SATISFACTION WITH LIFE AS A WHOLE: What informs this judgment? Yvonne MacKay Doctor of Psychology (Clinical), 2005 – DEAKIN UNIVERSITY Supervisor: Prof. Bob Cummins * Please select a view that enables the notes section to be seen.

“if we feel fine, we gather we must be satisfied” Veenhoven, 1996, (p.10) “there can be top-down influences on how bottom-up information is used”, Diener, Lucas, Oishi & Suh, 2002 (p.443) HEURISTIC SYSTEMATIC Affect SWB Affect SWB Cognition

Through which pathway does Affect influence satisfaction with “life as a whole”? Influenced by: - The complexity of the judgment - The personal relevance of the judgment

Through which pathway does Affect influence satisfaction with “life as a whole”? Influenced by: - The complexity of the judgment - The personal relevance of the judgment Hypothesis: The very high complexity of the “life as a whole” question will lead to heuristic processing dominating. However, as there are features of the question which seem likely to encourage systematic processing, it is also expected that some systematic processing will be detected.

Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Affect

Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Affect

Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Affect

Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Affect

Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Affect  =.75 B =.85 *** (SE =.06)  =.15 B =.19 ** (SE =.06)  =.79 B =.71 *** (SE =.03)

Study 2: Will individual factors moderate the presence of heuristic and systematic processing?

Unpleasant affectPleasant affect SystematicHeuristic

Unpleasant affectPleasant affect SystematicHeuristic High Activation Low Activation Heuristic Systematic

Unpleasant affectPleasant affect SystematicHeuristic High Activation Low Activation Heuristic Systematic

S S Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction  =.35 B =.53 (SE =.30) Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S  =.59 B =.95 ** (SE =.30)  =.20 B =.18 (SE =.13)

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction  =.35 B =.53 (SE =.30) Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S  =.59 B =.95 ** (SE =.30)  =.20 B =.18 (SE =.13)  =.47 B =.77 *** (SE =.18)  =.17 B =.17 * (SE =.08)  =.56 B =.91 *** (SE =.21)

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction  =.35 B =.53 (SE =.30) Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S  =.59 B =.95 ** (SE =.30)  =.20 B =.18 (SE =.13)  =.47 B =.77 *** (SE =.18)  =.17 B =.17 * (SE =.08)  =.56 B =.91 *** (SE =.21)  =.65 B =.85 *** (SE =.07)  =.13 B =.15 ** (SE =.05)  =.61 B =.74 *** (SE =.05)

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction  =.35 B =.53 (SE =.30) Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S  =.59 B =.95 ** (SE =.30)  =.20 B =.18 (SE =.13)  =.47 B =.77 *** (SE =.18)  =.17 B =.17 * (SE =.08)  =.56 B =.91 *** (SE =.21)  =.65 B =.85 *** (SE =.07)  =.13 B =.15 ** (SE =.05)  =.61 B =.74 *** (SE =.05)

S S  =.11 B =.16 (SE =.14)  =.44 B =.37 *** (SE =.06)  =.49 B =.82 *** (SE =.20) Affect Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Cognitive appraisals of satisfaction  =.35 B =.53 (SE =.30) Satisfaction with “life as a whole” Affect S S H H H H H H H H S S S S  =.59 B =.95 ** (SE =.30)  =.20 B =.18 (SE =.13)  =.47 B =.77 *** (SE =.18)  =.17 B =.17 * (SE =.08)  =.56 B =.91 *** (SE =.21)  =.65 B =.85 *** (SE =.07)  =.13 B =.15 ** (SE =.05)  =.61 B =.74 *** (SE =.05)

S S Estimates of Total Effects  =.33  =.47  =.64  =.73 S S H H H H H H H H S S S S

Summary The finding that affect strongly predicts satisfaction with “life as a whole” is conditional upon the pleasantness and activation levels of respondent’s affective states - Affect is a relatively strong predictor in samples experiencing pleasant affect, particularly when activation levels are high - Affect is a relatively weak predictor in samples experiencing unpleasant affect, particularly when activation levels are low The finding that affect predominantly influences satisfaction with “life as a whole” via heuristic processing is conditional upon the pleasantness and activation levels of respondent’s affective states - Heuristic processing is dominant in the samples experiencing pleasant affects - Systematic processing is dominant in the sample experiencing unpleasant affect and low activation - Neither heuristic or systematic processing are significant in the sample experiencing unpleasant affect and high activation

Thank-you