Happiness: does it transform with age?

Abstract

The ultimate goal of all our actions and desires is happiness. It is a pursuit that continues across the life span. But how does the experience of happiness vary as we age? This study aims to explore how the level of happiness varies across age and gender. A purposive sample of young adults, middle aged and old aged individuals were selected for the study. The Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well Being (Waterman et al, 2010) and The Orientation to Happiness measure (Peterson, Park & Seligman, 2005) were administered as tools for data collection. The total sample comprised a total of 180 males and females. 3 x 2 factorial research design was applied in the present comparative and descriptive research study. Both Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson’s Correlation were calculated to find the relationship between happiness and age. We found that with the increase in age, both orientations to meaning and pleasure increased, and this was supported by the finding that the young and old differed significantly with respect to meaning in life.