The Psychological Wealth of Nations

Do Happy People Make a Happy Society?

Oishi, Shigehiro

Contemporary Social Issues

1. Edition February 2012
260 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-1-4051-9210-1

John Wiley & Sons

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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

Part 1: The Definition and Measurement of Psychological Wealth.

Chapter 1: Definition.

Chapter 2: Measurement.

Part 2: The Psychological Wealth of Individuals.

Chapter 3: Material Wealth.

Chapter 4: Relational Wealth.

Chapter 5: Personality.

Chapter 6: Interventions.

Chapter 7: Benefits of Psychological Wealth.

Chapter 8: Optimal levels of Psychological Wealth.

Part 3: The Psychological Wealth of Society.

Chapter 9: What is a Good Society?

Chapter 10: Material Wealth and Psychological Wealth of Nations

Chapter 11: Psychological Wealth of Nations: Beyond Material Wealth.

Chapter 12: Happy People, Happy Society?

Part 4: Summary and Conclusions.

Chapter 13: Summary and Conclusion.

"As an expert in well-being, Oishi offers important insights based on his intense focus examining well-being across cultures. His unique perspective offers a rare opportunity for readers to consider how individual traits and behaviors operate within a societal context, and how these levels may interact to influence well-being." (Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 1 May 2013)

"This book is successful in its aim of providing an overview of happiness research that is linked to the psychological wealth of nations and addressing various angles on questions of conceptualization and measurement." (PsycCRITIQUES, 6 February 2013)

Shigehiro Oishi is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. A personality and social psychologist, he is also an Associate Editor for Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

S. Oishi, University of Virginia, USA