ABSTRACT
Subjective well-being as a science has continued to rapidly grow in recent decades. Earlier findings of the benefits and causes of well-being have been replicated and expanded using innovative techniques and methodology. Findings continue supporting the importance of well-being for success in critical domains including health, work, and relationships. In essence, well-being has been firmly established as a key ingredient in determining overall functioning on both the individual and societal levels. This chapter reviews pivotal research findings that might increase the attention well-being receives as a national measure of quality of life. It also provides scientific advances that have been made since first suggesting the impact of national accounts of well-being for public policy.
