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Anduli
Revista Andaluza de Ciencias Sociales
ISSN: 1696-0270 • e-ISSN: 2340-4973
CONSUMER HAPPINESS: ORIGIN AND
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT
FELICIDAD DEL CONSUMIDOR: ORIGEN Y
DESARROLLO DEL CONCEPTO
Pedro
Cuesta-Valiño
Universidad de Alcalá,
España
pedro.cuesta@uah.es
Orcid: https://orcid.org/
0000-0001-9521-333X
Pablo
Gutiérrez-Rodríguez
Universidad de León,
España
pablo.gutierrez@unileon.es
Orcid: https://orcid.org/
0000-0001-5407-4265
Pablo
Contreras-Contreras
Universidad de Alcalá,
España
pablojose.contreras@edu.
uah.es
Orcid: https://orcid.org/
0000-0003-3067-915X
Summary
The pursuit of happiness is the most gen-
eral explanation of human behavior. Over
the years, attempts have been made to
establish measurement approaches to fa-
cilitate its analysis. A rst step is the need
to understand people’s well-being through
the idea of “feeling better”, which has led
to the measurement of subjective and not
only biological health. This paper aims
to better understand the origins of the
concept of consumer happiness, its ap-
proaches and the measurement scales.
To this end, a methodology based on a
review of the most recent literature has
been applied, identifying the most relevant
analyses of the concept. This research
shows the growing use of the concept of
consumer happiness, and the creation
of various scales for measuring happi-
ness. Based on these ideas, we propose
the use of a model that approximates the
three constituent approaches of the ho-
listic concept of happiness: an enjoyable,
meaningful and committed life, which can
facilitate its applicability in management
environments.
Keywords: consumer happiness, well-
ness, quality of life, measurement scales,
meaningful life, engaged life.
Resumen
La búsqueda de la felicidad es la expli-
cación más general del comportamiento
humano. A lo largo de los años se ha in-
tentado establecer enfoques de medición
que faciliten su análisis. Un primer paso es
la necesidad de entender el bienestar de
las personas a través de la idea de “sen-
tirse mejor” que ha llevado a la medición
de la salud subjetiva y no sólo biológica.
Este artículo pretende comprender mejor
los orígenes del concepto de felicidad del
consumidor, sus enfoques y las escalas
de medición. Para ello, se ha aplicado
una metodología basada en la revisión
de la literatura más reciente, identicando
los análisis más relevantes del concepto.
Esta investigación muestra el creciente
uso del concepto de felicidad del consu-
midor y la creación de diversas escalas
de medición de la felicidad. A partir de es-
tas ideas, se propone la utilización de un
modelo que aproxima los tres enfoques
constituyentes del concepto holístico de
felicidad: una vida agradable, signicativa
y comprometida, que puede facilitar su
aplicabilidad en entornos de gestión.
Palabras clave: felicidad del consumi-
dor, bienestar, calidad de vida, esca-
las de medición, vida signicativa, vida
comprometida.
Como citar este artículo/citation: Cuesta-Valiño, Pedro; Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Pablo; Contreras-Contreras, Pablo
(2023). Consumer Happiness: Origin and Development of the Concept. ANDULI 23 (2023) pp. 83-98. http://doi.
org/10.12795/anduli.2023.i23.05
Recibido: 10-03-2022. Aceptado: 01-10-2022. Publicado: 10.01.2023. http://doi.org/10.12795/anduli.2023.i23.05
Anduli • Revista Andaluza de Ciencias Sociales Nº 23 - 2023
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1. Introduction
The interest in understanding the keys to happiness and well-being has existed
for decades. Being happy is a human aspiration that has always been with us. In
general, all people are concerned with being happy. This impulse explains many of
their decisions and actions.
First, some of the denitions of happiness that have been given can be stated.
Veenhoven (2014) denes happiness as “the degree to which a person positively
evaluates the overall quality of his or her own life as a whole. In other words, how much
he or she likes the life he or she leads”. Another denition considers “an individual’s
happiness over a period of time as the sum of momentary utilities over that period of
time; that is, the time integral of momentary utility” (Kahneman and Krueger, 2006).
In any case, these denitions use different perspectives according to which these
authors consider happiness, which will be determined below.
One of the questions that have been raised in the context of this reection is how to
measure such an abstract and elusive concept as happiness correctly. Well-being
has long been commonly used as a measure of happiness. A distinction is made
between wellness and well-being within the concept of well-being. Wellness is well-
being that describes a healthy lifestyle, free from the suffering caused by acute illness.
