PLACE OF HAPPINESS AND SUBJECTIVE INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING IN QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES
- Peter O. Olapegba
- ( paper pages. 1 - 15 )
Abstract
Quality of life (QOL), a multidimensional construct, has in the lasttwo and a half decades attracted attention in research and practiceacross the medical sciences, humanities and the social sciences. Onemajor challenge is the conceptualization of QOL which has led toconfusion with other terms. This paper is an attempt to conceptualiseQOL and examine the point(s) of distinction with happiness andwellbeing. Evidence from literature established significant overlapsbetween happiness, wellbeing and QOL, with quality of life seen as anumbrella construct having happiness, wellbeing and other factors assub-components. The composite quality of life is broadly categorizedinto objective and subjective components. The objective componenthas to do with established (societal) norms using observable andquantifiable socio-economic and health indicators. The subjectivecomponent, which is the thrust of this paper, has to do with theperception/personal self-evaluation of individuals about how goodthey feel, how happy they are, and general life satisfaction in order ofimportance to the individuals. Abraham Maslow’s theory ofmotivation, otherwise known as theory of needs, provides an effectiveframework in explaining quality of life from the subjective perspective.With the hierarchical nature of human needs and motivationdynamics, it becomes obvious that subjective quality of life is fluid andinfluenced by situational factors and prevailing circumstances,coupled with individual motivation. The implication is that individualswill evaluate their quality of life based on the needs that are motivating at that point in time and how much they have been able tosatisfy those needs.
Citation
Peter O. Olapegba.
2020.
"PLACE OF HAPPINESS AND SUBJECTIVE INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING IN QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES"
The Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies,
62 (1): 1 - 15.
JEL Classification
D63, I31
