The Subjectivity of Subjective Well-Being

Abstract

Subjective well-being, influenced by various factors such as personality and interpersonal relationships, is crucial to the happiness of everyone. This article presents the findings of a mixed-method and exploratory study on subjective well-being among university students, focusing on understanding their individual perceptions and how these influence their happiness. Utilizing social representations theory and Reinert’s lexical analysis method, the study examined conceptions of happiness and the contributing factors among participants. The findings revealed that perceptions of happiness among university students clustered into four distinct classes, highlighting two primary dimensions: personal life evaluation and emotional experience. These dimensions influence personal balance and participants’ basic needs. Additionally, the analysis identified three classes of factors influencing happiness, including life circumstances, personal factors, and social environment. The importance of mental health and interpersonal relationships in the emotional well-being of young university students was underscored. These findings emphasize the complexity of subjective well-being and the significance of addressing both emotional and contextual aspects to understand and enhance happiness and life satisfaction in this population.