It refers to a state of physical health, which gives people the capacity and energy to
do what they want to do in life without chronic physical suffering. Although wellness
takes on a different meaning at each stage of life, it relies primarily on eating habits,
physical activity and quality sleep as factors that lead to positive health outcomes.
Subsequently, mental health has been increasingly included as a positive element
of well-being. It has given rise to the concept of well-being, which encompasses the
broader holistic dimensions of a well-lived life. Thus, well-being includes whether
people are happy with what they do every day, their friendships, where they live, or
the energy they have.
Health has a range of indicators that quantify the biological dimension of well-being,
such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure and other physical measures. However,
these variables refer to physiological states. They do not give us information about
how people feel at any given moment. It is, therefore, necessary to identify qualied
metrics to measure people’s subjective states. In other words, how people feel at any
given moment to quantify well-being.
The concept of wellness is used in healthcare, products such as nutritional
supplements, medicines and food, among others. On the other hand, sensory and
consumer researchers increasingly tend to contribute to the measure of wellness.
In this way, services or products’ contributions to this measure can be specified
(Meiselman, 2016). The measurement of subjective states contemplated in studies of
sensory states has provided these researchers with appropriate training and models
to be applied in the study of well-being. For example, the subjective experience of
suffering from an illness allows the individual to understand the illness. It would lead
to a concept of illness as the subjective experience of a sense of poverty or hardship.
Well-being, in this context, is the opposite of illness; it is a positive subjective
experience. The evolution of concepts of well-being and its link to happiness is
reected in the work of Erickson (2012), which refers to the denominated Well-being
Wheel, a proposal that “portrays a balance between six dimensions of life and health
- physical, social, environmental, emotional, spiritual and intellectual”. In this same
current, the underlying factors of happiness are considered from two dimensions:
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• 85 •
endogenous factors (related to the individual, such as biological, cognitive, personality
or cultural aspects) and exogenous factors (behavioural, sociocultural, economic,
geographic or aesthetic). Biological sub-factors have been signicant predictors
of happiness (Dfarhud Malmir and Khanahmadi, 2014). Alongside these factors,
improved happiness can also increase morale and counteract burnout (Baruch et
al., 2013). Thus, for many people, happiness consists of carrying out the practices of
daily life in such a way that positive feelings control negative ones that are the normal
consequences of monotony and daily problems (Olsson et al., 2013).
Harvard has been researching happiness since 1938 with conclusive results.
According to Waldinger, director of the study, relationships are the natural source
of happiness above fame and money. He further points out that there is a direct
connection between relationships, happiness, and health. Indeed, the study shows
that our relationships and how happy we are in them have a powerful inuence on our
health. The positive consequences are, for example, helping to delay mental decline,
maintain memory capacity, manage stress, or get better sleep. Moreover, happiness
would be a surer predictor of longevity than genetic predisposition.
However, the World Happiness Report uses a different approach to measuring
countries’ happiness. This study measures the happiness of countries based on
different variables that have been slightly modied: GDP per capita, healthy life
expectancy, absence of corruption, social support, freedom and generosity. Since its
launch in 2012, the results of this study show that only four countries have ranked
rst: Finland in the last three years until 2020, Norway in 2017, Denmark in 2016,
2013 and 2012 and, nally, Switzerland in 2015. By 2020, the ranking establishes
Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, New
Zealand, Austria and Luxembourg as the 10 happiest countries in the world.
2. Approach to the concept of happiness
Happiness is a central issue for any individual. People have always been interested in
achieving this state. This interest has logically carried over to researchers. For a long
time, scientic discussion of happiness seemed reserved mainly for philosophers,
as other scientic disciplines rarely paid attention to it. At an early stage, the breadth
of the concept, the variety of facets and perspectives that can be identied about it
(Barrow 1980; Veenhoven, 1984). Philosophers have traditionally been interested,
above all, in the ability to foresee happiness and to act to achieve it. To this end,
they related happiness to personal characteristics and attributes and, later, to issues
external to the individual through social and political aspects, such as justice, freedom
or technological progress. At present, empirical research on happiness is mainly
focused on physiology, sociology or social and personality psychology. Meanwhile,
social sciences (including economic sciences) are focusing on welfare and psychology
through subjective well-being (Mayring, 2004). Other scientic disciplines such as
sociology, biology, economics or politics have also developed an interest in this topic,
including marketing (Barbosa, 2017).
