(Happiness - Subjective Well-Being Cont. 2)

Measurement of Happiness

As happiness is subjective it is a challenge to measure objectively; some subjective well-being behaviours, like smiling behaviour, are highly correlated with some personality traits and have the capacity to predict future outcomes.

However,
"...The main weakness of subjective measures is that they are affected by cognitive biases such as the effect of expectation and adaptation so that we don't know how far to believe the score..."
Michael Argyle as quoted by Heather Craig, 2019

Some techniques to measure happiness include Experienced Sampling Method, the Steen Happiness Index, Subjective Happiness Scale, Happiness Scale, Affect Balance Scale, Bradburn Affect Balance Scale, etc.

For example, the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale is a self-reporting measure of the quality of life.
"...the scale is made up of descriptions of ten mood states (for example, one item is feeling 'particularly excited or interested in something'), and the subject reflects upon whether they have been in that mood state during the last week..."
Heather Craig, 2019