UNIVERSITY OF LUZON

College of Engineering and Architecture

Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Rationale of the Study

Happiness varies among people. There are a lot of factors that can affect

the preference of people to be happy. Sources of happiness also vary. James

(2012) stated that, happiness lies deep within us, in the very core of our being.

Happiness does not exist in any external object, but only in us, who are the

consciousness that experiences happiness. Though we seem to derive

happiness from external objects or experiences, the happiness that we thus

enjoy in fact arises from within us. Whatever turmoil our mind may be in, in

the centre of our being there always exists a state of perfect peace and joy, like

the calm in the eye of a storm. Desire and fear agitate our mind, and obscure

from its view the happiness that always exists within it. When a desire is

satisfied, or the cause of a fear is removed, the surface agitation of our mind

subsides, and in that temporary calm our mind enjoys a taste of its own innate

happiness. Happiness is thus a state of being – a state in which our mind’s

habitual agitation is calmed. The activity of our mind disturbs it from its calm

state of just being, and causes it to lose sight of its own innermost happiness.

To enjoy happiness, therefore, all our mind need do is to cease all activity,

returning calmly to its natural state of inactive being, as it does daily in deep

sleep (Happiness and the Art of being. James, 2012).

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

According to Pursuit of Happiness, a website, Aristotle said that

happiness consists in achieving, through the course of a whole lifetime, all the

goods — health, wealth, knowledge, friends, etc. — that lead to the perfection

of human nature and to the enrichment of human life. This requires us to

make choices, some of which may be very difficult. Often the lesser good

promises immediate pleasure and is more tempting, while the greater good is

painful and requires some sort of sacrifice (Retrieved from:

https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/aristotle/?

fbclid=IwAR3p8eIRruqE0bmVj-Q4e8cRgio0uquKvZ-

Ycd8ztooCEoBDU4ACkQ3_Ns0).

In his Nicomachean Ethics, the philosopher Aristotle tries to discover

what is ‘the supreme good for man’, that is, what is the best way to lead our life

and give it meaning. For Aristotle, a thing is best understood by looking at its

end, purpose, or goal. For example, the purpose of a knife is to cut, and it is by

seeing this that one best understands what a knife is; the goal of medicine is

good health, and it is by seeing this that one best understands what medicine

is.

Now, if one does this for some time, it soon becomes apparent that

some goals are subordinate to other goals, which are themselves subordinate to

yet other goals. For example, a medical student’s goal may be to qualify as a

doctor, but this goal is subordinate to his goal to heal the sick, which is itself

subordinate to his goal to make a living by doing something useful. This could

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

go on and on, but unless the medical student has a goal that is an end-in-

itself, nothing that he does is actually worth doing. What, asks Aristotle, is this

goal that is an end-in-itself? This ‘supreme good’, says Aristotle, is happiness.

Since it has been said that happiness varies among people, there are

different relationship and interpretation that can be extracted among people’s

difference in age and gender. That is why, the researchers of the community at

present time, is still on search of the correlation of happiness and age of

individuals and gender. In order to find solution to unravel the problem, the

researcher provided analysis of data regarding the happiness among

individuals.

Determining the happiness of individuals in terms of their age and

gender is the main objective and focus of this study. Specifically, the research

aimed to evaluate the level of happiness among individuals using survey

questionnaire consisting of 29 items, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire

which was developed by psychologists Michael Argyle and Peter Hills at Oxford

University.

Conceptual Framework

This study centered on the happiness among individuals. The conceptual

framework of this study used input-process-output model. IPO model is viewed

as series of boxes (processing elements) connected by inputs and outputs. The

IPO model provides the general structure and guide for the direction of the

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

study (https://prezi.com/tggh0qiekksa/theoretical-framework-conceptual-

framework-and-paradigm-of/).

