This paper examines the gender differences in affective and cognitive component of subjective well-being in the case of Serbia. Subjective well-being is defined as the sum of positive and negative affect and the overall life satisfaction. On a nationally-representative sample of the Serbian population, consisting of 17,187 respondents, aged 15 to 96 years (M = 48.88; SD = 18.77) with 51.2% of females and 48.8% males, interviewed within the Survey on Income and Living Conditions in 2013, we examined the gender differences in frequency of experiencing (during the past four weeks) of two positive (feeling calm and peaceful, and being happy) and three negative (being very nervous, feeling down in the dumps, and feeling downhearted or depressed) affects, and the overall life satisfaction. In accordance with most previous research, we expected no gender differences in life satisfaction, and greater positive and negative affectivity among females. The results showed that, first, there are no gender differences in feeling very nervous, and calm and peaceful, but that females significantly more feel downhearted or depressed, down in the dumps, and happy. Second, there are no significant gender differences in overall life satisfaction. Greater affectivity among females may be explained by gender roles

Mentus, Vladimir

IRISS Repository of Institute of Social Sciences (Belgrade)

 PROCEEDINGS OF THE XXIII SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE   EMPIRICAL STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY   MARCH 24-26, 2017 FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE __________________________________________________    INSTITUTE OF PSYCHOLOGY LABORATORY FOR EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE  PROCEEDINGS OF THE XXIII SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE EMPIRICAL  STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY  MARCH 24-26, 2017 FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE _____________________________________________  Cover photo: Mnemometer after Rupp (Max Marx & Berndt, Berlin). Collection of the Old Scientific Instruments of the Laboratory for Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade.      Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade     Laboratory for Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade      Belgrade 2017 3  PROGRAMME COMMITTEE Dr. Balazs Aczel Prof. Dr. Tiziano Agostini Prof. Dr. Denis Bratko Doc. Dr. Petar Čolović Prof. Dr. Dražen Domijan Prof. Dr. Jasmina Kodžopeljić Doc. Dr. Ksenija Krstić Prof. Dr. Orlando M. Lourenço Prof. Dr. Slobodan Marković Dr. Janko Međedović Prof. Dr. Goran Opačić Doc. Dr. Zoran Pavlović Dr. Dragica Pavlović Babić Doc. Dr. Maja Savić Doc. Dr. Dragana Stanojević Dr. Ivana Stepanović Ilić Prof. Dr. Dejan Todorović Doc. Dr. Oliver Tošković Dr. Ana Todorović Prof. Dr. Krista Uibu Prof. Dr. Pavle Valerjev Dr. Milica Vukelić Dr. Anja Wertag Prof. Dr. Sunčica Zdravković Doc. Dr. Iris Žeželj Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Kostić Prof. Dr. Nenad Havelka Dr. Kaja Damnjanović, research associate (chairwoman) ORGANIZING COMMITTEE  Prof. Dr. Slobodan Marković Doc. Dr. Oliver Tošković  Dr. Ljiljana Lazarević, research associate Dr. Kaja Damnjanović, research associate Olga Marković Rosić     Dr. Ivana Stepanović Ilić Marko Živanović Darko Stojilović 4  EDITORS   Doc. Dr. Oliver Tošković  Dr. Kaja Damnjanović, research associate Dr. Ljiljana Lazarević, research associate       Proofreading and layout: Darko Stojilović     120  GENDER DIFFERENCES IN AFFECTIVE AND COGNITIVE WELL-BEING IN SERBIA1  Vladimir Mentus2 Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia  This paper examines the gender differences in affective and cognitive component of subjective well-being in the case of Serbia. Subjective well-being is defined as the sum of positive and negative affect and the overall life satisfaction. On a nationally-representative sample of the Serbian population, consisting of 17,187 respondents, aged 15 to 96 years (M = 48.88; SD = 18.77) with 51.2% of females and 48.8% males, interviewed within the Survey on Income and Living Conditions in 2013, we examined the gender differences in frequency of experiencing (during the past four weeks) of two positive (feeling calm and peaceful, and being happy) and three negative (being very nervous, feeling down in the dumps, and feeling downhearted or depressed) affects, and the overall life satisfaction. In accordance with most previous research, we expected no gender differences in life satisfaction, and greater positive and negative affectivity among females. The results showed that, first, there are no gender differences in feeling very nervous, and calm and peaceful, but that females significantly more feel downhearted or depressed, down in the dumps, and happy. Second, there are no significant gender differences in overall life satisfaction. Greater affectivity among females may be explained by gender roles. Keywords: gender, subjective well-being, Serbia  Introduction Gender is one of the most frequently studied variables in terms of association with subjective well-being. Subjective well-being is most commonly defined the affective and cognitive evaluation of life (Diener et al., 2003), i.e. affective (experiencing of positive and negative affect) and cognitive (general life satisfaction) well-being.  