Abstract:
This paper looks into constructs, both cognitive and non-cognitive, as well as how they interact with each other to affect one's life satisfaction. Specifically, this paper explores grit, growth mindset, and emotional intelligence, as well as, how the level of each influences satisfaction. As far as methodology used to gather information, sources were gathered from a reference page that highlighted each topic discussed. From there, each document was accessed and thoroughly read before specific excerpts were extracted due to their strong correlation to the contents of the paper. The populations and samples used in the data of the sources pertained heavily to students from both sides of the education system (children and adults). Overall, data was taken from Dweck, Duckworth, and a handful of universities on their studies and procedural research done. Reflecting how emotional intelligence affects decision making and one's affect towards life's situations, grit was shown to improve levels of success, and growth mindsets were proven to open larger pathways for an individual, as well as, better take a negatively-connotated situation. Each of these research points only contribute to how overall satisfaction is very much so affected by these ideals. Research done on this topic will inform the reader how to relate these subjects in modern day society as well as help provide an outlook for day-to-day situations.
Effects of Constructs on Life Satisfaction
Universally, all people live their distinct and unique lives out. On the individual scale, this might translate as a day-to-day track, or a sporadic and nonlinear based lifestyle. However, no matter the fashion of life one leads, each individual has their own level of satisfaction regarding it. In this case, satisfaction can be defined by the cumulative of a person's personality, positive affect, objective success, subjective success, and similar ideals (Duckworth,Weir, Tsukayama, & Kwok, 2012). All these measureable areas are greatly influenced by one's cognitive and non-cognitive constructs and it will be seen how these constructs, specifically grit, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset, can cause effects on life satisfaction.
Grit
Grit is a non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion, effort, and perseverance for a particular long-term goal. In other words, when possessed by an individual, it acts as a powerful motivator for achieving an objective over a long period of time. The trait of grit allows one to tenaciously pursue a dominant, superordinate goal despite setbacks and levels of self-control, a very helpful characteristic that makes any successful person successful as it transcends over years. Grit is important to have in life and can begin to be used by setting long term goals or milestones at 5-10 year marks in your life and work towards those goals daily until you can achieve each one like a bucket list (Alboher 2015). This is an excellent way of using grit to become successful in life in a career or personal life. But of course, grit doesn’t have to only be used to become successful in a career as an adult. Grit can be used by students in grade school and even college. In 2010, Duckworth’s study on grit in Chicago high schools’ junior students gathered data using the Five-Trait scale (Henderson & Davis, 2018), which reflected that grittier students were outstandingly more likely to graduate. One such example of this can be seen in a procedure done in 2014 by Kelly. She conducted a study called "Grit and Hardiness as Predictors of Performance Among West Point Cadets". The results of this study showed that grit, interest, and hardiness commitment were the sole predictors of attrition from “Cadet Basic Training” (CBT), and that only grit accurately predicted persistence across the remaining 4-year period. The College Entrance Exam Rank (CEER), a traditional measure of academic success, does not incorporate persistence into predictions. Although CEER continued to be a predictor of military performance, grit and hardiness commitment would make the statistics more accurate. Overall, these results indicate that the non-cognitive factors of grit and hardiness are important predictors of success and from there, overall satisfaction.
Growth Mindset
In peoples’ desperate search of life satisfaction, many of them commonly mistake certain attitudes for one of a cognitive constructs. Specifically, one very commonly mistaken construct is having a growth mindset. A variety of people believe that a “growth mindset” is simply being open-minded or maintaining a positive outlook on things when in reality, it is far more complex and, if understood and applied the right way, more effective than just a open view on things.
The opinions a person has is generally categorized under two types of mindsets; fixed and growth. A fixed mindset, which is the more generally seen, is when someone believes their abilities are just innate gifts, while those who have a growth mindset tend to believe their abilities can be developed or improved “through hard work, good strategies and input from others” (Dweck, C. 2014, ). One example of this was highlighted in a study done by Dweck in which students from Chicago were expected to take a certain amount of courses but were only given two grades; “not yet” or passing. By not using “failing” as a grade, they’re given the idea of hope and possibility for the future, allowing them to realize that they have room for development, which is what growth mindset is all about. Furthering her research, Carol Dweck tested multiple 10-year-old children with various challenging academic tests, trying to see the reactions of the different subjects. This experiment resulted in some children enjoying the challenge while others simply gave up. Those that gave up showed exactly what a fixed mindset is since they saw no opportunity to pass after noticing they did not know the material. According to the data collected from these experiments, it can be seen how understanding and keeping a growth mindset to our lives is very important to (relate to life satisfaction) ( Dwek, pg, 3).
Life Satisfaction and Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence, or EI, is one’s mental capacity to identify, understand, and control the emotions of themselves and others (Kong, Zhao, & You, 2012). Emotions directly correlate to a person's level of satisfaction, which is why in 2012, Feng Kong, Xungun You, and Jingjing Zhao conducted a study in order to see this correlation. Through their research, they concluded that people tend to have higher levels life satisfaction if they have a high level of trait EI. Trait EI is a constellation of self-perceptions based on emotions located in one's personality (Kong, Zhao, & You, 2012). People with high levels of trait EI tend to be more social, and as the study concluded, had higher levels of life satisfaction. In other words, higher levels of trait EI would have better social awareness and understanding of social cues. This lets one interact with others better and form new social bonds easily, creating new friends. These friends would then support and encourage the person when they feel down or are going through troubles in life, and help them see how good life truly is. As a result, those with high levels of trait EI would be happier
with their lives. On the other hand, people with low levels of trait EI, they would be less likely to socialize with others and become isolated from the people around them. This would likely cause them to suffer from depression, sadness, or loneliness due to little interpersonal socialization. Such interactions would have led to bonding with people who would have encouraged them. Ultimately, this type of person with a lower EI would be less satisfied with their overall life.
Kong’s, You’s, and Zhao's study also concluded that self esteem also plays a role in how satisfied a person is with their life. The more confident and satisfied a person is with themselves, the more confident they'd be with the choices they makes throughout life, leading to have higher levels of life satisfaction. In comparison, those with low self esteem tend to have little to no faith in themselves and their decisive abilities. As a result, they often hesitate and have beliefs of stupidity, being unwanted or unloved, and a bleak outlook on life with low satisfaction. In regards to grit, emotional intelligence can affect a students learning style and how they interact with society. For example, a low esteemed student may have a plethora of difficulty trying to persevere in a test. They may ponder thoughts such as,” What if I don't pass this test?” This type of thinking leads to the decrease in performance because it starts to lead the students’ focus away from the test, to a simple thought in his/her performance. This decrease in performance not only is influenced in social environments, but in ecological environments. Another example would be a student who is paid minimum wage, due to lack of resources this student would think of financial resources such as calculators, pens/pencils, and paper. This furthermore, distracts the student. However, there is a positive side to emotional intelligence if the student is raised in the right social/economic conditions, this will benefit in handsome rewards. For example, the student will start to feel more confident in his/her own abilities and will focus solely on the test ahead of them. Which may lead to better performance.
Conclusions
To conclude, life satisfaction is not having material objects, but it is about the development of one’s self. The levels of a person's objective and subjective success will reflect that, as well as their general affect towards things. So, all in all, grit proves to increase chances of success, growth mindsets are proved to better outlooks towards life, and EI levels help shift a person's general affect to a positive one. Each of these sectionates ultimately fortify the personal and individual opinion on how well and satisfied they will be with their life.