ABSTRACT
Gallup research into wellbeing began in the 1930s and is considered one of the largest global surveys. It includes samples from more than 150 countries, and involves millions of participants. This chapter begins by clarifying the main differences between hedonia and eudaimonia. It reviews the major theoretical models of wellbeing that are commonly used in positive psychology scholarship. The distinction between hedonia and eudaimonia can be traced back to Aristotle’s observation that wellbeing is felt only from satisfying basic needs, desires, but from enacting virtues and doing what is morally worth doing. Conceptions of eudaimonia often equate it with wellbeing, with the term wellbeing often used interchangeably with eudaimonic wellbeing, positive mental health, flourishing, optimal experience, wellness or thriving, resulting in some confusion. Some models of wellbeing incorporate both hedonic and eudaimonic features, therefore combining “feeling good” and “functioning well” to offer more holistic theories of wellbeing.
