Thinking about Well-being: nef’s dynamic model October 2011 OSI Education Programme workshop Charles Seaford Head of the Centre for Well-being, nef

About nef  An independent UK think-and-do-tank (founded 1986).  Inspired by 3 principles – Environmental sustainability – Social justice – People’s well-being  Well-being programme set up in 2001 to ask: What would policy look like if it focused on improving well-being?

Some of our current work  European Commission – use of beyond GDP indicators in policy  UK Office for National Statistics – advice on measuring well-being  UK Big Lottery Fund – advice on project assessment  Local government (UK/US) – advice on creating and using well-being metrics  Happy Planet Index – creating public awareness world wide

A 2006 review identified 5 ways of thinking about well-being 1.Preference satisfaction People are rational and know how to improve their own well-being. If you give people maximum chance to satisfy their preferences (e.g. more choice, more income) they’ll end up happier.

A 2006 review identified 5 ways of thinking about well-being 1.Preference satisfaction 2.Objective lists Well-being is highest when people’s objective needs (e.g. for security, freedom, etc) are met.

A 2006 review identified 5 ways of thinking about well-being 1.Preference satisfaction 2.Objective lists 3.Hedonic (feelings) Well-being is a positive affect – that is, a relatively positive ratio of pleasant to unpleasant emotions, moods and feelings.

A 2006 review identified 5 ways of thinking about well-being 1.Preference satisfaction 2.Objective lists 3.Hedonic (feelings) 4.Evaluative Well-being is positive self- evaluation – feeling that life overall is going well.

A 2006 review identified 5 ways of thinking about well-being 1.Preference satisfaction 2.Objective lists 3.Hedonic (feelings) 4.Evaluative 5.Eudaimonic (functioning) Well-being is about meaning, engagement and social relations.

There was debate about which is the most appropriate approach In particular, there was a debate around the tension between eudaimonic (functioning) Well-being is about meaning, engagement and social relations.

There was debate about which is the most appropriate approach In particular, there was a debate around the tension between eudaimonic (functioning) and hedonic (feelings) approaches Well-being is about meaning, engagement and social relations. Well-being is a positive affect – that is, a relatively positive ratio of pleasant to unpleasant emotions, moods and feelings.

In 2008 nef developed the dynamic model of well-being  Our dynamic model – Incorporates four of the five approaches identified in the academic review – Highlights the relationships between the various elements/ approaches – Distinguishes between well-being – or flourishing – and its drivers and contains clear definitions/ examples of both – Resolves one of the underlying tensions between two key approaches.

We start with the hedonic element Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

And add the eudaimonic element Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

Functioning causes feelings Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

These two together are well- being – or Flourishing Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

Functioning is influenced by external conditions … Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

…and by personal resources Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem, Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment

These influence what we do, and so contribute to good functioning Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem

The model also highlights other relationships Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

The model also highlights other relationships Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

The model also highlights other relationships Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

Development of personal resources is central to the model Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Development of Personal Resources e.g. resilience, optimism, self-esteem Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

Functioning draws on modern psychology… and Aristotle  Self-determination theory: a leading psychological, evidence-based theory developed by Deci and Ryan… – Functioning is “behaving in ways that satisfy psychological needs” – There are three universal psychological needs, for autonomy, competence and relatedness. – These must be satisfied on an ongoing basis for people to develop and function in healthy or optimal ways Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

Functioning draws on modern psychology… and Aristotle  Good functioning is like Aristotle’s exercise of the virtues  The result is Aristotle’s Eudaimonia, or fulfilment, which describes the good life in terms of an individual’s interaction with the world, the performance of one’s role Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others

Our model also gives weight to the drivers of well-being Drivers of well-being, e.g.: Income Work and time use Natural & built environment Social relationships & trust Personal characteristics & physical health External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) Personal Resources e.g. health, resilience, optimism, self-esteem,

Evidence reveals many links between income and well-being  There is a positive but declining relationship between individuals’ income and well-being when measured at any given time in a particular country – The curve varies with the measure of well-being used (e.g. Cantril’s ladder, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) but there tends to be an ‘inflection point’ suggesting that the returns to income decline steeply after a certain level (US data suggests this level is about $75,000 for emotional well-being).  Loss of income damages well-being significantly more than a comparable gain enhances it.  Higher public spending and benefit entitlements appear to be associated with higher well-being at the national level.

Evidence also links the built environment and well-being  Living in an unsafe or deprived area, even after controlling for income, is detrimental to life satisfaction.  Walkability of neighbourhoods and street layout are positively related to well-being; this relationship probably operates indirectly via benefits to social capital for residents.  Air pollution and noise pollution e.g. from aircraft have a negative impact on subjective well-being.  Subjective well-being appears to be lower in more densely populated areas.

And evidence links personal resources and well-being  Physical health has a strong bidirectional relationship with subjective well-being, however it is measured (both self- reported and objective).  Personality traits are strongly related to subjective well-being –People born with personality traits classified as extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness or openness to experience are more likely than others to report very high life satisfaction and happiness score. The reverse relationship is found for people with personality traits in the neuroticism category.

So, here is the dynamic model again: Good feelings Absence of negative feelings e.g. happiness, joy, contentment External Conditions e.g. material conditions, work and productivity, income (levels and stability) What we do Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give… The 5 Ways Development of Personal Resources e.g. resilience, optimism, self-esteem Good functioning and satisfaction of needs e.g. to be autonomous, competent, safe and secure, connected to others Flourishing Drivers

And the questions are… How can the dynamic model of well- being be applied to your work? Is the model usable in your work? Which components might be useful? Are there any aspects missing from the model? How can you apply the model in your work? What steps would you need to take?

Thank you