Ed Diener, University of Illinois and the Gallup Organization, USA & Micaela Y. Chan University of Texas at Dallas, USA
APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, 2011, 3 (1), 1–43
Abstract
Seven types of evidence are reviewed that indicate that high subjective wellbeing
(such as life satisfaction, absence of negative emotions, optimism, and
positive emotions) causes better health and longevity. For example, prospective
longitudinal studies of normal populations provide evidence that various types
of subjective well-being such as positive affect predict health and longevity,
controlling for health and socioeconomic status at baseline. Combined with
experimental human and animal research, as well as naturalistic studies of
changes of subjective well-being and physiological processes over time, the case
that subjective well-being influences health and longevity in healthy populations
is compelling. However, the claim that subjective well-being lengthens the lives
of those with certain diseases such as cancer remains controversial. Positive
feelings predict longevity and health beyond negative feelings. However,
intensely aroused or manic positive affect may be detrimental to health. Issues
such as causality, effect size, types of subjective well-being, and statistical
controls are discussed.
