Introduction
Many people find themselves in a relationship at one point in their life. These relationships could occur by chance, such as those built with classmates at school, or through selection as is the case of relationships built with friends and partners. Other relationships are neither by choice nor by chance; we are born and live in them as is the case of family relationships. Relationships are formed for several reasons, including the need to build and strengthen connections, gain social support, and the urge to belong and identify with others.
Regardless of the reasons for building social ties, everyone wants to be in a positive relationship. So far, there lacks a standard definition of a positive relationship; thus, everyone may have a different perception of what constitutes a positive tie. However, in a family context, positive relationships are exhibited by family members living harmoniously and supporting each other (Preston, Gottfried, Oliver, Gottfried, Delany & Ibrahim, 2016). Scholars can also replicate this definition in other ties with friends and colleagues to mean relationships pillared on support, care, and concern for each other.
Positive relationships have been found to have a significant impact on people’s wellbeing. For example, pioneers of positive psychology suggest that happy people are highly social and have stronger romantic and other social relationships (Diener & Seligman, 2002). This theory forms the basis of this research which aims to gather empirical evidence on the correlation between the two variables and determine the importance of positive relationships on people’s emotion system.
Literature Review
One of the earliest studies was conducted by Diener and Seligman (2002) to examine factors that would influence high happiness, the patterns of necessity and sufficiency and moods and emotions of the happiest people. The 50-day research consisted of a sample of 222 college students from the University of Illinois who were recruited from a semester-long intensive study. The final results were analyzed using continuous regression analysis.
Findings from the study suggested a positive symmetrical correlation between happiness and social relationships. It was identified that very happy people had rich and satisfying social relationships and that they spent little time alone relative to average people (Diener & Seligman, 2002). The researchers also noted that relationships required a considerable amount of self-disclosure, whereby individuals could talk about their personal issues more openly. The study findings also showed that unhappy people were in worse social relationships.
The study conducted by Diener and Seligman (2002) provided empirical evidence on the correlation between happiness and positive relationships. The study also emphasized that self-disclosure was crucial for individuals to experience happiness during social interactions. One of the key strengths of the study was the use of strong and thorough measures of happiness (Diener & Seligman, 2002). Most notably, the researchers used multiple measures of happiness such as satisfaction with life scale, informant affect balance, daily affect balance and global self-reported affect balance. However, the study’s limitation was based on the use of a small sample size which constrained the generalization of the research outcomes to a larger population.
A further study was conducted by Quoidhbach, Taquet, Desseilles, Montjoye and Gross (2019) to test whether there exists a symmetrical relationship between happiness and social behavior. The two primary research questions were: (a) the manner in which a person’s happiness was likely to result to social interactions with various interaction partners; (b) the manner in which interaction partners contributed to a person’s happiness.
The 30-day study constituted a sample of 30,793 people residing in France, all of whom volunteered for the research. 65% and 25% of the participants were men and women, respectively, within the medium age of 27 years. The researchers required the participants to download “58 seconds”, an application that measures various aspects of users’ wellbeing through questionnaires during its 18-month period of availability to qualify for the study (Quoidhbach et al., 2019). The final results were analyzed using multilevel regression models.
The results showed a positive correlation between social relationships and happiness. The scholars discovered the strongest associations between momentary happiness and spending time with a best friend (Quoidhbach et al., 2019). Conversely, there was a weak tie between average happiness and the time spent with acquaintances, siblings, parents and romantic partners.
The study conducted by Quoidhbach et al. reinforced the findings on the association between social interactions and happiness. The study’s primary strength was the use of a large sample size which would allow the generalization of the findings in a large population. Nonetheless, the study had multiple limitations, including the likelihood of the existence of reversed causality, which may have affected the research findings.
A further study was conducted by Sandstrom and Dunn (2014) to test the association between social interactions and one’s well being. However, unlike prior studies that focused on strong ties such as close friends and family, the current study delved into weak ties such as interaction with acquaintances. Sandstrom and Dunn (2014) hypothesized that people would experience greater wellbeing and belonging by interacting with more weak ties.
