SWB / Happiness : Variables Which Are Correlated refined

Based on DeNeve and Cooper's (1998). The happy personality: A meta-analyses of 137 personality traits and subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 197-229 findings:

The highest correlates with subjective well-being are:

1. r=.30 Personality traits, namely trust, emotional stability (neuroticism?), desire for control, hardiness, locus of control-chance (believing events happen by chance), and tension (experiencing negative emotions).
2. r=.29 Affiliation (wanting to relate to others)
3. r=.29 Perceived Control
4. r=-.27 Neuroticism
5. r=.25 Internal Locus of Control (crediting or blaming self for events that happen)
6. r=.23 Social Desirability (responding in a manner one believes will lead to approval from others)
7. r=.20 Sociability (relating well with others)
8. r=.20 Extraversion

From Lykken & Tellegran. (1996). Happiness is a stochastic phenomenon. American Psychological Society, 7(3), 186-189

• Genetics also account for 80% of stable SWB
  

From Lucas, Richard E.; Fujita , Frank (2000). Factors influencing the relation between extraversion and pleasant affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 79(6), Dec, 2000. pp. 1039-1056.

• Extraversion (r=.38 and up to .80 when other variables controlled for)
  

From DeNeve & Cooper (1998)

• Conscientiousness (r=.20)