In this study, the input frame includes the profile of the respondents

such as the gender, and age. The process frame identifies the method to be

conducted by researchers in gathering data; dissemination of survey

questionnaires, and analysis of data. While the output frame covers the

implication of gathered data regarding the happiness among individuals. It

could possibly put an outcome of positive or negative relationship of happiness,

and age and gender of samples.

The paradigm of the conceptual framework of this study is stated on the

figure 1 below:

Input Process Output

Profile of respondents: - Dissemination of Positive or

Gender survey negative relationship

questionnaires. between happiness,

 Age
- Analysis of data and age and gender

Figure 1: Research Paradigm of the Study

Statement of the Problem

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Determining the happiness among individuals using Oxford Happiness

Questionnaire by Argyle and Hills from Oxford University is the focused of this

study.

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of respondents as the subject in terms of their:

a. Gender

b. Age

2. Is there a significant difference on the analyzed results in terms of:

a. Gender

b. Age

3. What are the possible solutions and recommendations of the

researcher and respondents in order to unravel the phenomena?

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

In this part of the study, the researchers aimed to provide the following

scope and limitations of the study.

The researchers only focused on the happiness among individuals.

Specifically, its relationship among individuals’ age and gender. The

researcher conducted the study and methods of collecting data at the province

of Pangasinan; specifically, at the municipalities of Calasiao and Malasiqui.

Furthermore, the researchers disseminated survey questionnaires to 30

respondents consisting of male and female, and ages range from 12 - 60. The

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

duration of the study was 1 week including the planning of research by the

researcher. The purpose of the findings will serve as the answers of the existing

gap of knowledge of the study.

Significance of the Study

The overarching goal of this study is to determine the happiness among

individuals and its relationship among individuals’ age and gender.

Specifically, the findings of this study will benefit the following:

Community. Mental health is important. Happiness contributes to our

mental health. This study serves as an output of the masses which data is

important in nurturing and protecting the mental health of the community.

This may serve to help the community give importance on the mental health

issues in the Philippines even around the country.

Parents. Having known of everyday circumstances a child experience,

this study is significant to parents or guardians of students in order to take an

action towards the problem a child is facing. This study might serve as a signal

to get their child be checked.

Future researchers. The study also helps future researchers who are

going to study on the same field or topic. This study may serve as a guidance,

related study, and source of information in their study to further understand

this field by providing presentation, analysis, and interpretation of this topic

area.

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Definition of Terms

To further understand the study, the following key terms were given

definition:

Happiness – is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are

successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.

Turmoil - a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult;

agitation.

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature

Happiness

The word 'happiness' is used in various ways. In the widest sense it is an

umbrella term for all that is good. In this meaning it is often used

interchangeably with terms like 'wellbeing' or 'quality of life' and denotes both

individual and social welfare. This use of words suggests that there is one

ultimate good and disguises differences in interest between individuals and

society. Here the word happiness is used in the more limited sense of

subjective satisfaction with life.

Overall, happiness is the degree to which an individual judges the overall

quality of his/her own life-as-a-whole favorably. In other words: how much one

likes the life one leads. The key terms in this definition may be elucidated as

follows. The word 'happiness' is not used to denote positive appreciation of life

only. It refers to a degree, like the concepts of 'length' or 'weight', it denotes

more or less of something. When we say a person is happy, we mean that he or

she judges his of her life favorably rather than unfavorably. The term

happiness is used to describe the state of an individual person only; it does not

apply to collectivities. Thus, a nation cannot be said to be happy. At best, most

of its citizens consider themselves happy. Happiness denotes a subjective

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

appreciation of life by an individual. So, there is no given 'objective' standard

for happiness. A person who thinks he/she is happy, really is happy, even if

that person is misinformed. The word 'happiness' is used where somebody has

made an overall judgment about the quality of his or her life. This implies an

intellectual activity. Making an overall judgment implies assessing past

experiences and estimating future experiences and estimating average quality

of life. One consequence of this conceptualization is that the word 'happiness'

cannot be used for those who did not make up their mind. One cannot say

whether a person is happy or not, if that person is intellectually unable to

construct an overall judgment. Thus, the concept cannot be used for animals

or small children. Nor is the 3 concept applicable to people who did not reflect

on the quality of their life or could not reach a conclusion.