The beginning of the study of happiness, scientically debated in marketing, is
stated in consumer research as an emotional state. (Kroeber-Riel and Weinberg,
2003; Mowen 1993; Schuchert-Guler et al., 2001; Núñez-Barriopedro et al., 2021;
Loranca et al. 2019). At the beginning of consumer happiness analysis, they point
to emotions as essential components of consumer responses (Richins, 1997), they
can affect evaluations, judgments and decisions (Bagozzi et al., 1999; Williams
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2014). If consumers were perfectly rational beings, their consumption would be lower
(Manzano-Arrondo, 2017). Emotions are presented both as causes and effects and
as mediators and moderators of consumer behaviour and happiness is revealed as
essential in such behaviour (Bagozzi, 1999). In this framework, consumer happiness
seems relevant for marketers and marketing has sought to integrate this connection
into its strategies (Barbosa, 2017). Logically, marketing has sought to integrate this
connection into its strategies. However, it is necessary to investigate where specically
this interest lies. One answer to this question would be that marketing strategies
that contribute to consumer happiness promote customer trust and commitment and,
ultimately, company goodwill (Lee and Sirgy 2004). Therefore, inuences of the study
of happiness can be found in different aspects, such as in consumption (consumer
satisfaction or experience), in the analysis of the consequences of making consumers
happier and in the way of integrating happiness into marketing strategy and actions
(recently in social marketing, sustainability and communication) (Ravina-Ripoll et al.,
2021).
However, despite marketers’ growing adoption of happiness, understanding the
relationship between happiness and its inuence on brand purchase and consumption
is arguably limited. The same could be said about research based on the opposite
relationship, i.e., how the experience of using or purchasing the brand enhances
happiness (Mogilner et al., 2012). Therefore, it seems clear that further work is
needed on the impact of episodic or momentary consumer happiness on its inuence
on consumption or consumer behaviour. All this may be especially important in the
face of the growing emergence of key factors in the preferences of consumers and
in their satisfaction variables, such as sustainability or other social considerations
(Muñoz-Valera. 2020).
2.1. Absolute versus relative happiness
The rst debate on the pursuit of happiness is whether it should be based on
absolute versus relative terms. The rst variables used to measure happiness were
wealth, income or consumption level and two points of view were put forward (Hsee
et al., 2009). The rst asserts that these variables in absolute terms are the main
determinants of happiness (Veenhoven, 1991). The second argues that what really
matters are relative levels compared to others (Blanchower and Oswald, 2004;
Easterlin, 1974). The relevance of this approach is based on the implications of
the answer to whether improved levels of income and consumption lead to greater
happiness in absolute terms or only when this improvement is made relative to those
around us. To answer this question, two distinct types of consumption variables are
established: those that are intrinsically assessable and those that are intrinsically
non-assessable. The former refers to elements whose scale of desirability for human
beings is innate and generally shared by individuals—for example, aspects such as
ambient temperature, amount of sleep or level of fatigue. Inherently non-evaluable
variables are those whose level of desirability depends on information obtained
through external references, such as the reputation of an establishment or product
attributes. The results show that happiness is absolute for inherently evaluable
consumption and relative for inherently non-evaluative consumption (Hsee et al.,
2009). These ndings have substantial implications for marketing related to meaning
and differentiation. If aspects such as reputation or brand are considered intrinsically
non-evaluative, just consuming does not necessarily guarantee happier consumers.
Therefore, consumers of products and services that are meaningful to them and that
differentiate them from others can increase happiness. Thus, they should encourage
a favourable comparison with their reference environment.
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One of the rst distinctions between models distinguishes between external and
internal models. If the dependence of happiness is based on material aspects and
consumption (objective and external conditions) we are talking about “external”
happiness. In contrast, in “internal” happiness it is the internal subjective judgments
that determine this state. In the case of consumer behaviour research, the rational and
appropriate approach seems to come “from the inside”, from an internal happiness.
It entails conceptualizing happiness as a subjective phenomenon based on internal
states. The rationale for analysing happiness through an internal model is justied
because, according to research on social indicators, people living under favourable
objective conditions may feel unhappy (Schuchert-Guler et al., 2001). Happiness has
vital emotional and cognitive components, so happiness is based on an interaction
between activation and subjective interpretation (Kroeber-Riel and Weinberg, 2003;
Stock et al., 1986).
