Toward an Integrated Science of Wellbeing

There has always been interest in understanding what constitutes the good life and the basis for creating it. Much has been written about health and wellbeing at multiple scales, from the physical and psychological through to the societal and environmental. Wellbeing has been studied from the perspectives of psychology, medicine, economics, social science, ecology, and political science. However, the interconnections between these scales and perspectives have received far less attention even though understanding these interdependencies is critical to the comprehensive understanding of wellbeing and how to improve it. In this book, the authors aim to create an integrated science of wellbeing that connects these diverse scales and perspectives to better guide research and public policy. The contributing authors are distinguished in their respective fields and provide a synthesis of this wellbeing research. But, in each chapter, they also consider the interconnections between the psychological, human biological, societal, and environmental domains of wellbeing research. Hence, while the book is divided into four sections representing each of these domains, integration across all scales is sought throughout. This integrated approach offers a first step toward a more complete understanding of wellbeing that can propel wellbeing research and initiatives in novel and fruitful directions.