The researchers utilized three studies to test the hypothesis. The first, second and third study consisted of 242 undergraduate students; 82 males and 160 females; 58 first-year university students; 15 males and 43 females and 53 community members; 16 males and 37 females older than 25 years, respectively. The procedure for participation in all studies involved completing four variables; personality, subjective wellbeing and belonging and demographic details at the beginning of the semester (Sandstrom & Dunn, 2014). The second and third study also required participants to complete questionnaires on the number of interactions with strong and weak ties. The researchers measured the final research outcomes through a Hierarchical Linear Modeling Analysis (HLM).
The general findings of the three studies suggested that social interactions resulted in greater happiness in both students and community members. One of the key strengths of the study was its extension in the community setting, which would allow the generalizability of the findings. However, the study failed to test both causal directions of happiness and social interactions to determine whether happiness caused social interactions or the interaction occurred the other way around.
Purpose of Research and Research Questions
Overall, the three primary articles provide empirical evidence on the positive correlation between happiness and positive relationship. The studies also reveal that people experience higher levels of happiness when self-disclosure exists within positive interactions. However, it is still unclear about positive interactions that lead to extreme happiness. Arguably, none of the studies adequately examine whether people are happier in positive relationships with best friends, family, siblings, romantic partners or acquaintances. Therefore, the planned research aims to explore whether people are happier in positive relationships with the five categories of people.
Research Question: Are individuals happier in positive relationships with best friends, family, siblings, romantic partners or acquaintances.
Methodology and Questionnaire
The sample for this research will constitute of community members, both male and female, residing within a small town in the UAE. The age of the participants will range between 18-30 years. The eligibility criteria for participation will include:
- Must be extroverted
- Must be in a close and positive relationship with family, siblings and acquaintances
At the start of the study, researchers will screen participants for personal happiness using a compact scale developed by Hills and Argyle (2002). The researchers will use an email survey because of its low transmission and collection costs, immediate transmission to a larger population at the same time and immediate response (Michaelidou & Dibb, 2006). Furthermore, an email survey would be easier to use than manual surveys.
Researchers will also require the eligible participants to fill a subjective happiness scale (SHS) within one month of the study. As noted by Chinni (2014), SHS is a 4-item self-report measure developed to assess a person’s overall happiness as measured through self-evaluation. The second item of the scale will be used during the study to rate one’s level of happiness relative to their interaction with five social ties under study. After completion of the study, the researchers will analyze the results to determine the tie that causes the highest level of happiness among individuals.
Regional Awareness/ Trends in the UAE
Overall, the UAE has maintained a high rank in the World Happiness Report over the past few years. In 2019, the UN ranked UAE as the happiest Arab country based on the manner in which the country’s citizens perceived themselves to be (Razgova, 2019). Another study conducted by the Community Development Authority and Dubai Statistics Center also found that Emiratis happiness score was 8.3 and 7.9 for other Arab expatriates (D’raven & Pasha-Zaidi, 2015). These rankings are mainly based on factors such as technologies, government policies and social norms.
Further research conducted by D’raven and Pasha-Zaidi provides a better insight into the perception and trends of happiness in the UAE at an individual level. Most notably, the study reveals that Emirati and other Arab expatriate students define happiness as “a collective state generated through relationships with family and social groups rather than through the self” (D’raven & Pasha-Zaidi, 2015, p.1). Unlike the Western world where individualism is almost a norm, the Arab world considers collectivism as a critical contributor to happiness (D’raven & Pasha-Zaidi, 2015). In essence, the population perceives happiness as a product of social relations with the family. The population also perceives good governance as a contributor to happiness (D’raven & Pasha-Zaidi, 2015). Findings from this study correlate with the primary articles which attribute happiness to the positive relationships that people maintain with their friends, families and romantic partners.
