Can Happiness Apps Generate Nationally Representative Datasets? - a Case Study Collecting Data on People’s Happiness Using the German Socio-Economic Panel

In the last few years, apps have become an important tool to collect data. Especially in the case of data on people’s happiness, two projects have received substantial attention from both the media and the scientific world: “Track your happiness” from Killingsworth and Gilbert (Science, 330, 932-932, 2010), and “Mappiness,” from MacKerron (2012). Both happiness apps used the experience sampling method to ask people a few times per day how they feel, what they do, with whom, and where. The collected data are then displayed for the participants in simple graphs to help them understand what makes them happy and what does not. Both studies have collected considerable data without giving participants any financial rewards. But quantity is not everything that matters with respect to data collection, and thus, understanding whether nationally representative datasets can be collected using such happiness apps is crucial. To address this question, we built a new happiness app and ran a case-study with over 4000 participants of the innovation sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel (Richter and Schupp in Schmollers Jahrbuch, 135(3), 389–399, 2015). Participants were informed that the app collects data on everyday happiness after a household interview and asked whether they would like to use the app. In the first year (2015), participants did not receive any reward, and in the second year (2016), a different group of participants received a 50 Euro Amazon voucher for their participation. The results showed that our happiness app cannot generate nationally representative datasets if it is not controlled that all demographic sub-groups have access to a smartphone, are highly motivated with a sufficient reward and data is collected with quota sampling.

     

荀子养心说新探——一种精神修持理论视域下的考察

本文尝试透过一种精神修持理论的视角考察荀子的养心理论。在战国时代的心术思潮中,荀子的"治气养心之术"代表了一种典型的儒家的心术理论。荀子提出最好的养心方法在于诚("君子养心莫过于诚"),本文则指出,作为一种心灵修养(养心)的方式,荀子的诚以道德修养(养德)作为理想和目的。并且,在其自然主义人性论背景之下,诚的思想在荀子整个道德修养学说中具有一种特别的理论意义。本文特别指出,以诚养心的修持过程也正是心逐渐理性化、精神化,进而最终转化为道德理性主体的过程。最后,对诚的实践的分析表明,荀子的诚主要表现为行为主体在内在的心志上专一于对道德理性的信守和贯彻,从而为以心治性的道德修养实践提供了主体基础。     

“I Need to Do This on My Own” Resilience and Self-Reliance in Urban At-Risk Youths

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study investigates urban at-risk youths’ perspectives on their multiproblem situations and explores their needs for support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 at-risk youths with varied (externalizing) problems and risk factors. The data analysis was carried out using an inductive thematic approach. Four main themes emerged: desistance from delinquent behavior, need for self-reliance, negative experiences in social relationships and need for support. The participants indicated a strong need to be(come) self-reliant, which was visible in their statements on independence, coping with problems and reluctance to seek or accept help, also regarding desistance from crime. For some, this need for self-reliance seemed to be accompanied by distrust of others, which appeared related to previous negative experiences in social interactions. The participants seemed more open to support coming from someone with similar characteristics or experiences. The findings suggest that in helping at-risk youths, a delicate balance should be sought between stimulating autonomy and providing the necessary resources for support. A focus on strengthening factors that foster resilience is recommended. Future research could investigate the possible benefits of perceived similarity between youths and their care providers.