When does human happiness reach its peak? This seemingly simple question has been studied extensively over the past few decades but has long eluded a clear answer. Analysis of more than 400 samples reveals the development of subjective well-being across a person's life.
A team of researchers from Germany's Sport University Cologne, Ruhr-University Bochum, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, and the Universities of Bern and Basel in Switzerland recently shed light on this issue in a comprehensive meta-analytic review published in the journal Psychological Bulletin. The findings showed that respondents' life satisfaction declined between the ages of 9 and 16, increased slightly before the age of 70, and declined again before the age of 96.
Over 460,000 participants
In the study, the researchers studied the changing trends of subjective well-being throughout the life cycle based on 443 samples from a longitudinal study, with a total of 460,902 people participating in the study. "We focused on changes in three core components of subjective well-being. Life satisfaction, positive emotional states and negative emotional states," explains Professor Susanne Bücker, who initially conducted the research in Bochum and later moved to Cologne.
The findings show that life satisfaction declines between ages 9 and 16, rises slightly before age 70, and declines again before age 96. Positive emotional states showed an overall downward trend from age 9 to 94, while negative emotional states fluctuated slightly between ages 9 and 22, then dropped to 60 before rising again. The authors found greater median changes in positive and negative emotional states compared to life satisfaction.
Broad positive trends throughout life
Susanne Bücker concludes: "Overall, if we look at it from the perspective of life satisfaction and negative emotional states, this study shows that there are positive trends at different stages of life."
The researchers believe that the reasons for the slight decline in life satisfaction between the ages of 9 and 16 include changes in physical and social life during adolescence. Beginning in adolescence, satisfaction rises again. There is a downward trend in positive emotions from childhood to late adulthood. In late adulthood, all components of subjective well-being tend to worsen rather than improve.
The researchers speculated: "This may be related to the elderly's reduced physical fitness, frequent deterioration of health conditions, and reduced social interactions, especially because their peers have passed away."
The study's authors conclude that this study highlights the need to consider and promote subjective well-being and its individual components across the lifespan. Their findings could provide important guidance for the development of intervention programs, particularly those aimed at maintaining or improving subjective well-being in later life.