The evaluation of life aimed at is an overall judgment. It embodies all

criteria for appreciation, which figure in the mind. In the past hedonists used

to equate happiness with sensory pleasures only; however, there are more

modes of appreciation. Apart from the sensory system, cognition and affect also

enable individuals to appraise their life. Thus, evaluations also involve

cognitive appraisals, based on aspirations, expectations and values. The

evaluation also draws on affective conditions, in particular on average mood (cf.

section 2/2.1). The word 'happiness' refers to a judgment, which integrates all

the appreciation criteria used. Thus, the idea that one has all one has ever

desired does not necessarily make a person happy. Despite all material

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

endowments such a person may feel pain or be depressed. Similarly, the

appraisal that one's life is 'exciting' does not necessarily mark oneself as happy

either; life may be too exciting to be enjoyable. A Chinese curse says: “May you

have interesting times".

We do not use the word 'happiness' to characterize satisfaction with

specific aspects of life, such as marriage or work. 'Happiness' refers to

satisfaction with life-as-a-whole. It covers past, present and anticipated

experiences. This does not mean that all things ever experienced are given

equal weight in the evaluation. As stated above, evaluation involves a sifting

and ordering. In this process some aspects may be emphasized and others

ignored. Past life experiences for example, seldom enter into the evaluation

process in their original phenomenological Gestalt. What is taken into

consideration is mostly a shallow representation of what one tasted previously.

Own life The term 'happiness' concerns the evaluation of one's own life, not of

life in general. A pessimistic 'Weltanschauung' does not necessarily

characterize someone as 'unhappy'. Favorably Evaluation always embodies

appreciation; a conclusion as to whether one likes something or not. The term

'happiness' refers only to judgments concerning this aspect. Happiness

judgments concern the dimension extending from appreciation to depreciation,

from like to dislike or from ‘satisfaction’ to ‘dissatisfaction’. All humans are

capable of appraisals of this kind, though not all humans can generalize all

appraisals into a judgment of life-as-a-whole. The criterion of 'favorableness' is

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

very close to what is called 'pleasantness'; however, it is not quite the same.

The term 'favorableness' concerns the appreciation involved in all evaluations,

while the term 'pleasantness' refers exclusively to direct 4 affective experience.

As such it is more characteristic of the affective component of happiness (cf.

section 2/2.1) than of overall happiness itself.

Components of Happiness

When evaluating the favorableness of our life, we tend to use two more or

less distinct sources of information: our affects and our thoughts. One can

decide that one feels fine most of the time and one can also judge that life

seems to meet ones (conscious) demands. These appraisals do not necessarily

coincide. We may feel fine generally, but nevertheless be aware that we failed to

realize our aspirations. Or one may have surpassed one’s aspirations, but

nevertheless feel miserable. Using the word 'happiness' in both these cases

would result in three different kinds of happiness, the overall judgment as

described above and these two specific appraisals. Therefore, the latter specific

appraisals are seen as ‘components’ of happiness. To mark that difference,

referring to the encompassing judgment (the core concept) as overall

happiness. A synonym for overall happiness is 'life-satisfaction'. The

components are referred to as 'hedonic level of affect' (affective component) and

'contentment' (cognitive component). The distinction between ‘affective’ and

‘cognitive’ aspects of happiness is quite common in the literature, but seeing

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College of Engineering and Architecture
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these as components of overall happiness is not (Concept of Happiness by

Veenhoven, 2015.)

