Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Handbook of Eudaimonic Well-Being pp 473–484Cite as

Developing Well-Being and Capabilities as a Goal of Higher Education: A Thought-Piece on Educating the Whole Student

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life ((IHQL))

Abstract

The role of well-being in higher education has received increased attention from both researchers and practitioners in recent years. In this thought piece, we argue that a eudaemonic well-being approach represents an important lens through which to examine well-being in the educational context. Moreover, such an approach is consistent with the progressive school of thought in educational theory and child-centered approaches to teaching and learning. A wide range of traits, skills and abilities that arguably count as eudaemonic youth outcomes are currently designated by education researchers as important “non-academic” outcomes. These have been labeled “character”, “character virtue development”, “social emotional learning”, “pro-social behavior”, “positive youth development”, “learning mindsets and skills”, “capacity for accomplishment”, “thriving”, “non-cognitive skills” and “personal success skills”. We review a number of relevant eudaemonic approaches and research findings relevant to education, and offer suggestions for how an educational system that has as its goal the expansion of eudaemonic well-being—depending on how well-being is defined—can contribute to a more just society and world.

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

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alkire, S. (2002). Dimensions of development. World Development, 30(2), 181–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allport, G. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aristotle. (350BC/1998). Nichomachean ethics. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baehr, J. (2015). Appendix A: Varieties of character: Moral, civic, performance, and intellectual. In Cultivating good minds: A philosophical and practical resource guide for educating for intellectual virtues. Available at: http://intellectualvirtues.org