3. Contributions to the study of consumer happiness
The present analysis is framed within the positive psychology, which has been using
scientic means that support the research carried out for some time. Through the
denitions given, it seems possible to build a knowledge that helps to improve the well-
being of people. Positive psychology argues that, in a world where social concerns are
increasingly insistent, the consumer experience should be the way in which brands
contribute to happiness (Schmitt et al., 2015). It seems appropriate to state that the
study of this variable raises new opportunities for connection with customers in the
eld of marketing and management for application at the professional level.
In the marketing literature, happiness is used interchangeably with subjective well-
being (subjective and measurable), life satisfaction and usefulness (Delle Fave et
al., 2011; Easterlin, 2003; Mogilner et al., 2012; Nicolao, Irwin and Goodman, 2009).
Happiness scores, compared to measures of psychological and physiological well-
being, are highly correlated (Sutton and Davidson, 1997). This has led to these
two terms being used interchangeably. However, when the concept is used in the
consumer eld, to avoid confusion, only the term happiness is used. The vast majority
of research on happiness and consumption prefers this alternative (Bhattacharjee and
Mogilner, 2014; Bettingen and Luedicke, 2009; Mogilner and Aaker, 2009; Schmitt,
Brakus and Zarantonello, 2015).
In the marketing literature, four conceptualizations are proposed for capturing
consumer well-being, including consumer satisfaction with (i) the actual acquisition
of the product, (ii) the mere possession of the product, (iii) its use and enjoyment,
and (iv) the product’s entire life cycle (Lee and Sirgy, 2004). The same study
proposes the denition of subjective well-being based on the feelings of satisfaction
or dissatisfaction experienced by the consumer. In both cases, the consumer’s well-
being is shaped by the satisfaction he/she obtains. In recent decades, satisfaction
has been an ever-present concept in service marketing literature. This establishes a
basis for the incorporation of this new topic in this area, since the core of happiness
is in satisfaction. Some authors suggest that satisfaction has been the main positive
emotion considered in marketing because it was the rst emotion studied in the post-
purchase behaviour context. However, other positive emotions may be more relevant
to purchase outcomes, such as excitement, fun, pleasure and, of course, happiness
(Bagozzi et al. 1999).
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An accepted view of happiness considers the existence of two components. The
rst is related to excitement, and the second is to feelings of calm and tranquillity
(Mogilner et al., 2012). As it is logical, older individuals are more focused on the
present, which is linked to an orientation to the concept of happiness that is close
to calmness. On the other hand, younger individuals are more future-oriented and
thus focus on more excited happiness. This relationship of happiness to calmness
or excitement inuences the activities that make each individual happy. Therefore,
by taking this temporal view of consumers into account, strategies for the resulting
consumer segments can be better dened. These segments should be the result of
using segmentation criteria based not only on demographic or psychographic factors,
but also on the aforementioned temporal approach. Different aspects of happiness
and their possible application to scientic study have been identied but still little is
understood about how consumers experience happiness (Mogilner et al., 2012)
4. Measures of consumer happiness
4.1. Genuine happiness
Despite the identication established between well-being and happiness, some
authors (Veenhoven et al., 2021; Fu and Wang, 2020) point out differences between
the two concepts. To this end, it is emphasized that well-being refers to the quality of
life in general, considering issues such as material living conditions, employability or
education. On the other hand, happiness is analyzed as a subjective evaluation of
life, focusing on enjoying the standard of living achieved. Authentic happiness would
refer to the set of subjective and global judgements that people make when they
experience more positive emotions than negative ones (Cropanzano and Wright,
2001). Along the same lines, Sariçam (2015) proposes that happiness depends
on two components that present the individual as a whole, the affective and the
cognitive. First, the affective component is dened as the degree of pleasure the
person experiences. Second, the cognitive component is the degree to which he
satises his or her desires.
Most studies on consumption and happiness have not adequately conceptualized
happiness and have failed to understand what really makes people happy. In addition,
they do not analyze the different possible paths to happiness. (Bhattacharjee and
Mogilner, 2014; Gilovich et al., 2015; Mogilner et al., 2012). Other authors also
suggest the separation of the unitary concept of happiness. Instead, it is proposed that
happiness be considered an outcome of the hedonic (happiness related to pleasure)
and eudaimonic (meaningful goals and happiness related to fullment) pathways.
