Methodology / procedure

• + :) Methodology

  • Study involved interviews; “how satisfied are you with life?” and a questionnaire using a multi-item scale
  • Produced large amounts of quantitative data which can be easily analysed

  THEREFORE: easily replicated improving internal validity
• + :) Methodology

  • Used correlations
  • Study examined factor such as: money, relationships and gender
  • No direct manipulation of co-variables

  therefore: improves ecological validity
• -:( Methodology


  • Self-reports are biased as participants asked to report on own well-being which is subjective
  • Due to subjectivity, difficult to measure happiness objectively
  • Prone to social desirability bias as want to be seen as happy

  THEREFORE: reduces internal validity
• -:( Methodology

  • Cannot show true cause and effect

  Could be intervening variables to happiness

  Difficult to prove direction: eg: happy people marry more, or happy because married

  THEREFORE: lowers validity