Some Thoughts on Happiness, Well-being, and a Meaningful Life for Academics

Abstract

I present a framework for thinking about personal happiness. Ideas from philosophy are combined with research on happiness from various scientific traditions. But treatments in philosophy tend to be atomistic, focusing on one narrow approach at the exclusion of others; treatments in psychology tend also to be circumscribed, emphasizing specific hypotheses but at the neglect of overarching theory. My approach posits a far-reaching theoretical model, rooted in goal-directed action, yet mindful of nonpurposive sources of happiness as well. The heart of the theory is self-regulation of desires and decisions, which rests on self-conscious examination and application of self-evaluative standards for leading a moral life in the broadest sense of guiding how we act in relation to others. Seven elements of happiness are then developed and related to the conceptual framework. These encompass love and caring; work as a calling; brain systems underpinning wanting, liking, and pleasure; the need to deal with very bad and very good things happening to us; the role of moral concerns and emotions; the examined life and its distractions; and finally spirituality and transcendental concerns. The final section of the chapter sketches everyday challenges and choices academics face.

Citation

Bagozzi, R. (2020), "Some Thoughts on Happiness, Well-being, and a Meaningful Life for Academics", Iacobucci, D. (Ed.) Continuing to Broaden the Marketing Concept (Review of Marketing Research, Vol. 17), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 137-169. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1548-643520200000017014