Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Personal Resilience in Times of Crisis: The Implications of SWB Homeostasis and Set-Points

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Our companion paper (Cummins et al. in J Happiness Stud, 2013) describes the statistical process used to demonstrate set-points and set-point-ranges for subjective wellbeing. The implications of set-points and homeostasis are now considered in the context of resilience. This discussion leads with a brief overview of resilience definitions and is followed by a description of subjective wellbeing (SWB) homeostasis. This addresses, in particular, the issue of SWB malleability under homeostatic control. The link between resources and resilience is then considered, in terms of predictions made by homeostasis theory. Finally, discussion focuses on the implications of such understanding for future directions in SWB research. It is concluded that an understanding of set-points and homeostasis allows new insights into the resilience construct.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Antonovsky, A. (1979). Health, stress, and coping. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, J., & Kremen, A. M. (1996). IQ and ego-resiliency: conceptual and empirical connections and separateness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 349–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blore, J. D., Stokes, M. A., Mellor, D., Firth, L., & Cummins, R. A. (2011). Comparing multiple discrepancies theory to affective models of subjective wellbeing. Social Indicators Research, 100(1), 1–16. doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9599-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. D. (1990). Self-esteem and clarity of the self-concept. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 538–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S. (1998). Resilience and thriving: Issues, models, and linkages. Journal of Social Issues, 54, 245–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conger, R. D., & Conger, K. J. (2002). Resilience in midwestern families: Selected findings from the first decade of a prospective, longitudinal study. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 361–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2003). Normative life satisfaction: Measurement issues and a homeostatic model. Social Indicators Research, 64(2), 225–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2010). Subjective wellbeing, homeostatically protected mood and depression: A synthesis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 1–17. doi:10.1007/s10902-009-9167-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2012). The relationship between subjective wellbeing and health. In M. L. Caltabiano & L. A. Ricciardelli (Eds.), Applied topics in health psychology (pp. 101–111). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2013). Subjective wellbeing homeostasis. In: D. S. Dunn (Ed.), Oxford bibliographies in psychology. New York: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/OBO/9780199828340-0167.

  • Cummins, R. A., & Nistico, H. (2002). Maintaining life satisfaction: The role of positive cognitive bias. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 37–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Hughes, J., Tomyn, A., Gibson, A., Woerner, J., & Lai, L. (2007). Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 17.1 The Wellbeing of Australians—Carer Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved April 8, 2013, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm.

  • Cummins, R. A., Hammond, T., & Campbell, P. (2012a). Carers Counselling Intervention Study–Volume 2. Melbourne: Australian centre on quality of life, School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 978-1-74156-162–3.

  • Cummins, R. A., Lau, A. D. L., & Davern, M. (2012b). Subjective wellbeing homeostasis. In K. C. Land, A. Michalos, & J. Sirgy (Eds.), Handbook of social indicators and quality-of-life studies (Vol. I, pp. 79–98)., Theoretical and methodological foundations New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Woerner, J., Weinberg, M., Collard, J., Hartley-Clark, L., Perera, C., & Horfiniak, K. C. (2012c). Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 28.0-The Wellbeing of Australians—The impact of marriage. Retrieved April 8, 2013, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm.

  • Cummins, R. A., Li, L., Wooden, M., & Stokes, M. (2013). A demonstration of set-points for subjective wellbeing. Journal of Happiness Studies,. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9444-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davern, M., Cummins, R. A., & Stokes, M. (2007). Subjective wellbeing as an affective/cognitive construct. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8(4), 429–449. doi:10.1007/s10902-007-9066-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeNeve, K. M., & Cooper, H. (1998). The happy personality: A meta-analysis of 137 personality traits and subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 197–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Chan, M. Y. (2011). Happy people live longer: Subjective well-being contributes to health and longevity. Applied Psychology: Health and well-being, 3(1), 1–43. doi:10.1111/j.1758-0854.2010.01045.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Inglehart, R., & Tay, L. (2013). The validity of life satisfaction measures. Social Indicators Research, 112(3), 497–527. doi:10.1007/s11205-012-0076-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A., & Diener, E. (1985). Personality correlates of subjective well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 11, 89–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engel, L., & Cummins, R. A. (2011). Impact of dose adjustment for normal eating in Australia (OzDAFNE) on subjective wellbeing, coping resources and negative affects in adults with type 1 diabetes: A prospective comparison study. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 91, 271–279. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2010.11.023.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ensel, W. M., & Lin, N. (1991). The life stress paradigm and psychological distress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 32, 321–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Rios, L., & Novo, M. (2012). Positive psychology: Zeigeist (or spirit of the times) or ignorance (or disinformation) of history? International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 12(2), 333–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flach, F. (1988). Resilience: Discovering a new strength at times of stress. New York: Fawcett Columbine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgas, J. P. (2008). The strange cognitive benefits of mild dysphoria: On the evolutionary advantages of not being too happy. In J. P. Forgas, M. G. Haselton, & W. von Hippel (Eds.), Evolutionary psychology and social cognition (pp. 107–121). New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, L., & Oswald, A. J. (2010). Hedonic capital, adaptation and resilience. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 76(2), 372–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, C. (2006) What’s left? The death of social democracy. Quarterly Essay, Vol. 21. Melbourne: Black Inc.