Most of the previous research suggest that the gender differences in life satisfaction are very small or non-existent (WHR, 2015; Di Tella et al., 2003); regarding affective well-being, the picture is somewhat less consistent. Some studies suggest no gender differences in experiencing affect also (e.g., Charles et al., 2001), however more numerous ones found that females experience both positive and negative affect more frequently (Lucas & Gohm, 2000, in: Diener et al., 2002; Fujita et al., 1991), so that the overall subjective well-being is not to a                                                           1 Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia supported this research through the project 179039. 2 vmentus@idn.org.rs  Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia  121  great extent different between males and females. Some other studies show that females experience negative affects more frequently, though they experience the positive affects in equal degree (e.g. OECD 2013). Many researches indicated a positive correlation between affective and cognitive well-being (Diener et al., 2009; Diener & Suh, 1999), although this relationship is unlikely to have one set value and it depends on numerous factors (Diener, 2009; Busseri and Sadava, 2011). Affective and cognitive well-being have already been examined in Serbia (e.g. Jovanović & Novović, 2008; Novović et al. 2008), however not in the context of the gender differences, and not by using nationally representative samples. Further, comparing to countries where previous researches were conducted, Serbia has relatively large gender unemployment gap (World Bank, 2015). Therefore, the subject of this research is gender association to affective and cognitive components of subjective well-being in case of Serbia. The aim of the research is to determine whether males and females in Serbia differ regarding these components of well-being, and to what extent. Method For the purpose of this research, we used nationally representative sample of the Serbian population consisting of 17,187 respondents, aged between 15 and 96 years (M = 48.88; SD = 18.77), with 51.2% females and 48.8% males. Respondents were interviewed in 2013 within European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. We examined the relationship between the frequency of experience (during the past four weeks) of two positive (feeling calm and peaceful, and being happy) and three negative (being very nervous, feeling down in the dumps, and feeling downhearted or depressed) affects, and the overall life satisfaction on one side, with gender, on the other side. Having in mind the results of the largest number of the previous research from other countries, we expected no significant gender differences in overall life satisfaction, and greater positive and negative affectivity among females. Data on the experiencing of affects are obtained using the questions: “How much of the time, during the past four weeks have you: been very nervous; felt so down in the dumps that nothing could cheer you up; felt calm and peaceful; felt down-hearted and depressed; been happy?” Answers were given on a five-point scale, where 1 meant “All the time” and 5 “None of the time”. Data on life satisfaction were obtained using the question: “All things  Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia  122  considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days? 0 means not at all satisfied and 10 means you are completely satisfied”. Results The significance of differences of these components of subjective well-being between males and females is tested by t-tests for independent samples. As it is shown in table 1, t-tests show that there are no significant gender differences in being very nervous, and feeling calm and peaceful, and that females feel downhearted or depressed, down in the dumps, and happy significantly more. Regarding cognitive well-being, there are no significant gender differences in overall life satisfaction.  Both males and females most frequently feel calm and peaceful, and happy. Of the remaining, negative affects, both genders most frequently feel very nervous, than, down in the dumps, and the least frequently downhearted or depressed.    Table 1 Results of t-tests for gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being   Gender M SD t df p Being very nervous M 3.62 1.148 1.444 12240 0.149 F 3.59 1.123 Feeling down in the dumps M 4.35 .980 2.328 11923.460 0.020 F 4.30 1.006 Feeling calm and peaceful M 2.56 1.012 -1.544 12250 0.123 F 2.59 .994 Feeling downhearted or depressed M 4.41 .941 4.179 11930.580 < 0.001 F 4.34 .973 Being happy M 2.75 1.058 3.455 12194 0.001 F 2.68 1.048 Overall life satisfaction M 4.92 2.427 -.477 12275 0.634 F 4.94 2.444   Discussion  In Serbia there are no gender differences in life satisfaction. Further, females more frequently experience some of positive and negative affects (feeling down in the dumps, feeling downhearted or depressed, and being happy), while other (being very nervous, and  Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia  123  feeling calm and peaceful) experience in equal degree as males. These findings are consistent with a large number of previous researches, so the case of Serbia is not different from cases of numerous other countries. That is especially referred to paradoxical findings that females experience both depression and happiness more than males (in: Fujita et al., 1991).   The explanation for such results may be in different social standards of suitable and desirable behavior for males and females, which may lead to the fact that females experience and express affects relatively more (Diener et al., 1999; Fujita et al., 1991). In this regard, the female roles consider them to be emotionally expressive and unstable, and sensitive to the needs of others. Women’s traditional role involves greater responsibility as caregiver, which may encourage more emotional responses. The male roles, on the other hand, consider them to be non-expressive and emotionally stable, and less emotionally responsive (e.g. Nolen-Hoeksema & Rusting, 1999).  Given that the data used in this survey provide an opportunity to examine the differences in experiencing only five types of affects, it would be useful within further research to raise this number. Also, it would be useful to examine the moderating variables (such as age or income) effects on this relationship, in case of Serbia. References Busseri, M. A., and Sadava, S. W. (2010). A Review of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well-Being: Implications for Conceptualization, Operationalization, Analysis, and Synthesis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 15, 290-314. Charles, S. T., Reynolds, C., & Gatz, M. (2001). Age-related differences and change in positive and negative affect over 23 years. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 136-151.  Di Tella, R., MacCulloch, R. J., & Oswald, A. J. (2003). The macroeconomics of happiness. Review of Economics and Statistics, 85, 809-27. Diener, E. (2009). Assessing Subjective Well-Being: Progress and Opportunities. In E. Diener (Ed.), Assessing Well-Being: The Collected Works of Ed Diener. Social Indicators Research Series, Volume 39. The Netherlands: Springer.  Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1999). National differences in subjective well-being. In: D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Diener, E., Kahneman, D., Arora, R., Harter, J., & Tov, W. (2009). Income's differential influence on judgements of life versus well-being. In: E. Diener (Ed.), Assessing Well-Being: The Collected Works of Ed Diener. Social Indicators Research Series, Volume 39. The Netherlands: Springer. Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Oishi, S. (2002). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and life satisfaction. In: C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), The handbook of positive psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.  Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2003). Personality, culture, and subjective well-being: Emotional and cognitive evaluations of life. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 403-425.  Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia  124  Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276-302. Fujita, F., Diener, E., & Sandvik, E. (1991). Gender differences in negative affect and well-being: The case for emotional intensity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 427-434.   Jovanović, V., & Novović, Z. (2008). Kratka skala subjektivnog blagostanja – novi instrument za procenu pozitivnog mentalnog zdravlja. Primenjena psihologija, 1, 77-94. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Rusting, C. L. (1999). Gender differences in well-being. In: D. Kahneman, E. Diener, & N. Schwarz (Eds.), Well-being: The Foundations of Hedonic Psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Novović, Z., Mihić, Lj., Tovilović, S., & Jovanović, V. (2008). Relations among positive and negative affect, disphoria and anxiety. Psihologija, 41, 413-433.  OECD (2013). How’s Life? Measuring Well-Being. Paris: OECD Publishing.  WHR (2015). World Happiness Report 2015. New York: United Nations-The Earth Institute, Columbia University. World Bank (2015). Serbia - Gender at a glance. Europe and Central Asia (ECA) gender at a glance. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/271151467998822002/Serbia-Gender-at-a-glance 

Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia

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Gender differences in affective and cognitive well-being in Serbia

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