Related Studies

Researchers have been studying the different aspects of what they feel

stimulates changes in happiness. There is important research that

demonstrates the significance of gender and age on happiness. Underlying

factors, such as personality may affect an individual's perspective of being

happy. When researching happiness there are two dimensions that were found

to have different correlates. This in turn means the argument that positive and

negative affect are distinct dimensions of well-being and the balance between

them serves as the index of happiness.

Classic studies on happiness have assumed that sociodemographic and

social structural variables, like age, gender, marital status, and income played

a principal part in individual's differences in happiness. This approach was

known as the "social indicators movement". This theory believes that socio-

demographically defined group's drive happiness. For instance, those who were

married and had higher income were happier than others because of variance

availability of psychological, physical and material resources.

Researchers that followed this believed that differences in happiness

were a by-product of these group differences. In research that is similar to this

study, contextual risk factors should intuitively predict happiness. In a

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

situation where an older person, who is facing declining health, the death of

peers and spouse, and other unavoidable events that accompany aging, appear

to be happier than a younger person. Researchers expected lower levels of

happiness with the elderly, though the results have shown that happiness is

not affected by adverse context that are brought on by the aging process.

The notion that well-being may increase with age due to age-graded

changes in emotional regulation. This outcome may be related to the fact that

older people have a different view of the future and try to maximize the positive

and minimize the negative events in their lives. Younger individuals may feel

the future is more open thus being affected more by the here and now.

In 1998 researchers utilized the Midlife Development Inventory (MIDI)

and the Affect Balance Scale to gage happiness in cohorts from 25 to 74 years

old. This study demonstrated that older people were happier than younger

adults when well-being was defined by positive affect. This relationship was

sustained even when faced with the following confounding variables, such as

gender, marital status, education, stress, personality and physical health.

In today's society men and women differ in terms of a variety of

biological, personality, situational factors may or may not result in sex

differences in subjective quality of life. When trying to explain overall

differences between genders the ten-n, gender roles, which is resulting from the

association between sex and social roles in the larger society. These gender

roles really define what makes each of the sexes different and how this affects

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

the happiness of both parties. For instance, the roles the men and woman play

are different in the sense of emotional experience, whereas women are more

sensitive to the needs of others and deal more with emotional expression while

men are less likely to express emotional experiences. These defined roles tend

to follow the genders into marriage where women are the emotional experts and

tend to understand their husbands more. Overall global happiness in a

marriage is more important to a woman's happiness. Sex differences have

shown that women benefit more from the intimacy of the relationship and

successful marriages provide these women with a sense of emotional security.

According to studies, women tend to be more expressive when it comes

to emotional aspects of intimate relationships. When it comes to positive and

negative well-being, men and women appear to differ. These results

demonstrated there are no clear advantage identified in the adaptiveness and

desirability of their different styles of emotional life. From the results of this

study, women tend to report more happiness than men because they are more

attuned emotionally.

Psychologists main focus in the past century has been human

unhappiness which consists of the study of anxiety and depression. Through

this research failed the focus on the positive aspects of human potential. The

independence of positive and negative affect spurred psychologist to start and

understand the correlates, definitions and predictors of happiness. Happiness

is then defined as having three independent modules: the average level of

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

satisfaction over a specific time period, the frequency and degree of positive

affect and the relative absence of negative affect. In addition to the roles gender

and age may play in the definition of someone's happiness, personality traits,

specifically extroversion and neuroticism, have been the driving force in

dictating individuals' general happiness.

An individual's happiness is typically related to the types of choices this

person would make throughout their lifetime. Researchers have studied the

reasons why people make different choices based on their individual

experiences, though some of these situations seem to very similar. Current

researched is focus as to why and individual's decisions are sub-optimal and

fail to maximize happiness. The following factors have been examined as

reasons why choices fat prediction biases and failure to follow predictions. In

the case of prediction bias, the individual does not fully appreciate the

differences between the state of prediction and the state of the experience.

Normally failures occur because the choosers fail to reach the optimal balance

between impulsivity and self-control.