  • Headey, B., & Wearing, A. (1992). Understanding happiness: A theory of subjective well-being. Melbourne: Longman Cheshire.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holling, C. S. (1973). Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annual Review of Ecological Systems, 4, 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai, L. C. H., & Cummins, R. A. (2012). The contribution of job and partner satisfaction to the homeostatic defence of subjective wellbeing. Social Indicators Research,. doi:10.1007/s11205-011-9991-6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., & Zelazo, L. B. (2003). Research on resilience: An integrative review. In S. S. Luthar (Ed.), Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities (pp. 511–549). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Macmillan Dictionary. (2012). Retrieved Oct 25, 2012, from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/resilience.

  • Mahoney, M. J. (1991). Human change processes: The scientific foundations of psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S. (2007). Resilience in developing systems: progress and promise as the fourth wave rises. Development and Psychopathology, 19, 921–930.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Coatsworth, J. D. (1998). The development of competence in favourable and unfavourable environments: Lessons from research on successful children. American Psychologist, 53, 205–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merriam-Webster. (2012). Retrieved October 25, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster.com.

  • Peterson, C. (2000). The future of optimism. American Psychologist, 55, 44–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, S. J., Balthazard, P. A., Waldman, D. A., & Thatcher, R. W. (2008). Neuroscientific implications of psychological capital: Are the brains of optimistic, hopeful, confident, and resilient leaders different? Organisational Dynamics, 37, 342–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramanathan, D. M., Wardecker, B. M., Slocomb, J. E., & Hillary, F. G. (2011). Dispositional optimism and outcome following traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 25(4), 328–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J. R., & Snyder, S. S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(1), 5–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, J. A. (2003). Core affect and the psychological construction of emotion. Psychological Review, 110(1), 145–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. H. (1998). The contours of positive human health. Psychological Inquiry, 9(1–28). doi: 10.1207/s15327965pli0901_1.

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realise your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. E., & Stanton, A. L. (2007). Coping resources, coping processes, and mental health. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3, 377–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, S. C., Armstrong, W., & Thoman, C. (1998). Illusions of control, underestimations, and accuracy: A control heuristic explanation. Psychological Bulletin, 123, 143–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomyn, A. J., & Cummins, R. A. (2011). Subjective wellbeing and homeostatically protected mood: Theory validation with adolescents. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(5), 897–914. doi:10.1007/s10902-010-9235-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomyn, A. J., Weinberg, M. K., & Cummins, R. A. (2013). Intervention efficacy among ‘at risk’ adolescents: A test of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis Theory. Social Indicators Research.

  • Vallacher, R. R., & Nowak, A. (1997). The emergence of dynamical social psychology. Psychological Inquiry, 8, 73–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitterso, J., & Nilsen, F. (2002). The conceptual and relational structure of subjective well-being, neuroticism, and extraversion: Once again, neuroticism is the important predictor of happiness. Social Indicators Research, 57(1), 89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E. (1995). Resilience in development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 3, 81–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. S. (1982). Vulnerable but invincible: A study of resilient children. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, S., & Ferch, S. (2005). Enhancing resilience in the workplace through the practice of caring relationships. Organisation Development Journal, 23, 45–60.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

    Robert A. Cummins

  2. Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Mark Wooden

Authors
  1. Robert A. Cummins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mark Wooden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert A. Cummins.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cummins, R.A., Wooden, M. Personal Resilience in Times of Crisis: The Implications of SWB Homeostasis and Set-Points. J Happiness Stud 15, 223–235 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9481-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9481-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation