Abstract

Happiness is the most important goals of life in many persons. This article provides current concepts of happiness, and summarizes the determinant and promoting factors of it. The terms, including happiness and the interchangeable expressions of it, and the happiness-related words drawing on scientific studies performed until now, were used for mainly Pubmed, PsycINFO, or EBSCOhost search. Psychological findings were primarily discussed, with supplementing socio-economic theory, on the basis of searched references. Happiness is of several meanings according to socio-economic and psychologic approaches. Cross-cultural differences of happiness are also found in the areas both meanings and conditions. Finally, considering the past researches on happiness, sustainable happiness seems to be determined by 3 major factors, such as a setpoint, some environments, and intentional activities related to the happiness promotion. Studies and discussions for establishing the more scientific concepts should be continued. There have been, however, increasing evidence that various interventions, including behavioral, cognitive, and volitional activity, may help attempt to promote and maintain happiness. (Korean J Str Res 2007;15:187∼197)

• Keywords: Happiness, Well-being, Welfare, Positive psychology, Setpoint, Intentional activity, Intervention, Cross-culture;