What Types of Happiness Do Korean Adults Pursue?—Comparison of Seven Happiness Types

Young Yim Doh and Ji-Bum Chung
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Young Yim Doh: Graduate School of Culture Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Ji-Bum Chung: School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Although Korea has achieved successful economic, social, cultural, and technological development over the past decades, Korean people do not seem to be particularly happy. To enhance an individual’s happiness, we need to be aware of what situations and environmental conditions are conducive for happiness and explore the values of happiness we pursue. This study investigated the types of happiness expressed by Korean people using a mixed-method approach. Personal in-depth ( n = 15) and focus group ( n = 16) interviews were conducted with people who reported feeling a high level of happiness. Happiness categorization was conducted using Q methodology ( n = 63). Subsequently, we surveyed 999 nationally representative samples of Korean adults to generalize the results of the Q analysis. The findings revealed seven types of adult happiness in Korea: (1) Self-actualization, (2) Belongingness, (3) Mission, (4) Social recognition, (5) Enjoyment, (6) Material success, and (7) Parenting. The combined results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that in Korea, people pursuing money or social success feel the unhappiest, whereas people pursuing a mission or sense of belonging feel the happiest. In conclusion, we discussed the need for happiness literacy education, to provide each adult an opportunity to understand the type of happiness they pursue.

Keywords: Korean adult; types of happiness; subjectivity; Q methodology; mixed-method approach (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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