Influence of extraversion and neuroticism on subjective well-being: happy and unhappy people.
Three studies are reported that examine the relations between personality and happiness or subjective well-being. It is argued that (a) one set of traits influences positive affect or satisfaction, whereas a different set of traits influences negative affect or dissatisfaction; (b) the former set of traits can be reviewed as components of extraversion, and the latter as components of neuroticism; and (c) personality differences antedate and predict differences in happiness over a period of 10 years, thus ruling out the rival hypothesis that temporary moods or states account for the observed relations. A model of individual differences in happiness is presented, and the separate and complementary roles of trait and adaptation-level theories in explaining happiness are discussed.
D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction