Life satisfaction is an important subject for academic and policy attention at
individual, societal, and global levels. However, there are longstanding
controversies in the research regarding life satisfaction. Confusing use of life
satisfaction-related concepts have been identified. Repositioning the concept of
life satisfaction and critically reviewing life-related satisfaction studies will clarify
these confusions. This analytical commentary presents knowledge on a popular
but contested subject, that of life-related satisfaction. This topic is the focus of my
selected publications, in which I seek to reconceptualise and reframe the
discussion to provide a more comprehensive and meaningful framework for life
satisfaction. In addition, I seek to redirect future studies, applications, and policies,
ultimately leading to more enabled and resilient societies.
Specifically, this analytical commentary illustrates the current state of knowledge,
providing an in-depth and systematic evaluation of the current terminologies
related to life satisfaction and well-being; and highlights the urgency for change.
In this analytical commentary, I seek to consider what authentic life satisfaction
is. Based on my selected published works, together with the professional context
in which the publications were written, this analytical commentary will focus on
and:
I. recognise the deficiencies and problems of contemporary
understandings and use of relevant terms and concepts;
II. make reference to philosophical and psychological thoughts;
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III. review literature within theoretically triangular axes as a frame of
reference, namely, life-deep, life-wide, and life-long; and
IV. propose a new theoretical framework entitled ‘Life Enhancement and
Positivity’ (LEP).
Shifting the paradigm, LEP is formulated to be more meaningful, comprehensive,
precise, and parsimonious, considering both structures and dynamics of life. Two
major structural domains are outlined.
Among my published works, I have selected seven peer-reviewed papers that will
serve as the body of work for this analytical commentary. Five of the papers were
published in internationally recognised journals, and two are articles within two
academic reference books published by the University of Hong Kong and Hong
Kong Polytechnic University respectively. Under the common theme of life
satisfaction, they address different research targets (for example, older and
younger cohorts), variables (for example, health-related, psychosocial-related,
and work-related) and methods (for example, quantitative and qualitative). These
publications, as original contributions to the field, aid the construction of a new
meta-level framework that aims to address the aforementioned controversies and
ambiguities within the context of a complex and intricate situation as well as to
serve as a guide towards a new direction