  • Baumeister, R. F. (1992). Meanings in life. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2004). Research-based character education. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591(1), 72–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buhler, C. (1935). The curve of life as studied in biographies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 43, 653–673.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camfield, L. (2005). Researching quality of life in developing countries. ESRC Research Group on Well-Being in Developing Countries Newsletter, p. 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatzisarantis, N. L., Biddle, S. J., & Meek, G. A. (1997). A self-determination theory approach to the study of intentions and the intention–behaviour relationship in children’s physical activity. British Journal of Health Psychology, 2(4), 343–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. A. (2006). The capability approach: Its development, critiques and recent advances. In D. A. Clark (Ed.), The Elgar companion to development studies (pp. 1–18). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dahill-Brown, S. E., & Jayawickreme, E. (2016). What constitutes indices of well-being among college students? In D. Harward (Ed.), Well-being and higher education: A strategy for change and the realization of education’s greater purposes. New York City: Endeavor Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, W. (2015). The happiness industry: How the government and big business sold us well-being. London: Verso Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1980). Self-determination theory: When mind mediates behavior. Journal of Mind and Behavior, 1, 33–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Taylor & Francis.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dewey, J. (1938). Education and experience. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Disabato, D. J., Goodman, F. R., Kashdan, T. B., Short, J. L., & Jarden, A. (2015). Different types of well-being? A cross-cultural examination of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Psychological Assessment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyal, L., & Gough, I. (1991). A theory of human need. London: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. H. (1959). Identity and the life cycle: Selected papers. Psychological Issues, 1, 1–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnis, J. (1980). Natural law and natural rights. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnis, J., Boyle, J. M., & Grisez, G. (1987). Nuclear deterrence, morality and realism. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgeard, M. J. C., Jayawickreme, E., Kern, M. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Doing the right thing: Measuring wellbeing for public policy. International Journal of Wellbeing, 1(1), 79–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s search for meaning. New York: Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasper, D. (1997). Sen’s capability approach and Nussbaum’s capability ethics. Journal of International Development, 9, 281–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gasper, D. (2002). Is Sen’s capability approach an adequate basis for considering human development? Review of Political Economy, 14, 435–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gasper, D. (2004). The ethics of development. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasper, D. (2007). What is the capability approach? Its core, rationale, partners and dangers. Journal of Socio-Economics, 36, 335–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helson, R., & Srivastava, S. (2001). Three paths of adult development: Conservers, seekers, and achievers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(6), 995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaggar, A. M. (2006). Reasoning about well-being: Nussbaum’s methods of justifying the capabilities. Journal of Political Philosophy, 14(3), 301–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahoda, M. (1958). Current concepts of positive mental health. New York: Basic Books.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jayawickreme, E., Forgeard, M. J. C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2012). The engine of well-being. Review of General Psychology, 16(4), 327–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jayawickreme, E., & Pawelski, J. O. (2013). Positivity and the capabilities approach. Philosophical Psychology, 26(3), 383–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jayawickreme, E., Pawelski, J., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2008). Happiness: Positive psychology and Nussbaum’s capabilities approach. Library of living philosophers: The philosophy of Martha Nussbaum. Chicago: Open Court.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, C. G. (1933). Modern man in search of a soul. New York: Harcourt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(2), 410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1996). Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 280–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keyes, C. L. M., Shmotkin, D., & Ryff, C. D. (2002). Optimizing well-being: The empirical encounter of two traditions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 1007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, L. A., & Hicks, J. A. (2007). Whatever happened to “What might have been”? Regrets, happiness, and maturity. American Psychologist, 62(7), 625.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, L. A., & Napa, C. K. (1998). What makes a life good? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koestner, R., Losier, G. F., Vallerand, R. J., & Carducci, D. (1996). Identified and introjected forms of political internalization: Extending self-determination theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(5), 1025.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. (1968). Some educational implications of the humanistic psychologies. Harvard Educational Review, 38(4), 685–696.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narayan-Parker, D. (2000). Crying out for change: Voices of the poor. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press for the World Bank.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Neugarten, B. L. (1968). The awareness of middle age. In B. L. Neugarten (Ed.), Middle age and aging (pp. 93–98). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neugarten, B. L. (1973). Personality change in late life: A developmental perspective. In C. Eisodorfer & M. P. Lawton (Eds.), The psychology of adult development and aging (pp. 311–335). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (1990). Aristotelian social democracy. In R. Bruce Douglass, G. Mara, & H. Richardson (Eds.), Liberalism and the good. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (1992). Human functioning and social justice in defense of Aristotelian essentialism. Political Theory, 20(2), 202–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (1999). Sex and social justice. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2000). Women and human development. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2003). Capabilities as fundamental entitlements: Sen and social justice. Feminist Economics, 9(2–3), 33–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2004). Mill between Aristotle & Bentham. Daedalus, 133(2), 60–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2006). Frontiers of justice: Disability, nationality, species. Cambridge, MA: Belknap.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nussbaum, M. C. (2008). Who is the happy warrior? Philosophy poses questions to psychology. The Journal of Legal Studies, 37(S2), S81–S113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A classification. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranis, G., Stewart, F., & Samman, E. (2006). Human development: Beyond the human development index. Journal of Human Development, 7, 323–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rawls, J. (1999). A theory of justice. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robeyns, I. (2006). Three models of education rights, capabilities and human capital. Theory and Research in Education, 4(1), 69–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, C. (1961). A therapist’s view of psychotherapy: On becoming a person. London: Constable.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, C. R. (1962). The process equation of psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 15, 27–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Connell, J. P. (1989). Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(5), 749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Huta, V., & Deci, E. L. (2008). Living well: A self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, 139–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Kuhl, J., & Deci, E. L. (1997). Nature and autonomy: An organizational view of social and neurobiological aspects of self-regulation in behavior and development. Development and Psychopathology, 9(04), 701–728.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Stiller, J. D., & Lynch, J. H. (1994). Representations of relationships to teachers, parents, and friends as predictors of academic motivation and self-esteem. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 14(2), 226–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D. (1995). Psychological well-being in adult life. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 4, 99–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D. (2014). Psychological well-being revisited: Advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 83(1), 10–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. (1996). Psychological well-being: Meaning, measurement, and implications for psychotherapy research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 65(1), 14–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seider, S. (2012). Character compass: How powerful school culture can point students towards success. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Positive psychology, positive prevention, and positive therapy. Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2, 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E., P., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sen, A. (1992). Inequality reexamined. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen, A. K. (1993). Capability and well-being. In M. C. Nussbaum & A. K. Sen (Eds.), The quality of life. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen, A. K. (1999). Development as freedom. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L., & Kasser, T. (2004). The independent effects of goal contents and motives on well-being: It’s both what you pursue and why you pursue it. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(4), 475–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, J. A. (2014, May 6). Teaching kids ‘Grit’ is all the rage. Here’s What’s wrong with it. The New Republic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, V. (2012, October 3). Sick of “grit” already. The Washington Post.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, G. (2013). Education: A very short introduction. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Development Program. (1990). Human development report 1990. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valencia, R. R. (2010). Dismantling contemporary deficit thinking: Educational thought and practice. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, G. C., Rodin, G. C., Ryan, R. M., Grolnick, W. S., & Deci, E. L. (1998). Autonomous regulation and long-term medication adherence in adult outpatients. Health Psychology, 17(3), 269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeager, D. S., Henderson, M. D., Paunesku, D., Walton, G. M., D’Mello, S., Spitzer, B. J., et al. (2014). Boring but important: A self-transcendent purpose for learning fosters academic self-regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 107(4), 559.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Eranda Jayawickreme

  2. Department of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Sara E. Dahill-Brown

Authors
  1. Eranda Jayawickreme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sara E. Dahill-Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eranda Jayawickreme .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Joar Vittersø

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jayawickreme, E., Dahill-Brown, S.E. (2016). Developing Well-Being and Capabilities as a Goal of Higher Education: A Thought-Piece on Educating the Whole Student. In: Vittersø, J. (eds) Handbook of Eudaimonic Well-Being. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42445-3_31

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42445-3_31

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42443-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42445-3

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation