In: Michael Eid & Randy Larsen (Eds). "The Science of Subjective Well-being: A tribute to Ed Diener", Guilford Publications, New York, ISBN: 978-1-59385-581-9 pp. 44-61
In this chapter I summarize how sociologists have dealt with four related questions about subjective wellbeing: 1) what is subjective wellbeing, 2) how we appraise how well we are, 3) how subjective wellbeing can be furthered and 4) whether subjective wellbeing should be furthered. The answers sociologists gave to these questions are much influenced by: a) their view of man as being socially determined, b) a cognitive psychology and c) preoccupation with social problems of the past. This outlook on subjective wellbeing has caused the subject to remain marginal in sociology.