Despite the common view on the definition of happiness, there exists scant research on the tie that is highly attributed to happiness among Emiratis. On the one hand, some Emiratis consider family as the most important social institution that contributes to lower perceived rates of stress and higher satisfaction with life and positive mood. The positive relationship between married couples who have high levels of communication is also linked to happiness (D’raven & Pasha-Zaidi, 2015). On the other hand, a study conducted by D’raven and Pasha-Zaidi (2016) shows slight variations in relationships considered to bring high levels of happiness among individuals. For example, some perceive happiness as a product of the interaction with family and good friends. Synthesis of information from this literature reveals a niche on the relationships that yield the highest levels of happiness among individuals living in the UAE.
The current trends in the UAE form the basis for the planned research. Most notably, the trends reveal three common themes of happiness and relationships; family, romantic relationships, and friends contribute to one’s happiness. Researchers will explore these trends further in the planned study to help determine and rank ties that contribute to personal happiness. Results from the research will have significant implications in the field of positive psychology, notably in the UAE. The findings may help psychologists develop ideal interventions that can foster social interactions among individuals and lead to happiness. For example, if the family ranks first in the study, psychologists can promote family interactions to promote happiness among individuals. Similarly, if friends rank highest in the study, psychologists can encourage interactions with the former to promote happiness among individuals.
Future Research and Limitations
The proposed study aims at exploring the ties that contribute to the highest level of happiness among Emiratis. The research suggests that one of the weak or strong social ties could lead to greater happiness among individuals compared to others. Although the current research may contribute considerable information on positive psychology, mainly happiness and positive relationships, it may not provide adequate information that is generalizable in the broader population. This limitation may arise from the fact that happiness is perceived differently across various cultures. For example, as seen in the research, Emiratis perceive happiness as a product of collectivism, an aspect that may not be common among other cultures.
Therefore, further research is required in the future to examine the perception of happiness across different cultures to allow a broader understanding of interactions that would yield the highest level of happiness among individuals. Furthermore, the current research is limited by financial constraints, which implies that researchers will utilize a small size for the study. Therefore, the views of the sample size may not adequately reflect the perceptions of all Emiratis residing in the UAE. In line with this, further research consisting of a larger sample size, may be required. Additionally, further analysis may be required in future research to determine both causal directions of happiness and social interactions.
References
Chinni M. (2014) Subjective Happiness Scale. In: Michalos A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2898
D’raven, L.L., & Pasha-Zaidi, N. (2015). Happiness in the United Arab Emirates: Conceptualizations of happiness among Emirati and other Arab students. International Journal of Happiness and Development, 2(1), 1-21. doi: 10.1504/IJHD.2015.067590
D’raven, L.L., & Pasha-Zaidi, N. (2016). Using the PERMA model in the United Arab Emirates. International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-for-Life Measurement, 125(3), 905-933. doi: 10.1007/s11205-015-0866-0
Diener, E., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Very happy people. Psychological Science, 13(1), 81-84. doi:10.1111%2F1467-9280.00415
Hills, P., & Argyle, M. (2002). The Oxford happiness questionnaire: A compact scale for the measurement of psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 33(7), 1073-1082. doi: 10.1016/S0191-8869(01)00213-6
Michaelidou, N., & Dibb, S. (2006). Using email questionnaires for research: Good practice in tackling non-response. Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, 14(4), 289-296. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Temp/Michaelidou-Dibb2006_Article_UsingEmailQuestionnairesForRes.pdf
Preston, K.S.J., Gottfried, A.W., Oliver, P.H., Gottfried, A.E., Delany, D.E., & Ibrahim, S.M. (2016). Positive family relationships: Longitudinal network of relations. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(7), 875-885. doi: 10.1037/fam0000243
Quoidbach, J., Taquet, M., Desseilles, M., Montjoye, Y., & Gross, J.J. (2019). Happiness and social behavior. Psychological Science, 30(8), 1111-1122. doi:10.1177%2F0956797619849666
Razgova, S. (2019, March 20). UAE is happiest Arab country for 5th year running, UN report shows. The National News. Retrieved from https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/uae-is-happiest-arab-country-for-5th-year-running-un-report-shows-1.839523
Sandstrom, G.M., & Dunn, E.W. (2014). Social interactions and well-being: The surprising power of weak ties. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(7), 910-922. doi:10.1177%2F0146167214529799
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