Adaptation amidst Prosperity and Adversity : Insights from Happiness Studies from around the World

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dc.creatorGraham, Carol
dc.date2013-05-21T17:28:17Z
dc.date2013-05-21T17:28:17Z
dc.date2011-07-02
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-01T01:11:49Z
dc.descriptionSome individuals who are destitute report to be happy, while others who are very wealthy report to be miserable. There are many possible explanations for this paradox; the author focuses on the role of adaptation. Adaptation is the subject of much work in economics, but its definition is a psychological one. Adaptations are defense mechanisms; there are bad ones like paranoia, and healthy ones like humor, anticipation, and sublimation. Set point theory—which is the subject of much debate in psychology—posits that people can adapt to anything, such as bad health, divorce, and extreme poverty, and return to a natural level of cheerfulness. The author's research from around the world suggests that people are remarkably adaptable. Respondents in Afghanistan are as happy as Latin Americans and 20 percent more likely to smile in a day than Cubans. The findings suggest that while this may be a good thing from an individual psychological perspective, it may also shed insights into different development outcomes, including collective tolerance for bad equilibrium. The author provides examples from the economics, democracy, crime, corruption, and health arenas.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierWorld Bank Research Observer
dc.identifier1564-6971
dc.identifierdoi;10.1093/wbro/lkq004
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/13501
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.1596/13500
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/416015
dc.languageen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank
dc.relationWorld Bank Research Observer
dc.relationWorld Bank Research Observer;26(1)
dc.rightsCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO
dc.rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/
dc.rightsWorld Bank
dc.subjectaddiction
dc.subjectcrime
dc.subjectdiabetes
dc.subjecthealth indicators
dc.subjecthypertension
dc.subjectlife expectancy
dc.subjectliving conditions
dc.subjectmigrants
dc.subjectmigration
dc.subjectmorbidity
dc.subjectmortality
dc.subjectobesity
dc.subjectpersonality
dc.subjectpsychologists
dc.subjectpsychology
dc.subjectquality of life
dc.subjectunemployment
dc.subjectvictims
dc.subjectviolence
dc.subjectworkers
dc.titleAdaptation amidst Prosperity and Adversity : Insights from Happiness Studies from around the World
dc.typeJournal Article
dc.typeArticle de journal
dc.typeArtículo de revista

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