Additionally, more research seems to be needed on how specic experiences may
inuence happiness through their different orientations (Schmitt et al., 2015).
4.2. Pleasant happiness
Seligman (2002) argues that there are three essential types of happiness: a
pleasurable or hedonic life, an engaged life, and a meaningful life. The rst type
refers to the satisfaction and enjoyment of the senses, an ephemeral experience.
The hedonic life, considered the sum of positive experiences and past, present, or
future pleasures (Filep and Deery, 2010), is also identied by Frederickson (2001)
as the set of emotions, love, enjoyment, interest and satisfaction experienced by the
individual. Therefore, he considers that people enjoy a pleasant life when they are
able to develop their strengths and virtues through activities, they are passionate
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about. Along the same lines, a pleasant life is identied as a state lled with hedonic
experiences (Brickman and Campbell, 1971; Kahneman, 1999). Ryan and Deci
(2001) consider that consumer happiness reects the sum of hedonic moments.
The study of the hedonic view of happiness, motivational or psychological hedonism,
proposes the pursuit of the good life by individuals through pleasure and avoidance
of pain (Brülde, 2014). Therefore, it is currently useful and feasible to investigate
this view based on hedonic psychology, focusing on what makes our life pleasant or
unpleasant (Kahneman et al., 1999). Typically, studies on hedonic happiness analyze
life satisfaction (Diener, 2000; Pavot and Diener, 2008) but the idea of pleasure is not
exclusive to the ordinary meaning of bodily pleasure (Brülde, 2014). The consequence
is the existence of a range of expressions where this hedonism is reected that varies
from focusing on bodily pleasure to a wider variety of appetites and self-interests
(Ryan and Deci, 2001). These types of pleasures comprise many experiences
such as sensations, emotions, and moods (Brülde, 2014). Specically, pleasurable
sensations range from the warm sensation felt when wearing a coat, through those
including falling in love, hope or cheerfulness to pleasurable moods such as harmony
or euphoria (Brülde, 2014). Furthermore, the possible expressions of pleasure are
expanded to imply preferences and pleasures of the mind. Pleasures of the mind are
explained as a set of emotions that occurs when expectations distributed over time
are broken. This implies that excitement arises and the search for interpretations
begins (Kubovy, 1999). In line with the conceptualization of the dichotomy of pleasure
and pain, psychological hedonism considers experiences as a hedonic continuum
with two opposite anchors, e.g., good versus bad, liking versus disliking, or joy versus
sadness (Vittersø, 2011).
4.3. The eudaimonic vision of happiness (life with meaning).
The development of a meaningful life occurs when people participate in activities that
contribute to the common good or are able to develop transformative or memorable
experiences. Feeling more connected to others enhances both happiness and
meaning in life. (Duckworth et al., 2005). In positive psychology, achieving individual
and social goals would result in a meaningful life. Therefore, this is another reason
people can achieve happiness (Cuesta-Valiño et al., 2021). This approach refers to
the tendency of individuals to invest in life experiences of their choice and then focus
on them. To a great extent, human beings base their actions and interactions on
a system of meanings (Baumeister, 2005). This principle underpins the eudaimonic
view of happiness such that the key components are based on personal growth at
the individual level, self-actualization, and commitment to socially shared goals and
values (Delle Fave et al., 2011). Intrinsic to the concept of happiness is people’s
quest to identify oneself and live with it (or true self) in order to achieve personal
expressiveness. This feeling appears when individuals feel that they are doing their
best to achieve their goals in line with their purpose in life (Delle Fave et al., 2011;
Linley et al., 2009; Steger et al., 2011; Waterman, 1993). Furthermore, Peterson and
Seligman (2004) highlight the importance for happiness and selfhood of one’s own
values and virtues in contributing to the good life. In summary, the importance of
meaning in happiness is based on identifying consumer values and, on the part of
organizations, connecting with consumers within the framework of these virtues and
values.
4.4. The uid vision of happiness (life with engagement)
Engaged life would refer to feeling more secure and committed to the activity one
is engaged in. That is, aspects related to one’s own experience and not extrinsic
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rewards. (Massimini and Delle Fave, 2000). In the same vein, engaged living arises
from the full use of personal capabilities to achieve challenges and relates to one’s
own immediate experience (Duckworth et al., 2005; Hom Cary, 2004). In this way,
customers can feel engaged when their shopping and consumption experience
includes active and passive situations (Schmitt, 2012). It allows for creating
experiential platforms consisting of multiple customer touchpoints, such as live events
and direct interactions, which would offer active experiences. On the other hand,
the experience can be passive and received through traditional or digital media to
foster engagement with the brand (Schmitt, 2012). Delving deeper into this approach,
some authors explain the happiness resulting from a pleasant, good and satisfying
experience as a positive psychological state (Jang et al., 2017).
