Do individuals try to maximize general satisfaction?

Abstract

The hypothesis that individuals try to maximize their life-satisfaction is analyzed. The approach was to derive empirically testable predictions as to the relationships between intentions, actions, importance weights, and satisfaction levels that would be consistent with the hypothesis, and to test these predictions on a Russian and a German panel data set. The respondents investigated were more likely to intend to change those areas they are unsatisfied with in this period, were more likely to actually have changed those areas they were unsatisfied with in the last period, and tended to find the areas of their lives they were dissatisfied with less important. The relationships were not very strong though and were more reliable for the German data set than for the Russian data set. The findings therefore give only limited support to the hypothesis examined.