Gender also plays in important part on how individuals select their

happiest moments. How genders fit into society's roles will influence what they

perceive has being happy. In the category for Family and intimate relationships

women consistently had a higher percentage of respondents that select this as

the happiest moment so far in their lives. Researches have shown the women

are the emotional experts and are driven to be supportive and take a higher

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

value in maintaining a relationship. This study also notes that women usually

experience more happiness from focusing on an intimate relationship then men

(Retrieved from: https://www.gaiashomes.com/gender-age-happiness/).

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

CHAPTER III

DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

In this part of the study included the research design, locale of the study,

and the respondents of the study, the data gathering procedure, and statistical

treatment of data which are vital to further understand the study.

Research Design

The researchers aimed to know the relationship between happiness of

individuals their age, and gender. In order to know the existing or non-existing

relationship of these two variables, the researcher conducted a descriptive

method of research in order to obtain data regarding the happiness among

people and its relationship with their gender and ages.

Locale of the Study

The research area was at the province of Pangasinan; specifically, at the

municipalities of Calasiao and Malasiqui. We can be seen in figure 2 the map of

the two municipalities aforementioned. Since, the research area of the study is

an open area, numerous factors such as the schedule of respondents, noise

coming from the crowd, and other activities in their life were seen.

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Figure 2: Map of Municipalities of Calasiao and Malasiqui

Respondents of the Study

The following sources of information were 30 residents of Pangasinan.

There are equal number of male and female respondents which is fifteen (15)

each. In terms of age, there is a range of age taken. From ages 12 t0 60.

Ranges of age were made to group the respondents. First group is consisted of

age 12 to 17, the second group consisted of age ranges from 18 to 23, the third

group consisted of age 24 to 30, the fourth group consisted of age 31 to 40, the

fifth group consisted of age 41 to 50, and lastly, the sixth group which is

consisted of age 51 to 60 years old.

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Data Gathering Procedure

In order to obtain data to provide answer to an existing gap of knowledge

on the happiness of individuals, the researchers used survey questionnaires as

a means of gathering tool to assess the level of happiness of respondents using

Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Oxford Happiness questionnaire is composed

of 29 indicator questions of Happiness (http://www.blake-

group.com/sites/default/files/assessments/Oxford_Happiness_Questionnaire.

pdf.)

Survey as defined at a website Explorable, is a data gathering method

that is utilized to collect, analyze and interpret the views of a group of people

from a target population. Surveys have been used in various fields of research,

such as sociology, marketing research, politics and psychology

(https://explorable.com/surveys-and-questionnaires). The survey methodology

is guided by principles of statistics from the moment of creating a sample, or a

group of people to represent a population, up to the time of the survey results'

analysis and interpretation. From simple polls regarding political beliefs, to

opinions regarding a new product versus another, the survey method is proven

to be an effective technique to gather necessary information for the

advancement of science and technology (https://explorable.com/surveys-and-

questionnaires).

The given limits have been set by the researchers in order to give a

distinction among questions indicated in the survey questionnaire. Thus, the

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

usage of Likert scale as a set of limitations using Arabic numbers 6, 5, 4 , 3, 2,

and 1 which indicates 6 as strongly agree on the statement, 5 as moderately

agree, 4 as slightly agree, 3 as slightly disagree, 2 as moderately disagree, and

1 as strongly disagree.

Likert scale as defined by McLeod (2008), on a website SimplyPsychology,

is a five (or seven) point scale which is used to allow the individual to express

how much they agree or disagree with a particular statement

(https://www.simplypsychology.org/likert-scale.html). Likert-type or frequency

scales use fixed choice response formats and are designed to measure attitudes

or opinions (Bowling, 1997; Burns, & Grove, 1997). These ordinal scales

measure levels of agreement/disagreement. Sex may be offered a choice of five

to seven or even nine pre-coded responses with the neutral point being neither

agree nor disagree (https://www.simplypsychology.org/likert-scale.html).