The term ow is considered a component of eudaimonic well-being and it is
associated with personal expressiveness. However, a deeper reection on the
idea of ow argues that it is composed of a double dimension, with hedonic and
eudaimonic qualities (Delle Fave and Bassi, 2014; Waterman, 1993). Some authors
also argue that ow is a differential and even unconscious component of happiness
that is not dened as emotional (Peterson et al., 2005). Hence, the ow would differ
from hedonism because the relationship between happiness and ow would differ
from hedonism and emotion (Csikszentmihalyi, 1999). It can be justied since, during
the experience of ow, people’s attention is monopolised by the action itself, with
a temporary loss of the sense of self. Therefore, people are not necessarily happy
when they experience a particular event. At the end of the experience, they reect
on it and thus achieve greater cheerfulness and happiness (Csikszentmihalyi, 1999).
Therefore, it is concluded that feelings and emotions do not coexist with the ow state
but occur after it.
Moreover, the experience of ow would be different from eudaimonia. The main
reason is that, although the pursuit of meaningful happiness through activities may
lead people to experience ow, not all activities that provoke ow are meaningful and
connect people to higher values and virtues. Moreover, not all meaningful activities
are considered to ow experiences (Peterson et al., 2005).
4.5. The three orientations model
There are approaches followed by numerous researchers who seek to understand
happiness by applying a multidimensional approach (Delle Fave 2014). Compton et
al. (1996), in their research on mental health indicators, obtained results that indicate
that hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions coexist and that a better understanding
of well-being requires addressing both dimensions. In the same vein, Kashdan,
Biswas-Diener and King (2008) emphasize how hedonics and eudaimonia operate
together and propose to integrate them. It does not seem appropriate to establish
boundaries separating the two concepts as it would also be difcult to understand
such a limitation. With this same trend and based on the correlation and dened
characteristics of these two concepts, several empirical studies advocate the dual
perspective to analyze happiness (Delle Fave et al., 2011; Gallagher et al. 2009; Huta
and Ryan, 2010; Linley et al., 2009).
Seligman (2002) is one of the rst authors to combine both approaches and decides
to deepen and expand on them. In this way he suggests three dimensions in his
Theory of Authentic Happiness in psychology. The three dimensions of happiness
suggested are pleasure, meaning and engagement. Subsequently, other empirical
research has demonstrated the compatibility of including the three conceptualized
orientations in one model (Peterson et al., 2005). In addition, the results of more
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recent empirical research show that meaning and engagement are better indicators
of life satisfaction than pleasure (Fu and Wang, 2020).
However, it can be observed how recent research on consumer happiness has
ignored the analysis of the different paths that can lead to happiness (Bhattacharjee
and Mogilner, 2014; Gilovich et al., 2015; Mogilner et al., 2012). This situation creates
a concept of happiness that is ambiguous and close to the concept of pleasure. Thus,
Seligman’s (2002) vision and the sphere of happiness, or the three orientations of
happiness, subtend the conceptualization of happiness for the present approach.
The selection of this approach is justied by its breadth and relevance to brand
experiences and by the analyses ignored in the literature. The conduct of this project
aims to validate the importance of pleasure, meaning and engagement in consumer
research (see Table 1).
Table 1. Happiness measurement scale and its dimensions
Factors Sources
Consumer happiness
“I am satised with my decision to purchase this product from the
brand”. Al Mandil (2016)
Theodorakis et al.
(2015)
Theodorakis et al.
(2019)
“The purchase of this product from the brand is rewarding for me”.
“Buying this branded product contributes to my overall happiness in life”.
“Buying this brand improves the quality of my life”.
Pleasant life
“I like the purchase of this product from the brand”.
Fu and Wang (2020)
“I am excited to purchase this branded product”.
“The purchase of this branded product relieves my stress”.
“The purchase of this branded product helps me to forget my worries
temporarily”.
Engagedlife
“This fashion shopping gets me, and this brand hooked”.
