Happiness and life satisfaction in the focus of researchers
At this year's meeting of the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS) in Rotterdam, about 400 experts from all regions of the world met to discuss the latest findings on objective and subjective quality of life under the motto "Towards a People-First Economy - a World to Win". Among them were the five OVGU researchers Prof. Andreas Knabe (Chair of Finance, FWW) as well as Prof. Jan Delhey, Dr. Leonie Steckermeier, Stephanie Heß and Marcus Gercke (all Chair of Macrosociology, FHW). Jan Delhey gave the much-discussed opening lecture with the pointed title "Is the happiness party soon over". At the end of the first day, Leonie Steckermeier was awarded the second prize of the "ISQOLS Best Dissertation Award" for her work on the importance of autonomy for subjective quality of life. After the dissertation award of the Faculty of Human Sciences, this was the second award for Leonie Steckermeier for her dissertation, which she successfully defended last year.
During a small ceremony, Dr. Leonie Steckermeier (mi.) was awarded the second prize of the "ISQOLS Best Dissertation Award" for her dissertation on the importance of autonomy for subjective quality of life. (Photo: Stephanie Heß)
The following two days were devoted to current research. Andreas Knabe presented research on the well-being of the unemployed and employed. Stephanie Heß presented findings on the determinants of children's life satisfaction in individualistic and collectivistic societies. Marcus Gercke presented on the recent development of inequality in life satisfaction in European societies against the background of a growing economic gap between rich and poor. Jan Delhey presented a study on experience orientation and status orientation in European societies. Following on from this, Leonie Steckermeier's presentation focused on whether the pursuit of status is detrimental or beneficial to individual life satisfaction.
The second edition of the World Book of Happiness, published by Belgian science journalist Leo Bormans, was presented at the conference. In concise articles, 100 happiness researchers summarize their most important findings about what makes people happy and satisfied. The OVGU is represented in this book with two voices: Stephanie Heß with a contribution on the life satisfaction of children and Jan Delhey with a contribution on the "Happiness formula: Having, Loving, Being." This is further evidence of the radiance of Magdeburg's happiness research, the conference participants unanimously agreed. The first edition of the "World Book of Happiness," to which Jan Delhey also contributed, was translated into more than 40 languages and also received much attention in political circles.