Abstract
“We conclude that there is little empirical evidence for the variance decomposition suggested by the “happiness pie,” and that even if it were valid, it is not necessarily informative with respect to the question of whether individuals can truly exert substantial influence over their own chronic happiness level.”
2 Does the “Happiness Pie” Add Up?
“Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) based their pie chart on the idea that, if 50% of variance in well-being is explained by genetic factors and 10% by circumstances, this “leaves as much as 40% of the variance for intentional activity” (p. 116). While these authors’ arithmetic cannot be faulted, it is not clear that the rest of their reasoning is as impeccable.”
I appreciate a little sass with my math.