Are wellbeing and illusory perceptions linked? The answer may be yes, but

• Published in: Australian journal of psychology Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Boyd-Wilson, Belinda M., McClure, John, Walkey, Frank H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Emotions; Evaluation; Happiness; Life satisfaction; Positive illusions; Psychological tests; Psychology; Selfreport measures; Subjective wellbeing
• ISSN: 0004-9530; 1742-9536
• DOI: 10.1080/00049530410001688065

The relationship between wellbeing and “positive illusions” has not been satisfactorily explained. Two studies investigated this issue through self‐report data. Study 1 examined the relationship between wellbeing and positive illusion using happiness scores divided into three groups. Positive illusion in the form of self‐enhancing bias was measured with trait ratings of the self and average others. The prediction that self‐enhancing bias would be lower at high than at moderate happiness was not supported. However, self‐enhancing bias was greater at moderate than at low happiness, through increasingly positive self‐ratings. Similar results were obtained in Study 2 with a life satisfaction measure. The results suggest that positive illusions are related especially to moderate wellbeing, whereas positive self‐views predict higher wellbeing levels.