The researcher first asked permission to respondents to conduct the said

study on their premises. Afterwards, the researcher conducted the

dissemination of survey questionnaires to randomly selected respondents

which happened during their free time, and willing hours.

After gathering the data needed, the researchers carefully organized the

data, and tallied the gathered raw data using Microsoft Excel. After tallying, the

researchers statistically analyzed data using the frequency count and

percentage distribution on the profile of respondents and average mean, in

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

order to identify the happiness among individuals specifically in terms of their

gender and age.

Statistical Treatment of Data

In order to obtain the data, the following statistical tools were used to

statistically analyse data gathered.

1. Frequency Count and Percentage Distribution – used to determine the

percentage usually for data on profile of the respondents (Gador, 2017).

The formula for Percentage Distribution is:

xn
= (100)
∑x
Where:

% - Percentage

xn –score

∑ x−total score

2. Mean– to get the average or central values of variables that may relate to

the level of Mathematics Performance, and level of anxiety of respondents

(Gador, 2017).

The formula for Mean is:

xx =
∑x
n
Where:
x̅ - mean

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Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

∑ x – summation of obtained answers

n – total number of questions

Table 1: Interpretation of Score

Score Interpretation
1-2 Not happy
2-3 Somewhat unhappy
3-4 Not particularly happy or unhappy
4 Somewhat happy or moderately happy
4-5 Rather happy
5-6 Very happy
6 Too happy

Note that those items marked (R), should be scored in reverse. For an

instance, a marked (R) which has a score of 1, it will be changed to 6.

According to Stephen Wright, the interpretation of this is, 1‐2: Not happy. If

you answered honestly and got a very low score, you’re probably seeing

yourself and your

situation as worse than it really is. 2‐3: Somewhat unhappy. 3‐4: Not

particularly happy or unhappy. A score of 3.5 would be an exact numerical

average of happy and unhappy responses. Some of the exercises mentioned

just above have been tested in scientific studies and have been shown to make

people lastingly happier. 4: Somewhat happy or moderately happy. Satisfied.

This is what the average person scores. 4‐5: Rather happy; pretty happy. 5‐6:

Very happy. Being happy has more benefits than just feeling good. It’s

correlated with benefits like health, better marriages, and attaining your goals.

6: Too happy. Recent research seems to show that there’s an optimal level of

happiness for things like doing well at work or school, or for being healthy, and

that being “too happy” may be associated with lower levels of such things.

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of

accumulated data gathered by the researchers on the disseminated survey
questionnaires to 30 respondents.

Table 2: How are Subjects Classified According to Gender

Gender Number Percentage
1. Male 15 50%
2. Female 15 50%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 2 shows the classification of respondents according to one of their

profile which is the gender. Male and female respondents have the same
number of 15 respondents which have 50% as percentage each.
For an easier interpretation of data, and for a bias-free result, the
researcher came to a realization that having an equal number of male and
female respondents will make it possible.

Table 3: How are Subjects Classified According to Age

Age Number Percentage
Age 12 - 17 5 16.67%
Age 18 - 23 5 16.67%
Age 24 - 30 5 16.67%
Age 31 - 40 5 16.67%
Age 41 - 50 5 16.67%
Age 51 - 60 5 16.67%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 3 shows the classification of respondents according to one of their

profile which is the age. All 6 ranges of age have the same number of 5
respondents which have 16.67% as percentage each.
Having a five (5) respondents each of the age ranges also results to an
easier interpretation of data and it’s being bias-free. The researcher thought

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

that having an unequal number of respondents might cause a difficulty in the

treatment and interpretation of data.

