I took the Authentic Happiness Inventory on Seligman's research website

[sabrinamari]

It has a series of interesting questionnaires that you can take as part of his research project. Anyone can sign up and do it.

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/register.aspx

Welcome, Sabrina

Authentic Happiness Inventory

Here is your score on the Authentic Happiness Inventory. We are currently testing and refining this questionnaire. We cannot yet tell you whether or how scores on this questionnaire are related to happiness. We can only tell you how your scores compared to those of others using the site and thank you for your kind contribution to this research. When we finish the study in a few months, we'll add more information about this score on your personalized Test Center page.



Authentic Happiness Inventory

Authentic Happiness Inventory Score July 21, 2006: 4.13

Scale: 1.00 to 5.00

You scored as high or higher than...

96 % of all web users

96 % of your gender

97 % of age group

96 % of occupation group

94 % of education level

93 % within your zip code



Available questionnaires:

Authentic Happiness Inventory (AHI)
Depression Scale (CES-D)
Fordyce Emotions
General Happiness
PANAS
Brief Strengths Test
Gratitude (GQ-6)
Grit Survey
Optimism
Transgression Motivations
VIA Signature Strengths
VIA Strengths for Children
Work-Life
Close Relationships
Meaning in Life
Approaches to Happiness
Satisfaction with Life
Resources
Newsletters
Newsletter Center
Authentic Happiness
Authentic Happiness Coaching

Regarding this site... Your responses to the questionnaires on this Web site are entirely voluntary and will be used,
anonymously, in ongoing research by Dr. Seligman, the Values in Action Institute, and the creators of the questionnaires.
We may also occasionally e-mail you with general information on Positive Psychology or opportunities in Positive Psychology.

Participants will not be allowed to use the questionnaires until they fill out the information on the registration page and agree to the above consent.

Copyright ©2006, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[sidhne.livejournal.com]

I have a question for you:

Do you think it's possible for a person to think s/he is happy and not actually be happy?

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

I think it's perfectly possible for a person to have adapted to poor conditions enough to not realise how poor they are, and therefore have adapted to be happier with their lot than they would otherwise be, if that makes sense.

[(Anonymous)]

Karen is right about her analysis---I did this for many years when I was married. i truly did not realize how bad the conditions of that relationship were, and I simply...adjusted, so that I was much more focused on those people and circumstances that were rewarding, life and love affirming, and positive.

During this period, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't happy. But my sources of happiness were not to be found in my marriage, and I just...failed to notice this for a long time.

[sidhne.livejournal.com]

I ask because I feel that, overall, I am a happy person, and I sometimes have occasions that depress me, but they don't seem to change my perception that I am happy.

I wonder whether it is maladaptive to consider myself happy in the face of so many un-happy-making events, or if I am just coping.

This is not an issue that worries me, but simply the idle navel-gazing of an over-active brain.

[evaelisabeth.livejournal.com]

I think a situation that happens all the time is that people have everything that society tells them they need for happiness, like a house, money, two cars, two tellies, vacations, a busy career. They then interpret that as happiness and don't dig any deeper and are surprised if after a while everything falls appart because it's built on quicksand.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes.

I also think it is possible to be habitually discontent, not because of one's circumstances or because of real challenges, but simply because one is in the habit of being and expressing discontent. For some people, discontent is just more comfortable than happiness. I recently met someone who seems to fit into this category, and the encounter reminded me that such a scenario is possible.

I also think that sometimes one's life is good, and has all the elements that lead to joy, but one just feels...icky, tired, or overwhelmed.

I think I'm in the latter place, and it means that I need to, and am probably on the verge of, growing and transforming. I think this may be the feeling you get when you have to grow up as a person a little bit more, and find a better balance between self and outside demands---historically, never my strength. Yet.

I'd like to read Seligman's book, and I think I may check it out of the library soon.

[flamespirit.livejournal.com]

Happiness is not what happens to you.
It's how you think about what happens to you.

~~~ Just my 2 cents