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Abstract

The emotions of happiness, joy, hope, and optimism are covered, they being the most common accompaniments to high quality of life (QOL) and well-being The subjective want-based approach to QOL is used as opposed to the objective social indicators approach. Of the three forms, serious leisure meets best the four components of QOL. These four can also be realized in many leisure projects, though the good QOL found there will be more evanescent, and possibly not even as sharply felt, as in the far more enduring pursuit of a serious leisure activity. Casual leisure can also help generate a decent QOL. To the extent that well-being is fostered by enjoyment of and satisfaction with the activities of everyday life, evidence suggests it is an important by-product of serious leisure. A discussion of happiness follows, and the chapter concludes with an examination of the aforementioned emotions.

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© 2015 Robert A. Stebbins

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Stebbins, R.A. (2015). Quality of Life and Well-Being. In: Leisure and Positive Psychology: Linking Activities with Positiveness. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-56994-3_8

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