Chapter 7 - Multiple Well-Being and Other-Inclusive Happiness

Summary

Two main forms of well-being are outlined: hedonic and eudemonic happiness as viewed from the perspective of Self-Determination Theory and from narrative psychology. Two limitations of these approaches are discussed: the lack of the other in the self and the neglect of reason. Taking these limitations into account, a model of multiple well-being is presented with four levels of inclusiveness: individual, social, human, and ecological, each with associated forms of well-being and responsibility. For each of these levels, research findings and related theoretical concepts are presented. At the collective level, the chapter summarizes the reflections of colleagues who applied Dialogical Self Theory in their own culture: African, Japanese, Chinese, and indigenous American. A comparison results in the conclusion that all of them show more open boundaries between self and nonself, more intimacy with others and nature, and less emphasis on control and manipulation of the environment.