Understanding Well-Being Isaac Prilleltensky isaac@miami.edu www.education.miami.edu/isaac

The Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus gave credit to poorest of poor in Bangladesh -Grew Grameen Bank to 5 million people cooperative - Lifted millions out of indigence

Overview of Presentation Well-Being Signs and Sources Personal Organizational Community

What is Well-being?: A simple definition Well-being is a positive state of affairs, brought about by the simultaneous satisfaction of personal, organizational, and collective needs of individuals and communities

Research on Well-being There cannot be well-being but in the combined presence of personal, organizational and community well-being organizational personal W community

Sites, signs, sources, and strategies of well-being Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Sources Strategies

Signs, sources, and strategies of personal well-being Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Control Sources Experiences of efficacy Strategies empowerment

Signs, sources, and strategies of organizational well-being – Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Participatory structures Sources Culture of respect Strategies Conflict resolution

Signs, sources, and strategies of community well-being Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Free of child abuse Sources Investment in parenting and children Strategies Policies for early intervention

Personal signs, sources and strategies of well-being Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Control Workers satisfaction Sense of community Sources Voice and choice in life Workers skilled in team work Contribution to common good Strategies Empowerment Empathy Social conscience

What can organizations do for workers? Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Work satisfaction Sources Opportunities for control Strategies Voice and choice in team

What can the community do for us? Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Community health Sources High quality health and education Strategies Laws to protect us

What can we do for the community? Sites of well-being Personal Organizational Community Signs Foster sense of community Sources Volunteer and vote Strategies Raise awareness of environment

Signs of Personal Well-being Sense of control Physical health Love Optimism Competence Dignity Growth Self-esteem Meaning and spirituality

Ora and Matan: A Family Strengths Story

Who might die younger due to lack of control and stress in life? A. Senior executives B. Middle managers C. Clerical workers, secretaries D. Unskilled labor E. A and B

Sir Michael Marmot and control over your life

Risk of Death by Employment and Level of Control Marmot, Whitehall Studies

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT Less likely to have heart attacks Some evidence that are more likely to survive cancer (challenged lately) More likely to resist common cold virus Lower mortality Less degree of stress More positive outlook on life Resilience

Sources of Personal Well-Being Biological and Constitutional Factors Early Parenting Experiences Emotional Intelligence Supportive Relationships in Multiple Contexts and Settings Opportunities for growth, engagement and self-determination

Signs of Organizational Well-Being: ERA Environments Low High Effective Environment Affective Environment Reflective Environment

Organizational Well-Being Efficient structures Clear roles and communication Monitoring mechanisms Vision and purpose Learning and growth opportunities Sense of control Identity and meaning

Signs of Community Well-being Social justice and equality Liberation from oppressive forces Quality education Adequate health and social services Economic prosperity Adequate housing Clean and safe environment Support for community structures

Sources of Community Well-being Poverty Power Participation

Geography and social capital In what of the following states there is the highest level of social capital A. Alabama B. California C. New York D. Vermont E. Georgia

Social capital and community well-being Low SC: LA, MS, GA Med SC: CA, MO, OK Hi SC: ND, SD, VT, MN

Male Life Expectancy by Inequality Watch unnatural consequences

Colombia: Happy but Dead Highest rate of murders per capita in the world Highest number of kidnappings in the world Colombia 5181 in 7 years Mexico 1269 Brazil 515 Venezuela 109 Severe under reporting Colombians report highest level of satisfaction 8.31 (out of 10) in the world in the 90s

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Is happiness really a genetic phenomenon Is happiness really a genetic phenomenon? Lykken and Tellegen (1996, Psychological Science). In the Minnesota twins study, authors report, “Neither socioeconomic status, educational attainment, family income, marital status, not an indicant of religious commitment could account for more than about 3% of the variance in WB” (in monozygotic twins) “We estimate that the heritability of the stable component of subjective well-being approaches 80%”

Change in life satisfaction over the years (Inglehart, 2004) 39

Russia’s happiness and satisfaction plunges 40

Income is not everything though 41

Wealth matters for life expectancy 42

Chinese happiness and democracy 43

The connections between objective and subjective conditions and outcomes + + objective objective - - Conditions Well-being + + subjective subjective - -

The Case of Colombia + + objective objective crime - - Conditions Well-being + + hope subjective subjective - -

The Case of Relative Deprivation in Sweden and UK: How the worst off fare + + Higher morbidity objective objective - - Unfairness Conditions Well-being Low control / high demand + + High effort / low reward subjective subjective - -

Cake of Well-being Easy temperament Physical health Adequate birth weight Good parenting Mutual Support Good mental health Child Parental & Family Child care Good schools Adequate housing Cohesion Access to health care Community Employment Justice Safety nets Quality education Societal

Mountain of Risk Poor temperament Poor health Birth weight Teen parenting Family size Stressors Poor parenting Addictions Poor mental health Child Parental & Family No child care Poor housing Lack of cohesion Crime Community Poverty Injustice Violence Discrimination Societal

Ecological Model of Well-Being Sites of Well-Being Individual Relational Organizational Communal Environmental Objective signs health networks resources social capital low emissions Subjective Signs efficacy voice support belonging safety Values as source and strategy autonomy caring participation diversity protection of resources Justice as source and strategy My due/Our due Your due/Our due Its due/Our due Their due/Our due Nature’s due/Our due

Model of Well-Being: Some positive and negative factors Sites of Well-Being Individual Relational Organizational Communal Environmental Objective signs +health - illness +networks -isolation +resources - lack of resources -social capital -lack of trust +clean air -pollution Subjective signs +efficacy -lack of control +voice -repression +support +belonging -rejection +safety -fear Values as source and strategy +autonomy -lack of power +caring -neglect +participation -marginality +diversity -discrimination +protection of resources -depletion of resources Justice as source and strategy My due/Our due Your due/Our due Its due/Our due Their due/Our due Nature’s due/Our due

Expanded definition of well-being Well-being is a positive state of affairs in individuals, relationships, organizations, communities, and the natural environment, brought about by the simultaneous and balanced satisfaction of objective and subjective needs; and by the behavioral manifestation of material and psychological justice in these five ecological domains.