The Dynamic Process of Life Satisfaction

Authors: Heller, Daniel¹; Watson, David²; Ilies, Remus³

Source: Journal of Personality, Volume 74, Number 5, October 2006 , pp. 1421-1450(30)

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Abstract:

Drawing from the Cognitive Affective Personality System ( Mischel & Shoda, 1995, 1998), we argue for a need to examine within-individual variation in life satisfaction. Thus, employing a diary study of 76 fully employed, married adults we examined the magnitude, antecedents, and consequences of intra-individual variation in life satisfaction. Our findings establish a substantial amount of intra-individual variation, comparable to other personal evaluations assessed with a state approach (e.g., self-esteem), but less than that observed with major mood dimensions. In addition, concurrent changes in life satisfaction were systematically related to fluctuations in job and marital satisfaction; however, contrary to prediction, our results did not support a cross-level moderating role of Neuroticism in these associations. Our findings also lend support for the lagged influence of life satisfaction on next-day domain satisfaction ratings. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the systematic nature and importance of within-subject variation in life satisfaction.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00415.x

Affiliations: 1: University of Waterloo 2: University of Iowa 3: Michigan State University

Publication date: 2006-10-01