ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces the conceptions and genesis of happiness or well-being with reference to Chinese characteristics and the analytic-functionalist framework. Specifically, it sets the ground for investigating well-being in terms of overall perceptual well-being and its components of hedonic well-being—comprising happiness, non-depression, self-esteem, life satisfaction—and existential well-being—comprising life meaningfulness and freedom. The investigation involves personality traits, strengths, values, beliefs, and practices, as well as background characteristics. At both personal and contextual levels, these factors are influential on personal well-being through various voluntaristic and deterministic mechanisms of the analytic-functionalist framework. Among the voluntaristic mechanisms are those about power realization or driving with resources, utility optimization or gravitating toward gain or attraction, norm conformity or assimilating with norms, and idea consistency or rationalizing with reasonable ideas. They meet the functions of fulfillment, adaptation, integration, and latency. To activate these voluntaristic mechanisms, the indirect deterministic mechanisms comprise empowering to enhance resources for driving, incentivizing to offer gains for gravitating, standardizing or normalizing to establish norms for assimilating, and framing or signifying to highlight ideas for rationalizing.