Table 4: Summation and Mean from OHQ according to Gender

Gender Summation Mean Interpretation
3. Male 45.31034483 3.02069 Not Particularly Happy or
Unhappy
4. Female 44.62068966 2.974713 Somewhat Unhappy
DIFFERENCE 0.68965034 0.045977
%DIFFERENCE 0.103039645% 1.545594483%

Table 4 shows the data of the summation and mean gathered from the
data of respondents in correspond to the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire
according to their gender. We can see that there is only a small percentage
difference which is a 0.1030% on the summation of results of all males and
females. Also, the mean of male respondents is greater as compared to those of
female respondents. Their difference is 1.5456%. Based on the interpretation,
male respondents are not particularly happy while female respondents are
somewhat unhappy. Despite having a little difference, we can conclude that
male respondents have greater happiness as compared to female respondents.
According to Suttie (2009), A recent group of studies has found that
women’s happiness levels have been dropping steadily over the last few
decades, to the point that women now report lower happiness levels than men.
There are numerous factors that could affect this result.
In his 2009 book The Triple Bind, University of California, Berkeley,
psychologist Stephen Hinshaw describes a parallel tendency among teenage
girls and young women. His research shows that rates of depression, suicide,
and self-destructive behaviors, like bingeing and cutting, have all risen among
girls over the last two decades. The cause, he believes, is the feelings of failure
girls experience when they don’t measure up to impossible cultural standards.

Table 5: Summation and Mean from OHQ according to Age

Age Range Summation Mean Interpretation

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Age 12 - 17 14.89655 2.97931 Somewhat Unhappy

Age 18 - 23 14.34483 2.868966 Somewhat Unhappy
Age 24 - 30 15.82759 3.165517 Not Particularly Happy or
Unhappy
Age 31 - 40 14.62069 2.924138 Somewhat Unhappy
Age 41 - 50 14.13793 2.827586 Somewhat Unhappy
Age 51 - 60 16.10345 3.22069 Not Particularly Happy or
Unhappy

Table 5 shows the data of the summation and mean gathered from the

data of respondents in correspond to the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire

according to their ages. Based on the accumulated result on the means of

respondents, from highest to lowest, respondents from age 51 to 60 are the

happiest. Second are those of age 12 to 17. Third are those at age 31 to 40.

Fourth are those of at age 18 t0 23 and lastly, those at age 41 to 50. A pattern

was noticed by the researcher as it analyzes the results.

Age 12 to 20 years old is the adolescence stage. According to Armstrong

(2019), in his book, The Human Odyssey, where the Twelve Stages of Life can

be read, the biological event of puberty unleashes a powerful set of changes in

the adolescent body that reflect themselves in a teenager’s sexual, emotional,

cultural, and/or spiritual passion. Adolescence passion thus represents a

significant touchstone for anyone who is seeking to reconnect with their

deepest inner zeal for life. Since adolescence stage covers half of the range in

18-23 years old respondents, we can see the small difference but close value

between the respondents at age 12-17 and 18-23; both of which interpretation

is somewhat unhappy. It was mentioned by Armstrong that a powerful set of

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

changes happen in adolescent body. At this point of their life, depression might

occur due to changes and numerous factors and situations that happened

during this stage.

Age 20 to 35 is the early adulthood stage. In this stage, it takes

enterprise for young adults to accomplish their many responsibilities, including

finding a home and mate, establishing a family or circle of friends, and/or

getting a good job. This principle of enterprise thus serves us at any stage of

life when we need to go out into the world and make our mark. Based on the

data gathered, respondents at age 18-23, 24-30, and 31-40 had a pattern of

increasing to declining mean of happiness. At age 18-23, a mean of 2.87 is

garnered, at age 24-30, a mean of 3.17 is garnered, and at age 31-40, a mean

of 2.92 is garnered. We can say that at age, 20-23, it is where most people

graduate from their chosen profession. Frustrations sometimes occurs here if

plans on graduating has been delayed and other factors that lead to depression

that the main reason is the academic life of a person.

