubtedly accounts for some of the between person variation and may be implicated in the positive associations between parental mental health status and children's mental well-being (Brown & Rohrer, 2019). More work is also needed to fully understand the influence of other family factors on mental well-being such as the impact of complex living arrangements and how dynamics of family structures influence children's wellbeing.…”