The Psychological Wealth of Nations: Do Happy People Make a Happy Society? [Paperback]

The Psychological Wealth of Nations reviews the range of new scientific research related to individual and societal happiness.

• Presents a comprehensive review of happiness, from conceptual and measurement issues to an exploration of predictors and consequences of happiness
• Explores the psychology and economics of happiness and examines the correlations between societal wealth, productivity, and happiness in different countries
• Offers compelling insights into the ways individual happiness impacts the psychological wealth of overall society
• Features a highly interdisciplinary approach, with considerations of philosophy, sociology, economics, political sciences, as well as psychology

Preface ix

Part One: The Definition and Measurement of Psychological Wealth 1

1 What is Psychological Wealth? 3

2 The Measurement of Psychological Wealth 18

Part Two: The Psychological Wealth of Individuals 35

3 The Material and Psychological Wealth of Individuals 37

4 Relational and Psychological Wealth 57

5 Personality and Psychological Wealth 73

6 Interventions in Psychological Wealth 91

7 The Benefits of Psychological Wealth 103

8 Optimal Levels of Psychological Wealth: Is More Always Better? 126

Part Three: The Psychological Wealth of Society 135

9 What is a Good Society? 137

10 Material Wealth and Psychological Wealth of Nations 145

11 Psychological Wealth of Nations Beyond Money 159

12 Happy Individuals, Happy Society? 173

Part Four: Epilogue 183