Fu and Wang (2020)
“Time passes quickly when I buy products from this brand”.
“This purchase makes me feel that my efforts at work or school are
worthwhile”.
Meaningful life
“Buying this brand’s product makes me feel that I am a lucky person”.
Fu and Wang (2020)
“Buying this brand makes me feel that I benet other people”.
“Being able to buy this product from a brand makes me feel worth
working hard”.
Source: Cuesta-Valiño et al. (2021)
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5. Discussion and conclusions
Happiness is a concept that has been and continues to be the subject of great
attention from different disciplines. It is not in vain that the search for happiness is an
element that guides human action to a large extent. However, there is no unanimity
in its denition and attempts to dene the concept shows how multifaceted and
multidimensional it is.
It is therefore essential to delimit the different perspectives that make it up. Marketing
has recognised happiness as a motivating element that generates consumer
preferences and the possibility of using it, in one way or another, by many brands in
their strategies and campaigns. Most of the approaches used in marketing focus on
the hedonic dimension, which can be understood, depending on the type of good to
be promoted, as much from the search for pleasure as from the avoidance of pain.
This perspective is the one that has usually captured the interest in research on the
relationship between happiness and consumer. However, other relevant dimensions
of happiness, such as the meaningful or engaged life, have not received the same
attention. The review conducted in this paper mainly highlights the tendency to
deepen the understanding of the dimensions of happiness at the consumer level,
using the three orientations model. From this framework, we could highlight the
possibility of theoretical developments, within consumer behaviour, on the indicator
systems to be used and their connection with the cognitive and emotional dimensions.
Other discriminating factors or variables to incorporate in future studies would be
the typologies of brands, consumers, situations, or market contexts. On the other
hand, the growing importance that marketing strategies give to the social dimension
of brands or sustainability could justify studies that connect these elements with the
dimensions of the model of the three orientations presented here.
In terms of the managerial use of these studies, companies’ opportunities for practical
application lie in understanding the importance of going beyond the hedonistic
approach. It can give their brands greater relevance and signicance in connecting
with consumers. To do so, organisations must understand the inuence of other
relevant dimensions of happiness, such as a meaningful life or a committed life. In
any case, the lack of further empirical research on these dimensions could explain
their absence in practice in company management. It is also noteworthy that aspects
such as social responsibility or sustainability orientation could nd a more solid place
in the strategies followed by companies. It is necessary to establish links with the
dimensions mentioned above (life with meaning and commitment). Another important
element to consider is the role that advertising plays in training consumers, already
from childhood, so that they acquire criteria that allow them to make consumption
choices that really contribute to their happiness. (Jiménez-Marín et al., 2020).
Therefore, it should be noted that the possibilities that the proposed approach offers
in terms of its practical applicability in the design of marketing strategies and in the
management of human capital in the organization (Ravina-Ripoll et al., 2021) are
worthy of consideration.
Finally, it can be established that the analysis presented here can be considered an
approach that advocates a broader approach to studying the relationship between
happiness and consumer satisfaction generated by goods. To justify this proposal,
critical studies have been used to build a solid frame of reference. However, due
to the scope and dimension of the topic addressed, the description here of these
studies has been carried out in a referential way, without the level of detail that would
be used in other fewer generalist analyses than the present one. In any case, the
Artículos • Pedro Cuesta-Valiño, Pablo Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Pablo Contreras-Contreras
• 93 •
analysis carried out allows us to better understand how the concept of consumer
happiness originates, the approaches derived from it, and the measurement scales
developed for its analysis. To this end, a review of the most relevant bibliography has
been carried out, which has made it possible to frame the research and results on
the concept of happiness. The result is the conrmation of the growth of the study
and use of the concept of consumer happiness in the business and academic world.
To achieve the objective of measuring the concept, various scales are included, both
unidimensional and multidimensional, which have been used and may be used in
the future. The proposed scales use a model that approximates the three constituent
approaches of the holistic concept of happiness: an enjoyable life, a meaningful life,
and a committed life. The measurement provides insight into the different avenues of
research that facilitate its applicability in marketing management areas.
Author Contributions:
Concept and design; methodology; analysis and interpretation; preparation of the
original draft, as well as writing, review and editing: Pedro Cuesta-Valiño, Pablo
Gutiérrez-Rodríguez and Pablo Contreras-Contreras.
Funding:
This research did not receive external funding.
Conicts of interest:
The authors declare that they have no conict of interest.
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