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Revisiting the Empirical Distinction Between Hedonic and Eudaimonic Aspects of Well-Being Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

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  • Mohsen Joshanloo

    (Keimyung University)

Abstract

The distinction between hedonic (i.e., subjective well-being) and eudaimonic (i.e., psycho-social functioning) components of well-being is questioned by some researchers on the grounds that these two aspects of well-being are highly correlated. However, I argue that previous research has relied on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which is likely to overestimate interfactor correlations, because cross-loadings are constrained to be zero in CFA. In contrast, the new method of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) does not constrain cross-ladings to zero, which results in more accurate factor intercorrelations. The present study used ESEM to reinvestigate the relationship between hedonic and eudaimonic aspects of well-being in a sample of 3986 American adults. The results showed that the ESEM model fitted the data better than the CFA model. As expected, interfactor correlations obtained with ESEM were substantially smaller than those obtained with CFA, indicating greater factor distinctiveness. These results suggest that hedonic and eudaimonic factors are correlated yet largely independent from each other. The results also suggest that ESEM is a more appropriate method than CFA in the study of multi-dimensional constructs, such as mental well-being.

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  • Mohsen Joshanloo, 2016. "Revisiting the Empirical Distinction Between Hedonic and Eudaimonic Aspects of Well-Being Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 2023-2036, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:17:y:2016:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-015-9683-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-015-9683-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Garrett Kafka & Albert Kozma, 2002. "The Construct Validity of Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) and their Relationship to Measures of Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 171-190, February.
    2. Veronika Huta & Alan Waterman, 2014. "Eudaimonia and Its Distinction from Hedonia: Developing a Classification and Terminology for Understanding Conceptual and Operational Definitions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1425-1456, December.
    3. Edward Deci & Richard Ryan, 2008. "Hedonia, eudaimonia, and well-being: an introduction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Mohsen Joshanloo, 2014. "Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 475-493, April.
    5. Richard M. Ryan & Veronika Huta & Edward Deci, 2008. "Living well: a self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 139-170, January.
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    Cited by:

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    5. M. Joseph Sirgy & Dong-Jin Lee & Seolwoo Park & Mohsen Joshanloo & Minyoung Kim, 2020. "Work–Family Spillover and Subjective Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Coping Strategies," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2909-2929, December.
    6. Angelina Wilson Fadiji & Leana Meiring & Marie P. Wissing, 2021. "Understanding Well-Being in the Ghanaian Context: Linkages between Lay Conceptions of Well-Being and Measures of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(2), pages 649-677, April.
    7. Wenjie Li & Linting Zhang & Chengcheng Li & Ningzhe Zhu & Jingjing Zhao & Feng Kong, 2022. "Pursuing Pleasure or Meaning: A Cross-Lagged Analysis of Happiness Motives and Well-being in Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 3981-3999, December.
    8. Valeria Donisi & Federico Tedeschi & Juan Luis Gonzalez-Caballero & Johanna Cresswell-Smith & Elvira Lara & Marta Miret & Anna K. Forsman & Kristian Wahlbeck & Francesco Amaddeo & Jorid Kalseth, 2021. "Is Mental Well-Being in the Oldest Old Different from That in Younger Age Groups? Exploring the Mental Well-Being of the Oldest-Old Population in Europe," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1693-1717, April.
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    10. Mohsen Joshanloo & Dan Weijers, 2019. "A two-dimensional conceptual framework for understanding mental well-being," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Shan Jiang & Lin Wang & Yuhang Cheng, 2023. "Unrevealing the Mediating Mechanisms Between Material Deprivation and Children’s Life Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 893-914, April.
    12. Anderson, Austen R. & Fowers, Blaine J., 2020. "Lifestyle behaviors, psychological distress, and well-being: A daily diary study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
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