Second to the highest mean of happiness is at age 24 to 30. Not

particular happy or unhappy is the interpretation of this age range. Some

people says that around this age is the perfect time for marriage. There is

a little neutrality happens here and a lot of factors could also affect the

result. Respondents might be happy or unhappy based on their

situations or how they cope up with their responsibilities in life. Other

people take their responsibilities lightly because of their situations and

some are not; it just varies among people.

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

Age 35-50 is the midlife stage. After many years in young adulthood of

following society’s scripts for creating a life, people in midlife often take a break

from worldly responsibilities to reflect upon the deeper meaning of their lives,

the better to forge ahead with new understanding. This element of

contemplation represents an important resource that we can all draw upon to

deepen and enrich our lives at any age. At age 31 to 40, the result declined

from age 24 to 30. Though half of it is in midlife stage, the declination of the

mean of happiness in understandable since some might have a negative

contemplation about their life. Regrets might occur and the presence of gap

between what they want to do and what they have done affecting the result. On

the other hand, this is somehow true also to respondents age 41 to 50 since

there is a small difference between them and the respondents at age 31-40 that

results to a similar interpretation of somewhat unhappy. Negative marriage

factors during this age might affects the result.

At age 50 to 80 is the mature adulthood stage. Those in mature

adulthood have raised families, established themselves in their work life, and

become contributors to the betterment of society through volunteerism,

mentorships, and other forms of philanthropy. All of humanity benefits from

their benevolence. Moreover, we all can learn from their example to give more

of ourselves to others. Based on the data gathered, a sudden inclination of

mean happiness is garnered that results to an interpretation of not particularly

happy of unhappy. Overall, we can see a big difference of this age and the

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

previous age range of 41 to 50. In this, we can say that some might have

already fulfill their goals in life. Negative factors that resulted to a lower mean

might be those of illnesses and others.

Overall, this study strengthens the holds of what is according to a study

by Dr. Hannes Schwandt of Princeton University for the Centre for Economic

Performance at the London School of Economics, we’re happiest at 23 and 69,

and unhappiest in our mid 50s. The optimism of youth and looking forward to

future achievement accounts for a peak of happiness at 23. But the other

happiest age of 69 is more surprising. Life is exciting in our twenties and

thirties, getting on at work, maybe meeting a partner and starting a family. And

then you get into your 40s and 50s and the pressures started building. You’re

getting higher up in your career with more responsibility, or re-entering the

workforce after having a family. Your children are getting older, bringing

different pressures to bear on you from one end, whilst aging parents present

another dimension of worry and potential stress. You’re caught somewhere in

the middle.

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 UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan

CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter pertains to the summary of the study, the findings, the
drawn conclusions, and recommendations of the study based from the findings
and conclusion of the study.

SUMMARY
The research study determined the happiness of individuals in terms of
their age and gender. Specifically, the study answers the following questions.
1. What is the profile of respondents as the subject in terms of their:
a. Gender
b. Age
2. Is there a significant difference on the analyzed results in terms of:
a. Gender
b. Age
3. What are the possible solutions and recommendations of the researcher

and respondents in order to unravel the phenomena?

Findings
Based on the tabulated data present by researchers, the following
findings are drawn:
1. There were fifteen (15) male respondents that contributed to the 50
percent of overall respondents, and another fifteen (15) female
respondents that contributed to the 50 percent of overall respondents.
These data were the profile of respondents as subjects in terms of
gender.
2. There were five (5) respondents each of six (6) age ranges such as age 12-
17, 18-23, 24-30, 31-40, 41-50, and 51-60. These five respondents each
of 6 age ranges contributed to a 16.67 percent each to complete an
overall 100 percent of respondents. There were 50 percent of male
respondents, and 50 percent of female respondents. These data were the
profile of respondents as subjects in terms of age.
3.
UNIVERSITY OF LUZON
College of Engineering and Architecture
Dagupan City, Perez Boulevard, Pangasinan