HRPYC81
Assignment 16
Project 4 Research Report
Unique No: 741707
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 16: 741707
Project 4
Due October 2025
Research Report
Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 4
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 5
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 7
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 7
2.2 Conceptualising Happiness ................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Dimensions and Definitions ............................................................................. 7
2.2.2 Measurement Approaches .............................................................................. 8
2.3 Psychological Factors that Influence Happiness.................................................... 9
2.3.1 Belonging and Social Bonds ........................................................................... 9
2.3.2 Self-Esteem and Validation ........................................................................... 10
2.3.3 Meaning and Purpose ................................................................................... 10
2.3.4 Social Comparison ........................................................................................ 11
2.3.5 Resilience and Coping .................................................................................. 11
2.2 Conceptualising Happiness ................................................................................. 12
2.2.1 Dimensions and Definitions ........................................................................... 12
2.2.2 Measurement Approaches ............................................................................ 12
, 2.3 Psychological Factors that Influence Happiness.................................................. 13
2.3.1 Belonging and Social Bonds ......................................................................... 13
2.3.2 Self-Esteem and Validation ........................................................................... 14
2.3.3 Meaning and Purpose ................................................................................... 14
2.3.4 Social Comparison ........................................................................................ 15
2.3.5 Resilience and Coping .................................................................................. 15
2.4 Social Media Use and Happiness ........................................................................ 16
2.4.1 Active vs. Passive Use .................................................................................. 16
2.4.2 Duration and Intensity of Use ........................................................................ 16
2.5 The Importance of Context: Why South Africa Matters ........................................ 17
2.5.1 Technological Gaps and Digital Inclusion ...................................................... 17
2.5.2 Cultural Influences on Happiness and Social Media ..................................... 18
2.6 Research Hypotheses ......................................................................................... 19
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 20
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 21
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 21
4.2 Right to Withdraw ................................................................................................ 21
4.3 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 21
4.4 Minimising Harm .................................................................................................. 22
4.5 Data Integrity ....................................................................................................... 22
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 23
6. PROCEDURE ........................................................................................................... 24
7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 26
7.1 Active and Passive Social Media Use .................................................................. 26
, 7.2 Intensity of Social Media Use............................................................................... 26
7.3 Happiness (Subjective Well-Being) ...................................................................... 27
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 28
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 30
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 30
9.2 Main Analyses...................................................................................................... 30
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 30
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 31
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 31
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 32
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 32
10.2 Similarity of Results to Previous Research ........................................................ 32
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 33
10.4 Contributions...................................................................................................... 33
10.5 Implications ........................................................................................................ 34
11. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 35
12. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 36
Assignment 16
Project 4 Research Report
Unique No: 741707
Year 2025
,HRPYC81
Assignment 16: 741707
Project 4
Due October 2025
Research Report
Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 4
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 5
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................... 7
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 7
2.2 Conceptualising Happiness ................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Dimensions and Definitions ............................................................................. 7
2.2.2 Measurement Approaches .............................................................................. 8
2.3 Psychological Factors that Influence Happiness.................................................... 9
2.3.1 Belonging and Social Bonds ........................................................................... 9
2.3.2 Self-Esteem and Validation ........................................................................... 10
2.3.3 Meaning and Purpose ................................................................................... 10
2.3.4 Social Comparison ........................................................................................ 11
2.3.5 Resilience and Coping .................................................................................. 11
2.2 Conceptualising Happiness ................................................................................. 12
2.2.1 Dimensions and Definitions ........................................................................... 12
2.2.2 Measurement Approaches ............................................................................ 12
, 2.3 Psychological Factors that Influence Happiness.................................................. 13
2.3.1 Belonging and Social Bonds ......................................................................... 13
2.3.2 Self-Esteem and Validation ........................................................................... 14
2.3.3 Meaning and Purpose ................................................................................... 14
2.3.4 Social Comparison ........................................................................................ 15
2.3.5 Resilience and Coping .................................................................................. 15
2.4 Social Media Use and Happiness ........................................................................ 16
2.4.1 Active vs. Passive Use .................................................................................. 16
2.4.2 Duration and Intensity of Use ........................................................................ 16
2.5 The Importance of Context: Why South Africa Matters ........................................ 17
2.5.1 Technological Gaps and Digital Inclusion ...................................................... 17
2.5.2 Cultural Influences on Happiness and Social Media ..................................... 18
2.6 Research Hypotheses ......................................................................................... 19
3. RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 20
4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 21
4.1 Informed Consent ................................................................................................ 21
4.2 Right to Withdraw ................................................................................................ 21
4.3 Confidentiality and Anonymity .............................................................................. 21
4.4 Minimising Harm .................................................................................................. 22
4.5 Data Integrity ....................................................................................................... 22
5. PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................... 23
6. PROCEDURE ........................................................................................................... 24
7. MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................................... 26
7.1 Active and Passive Social Media Use .................................................................. 26
, 7.2 Intensity of Social Media Use............................................................................... 26
7.3 Happiness (Subjective Well-Being) ...................................................................... 27
8. DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................... 28
9. RESULTS .................................................................................................................. 30
9.1 Preliminary Analysis ............................................................................................. 30
9.2 Main Analyses...................................................................................................... 30
9.2.1 Hypothesis 1 ................................................................................................. 30
9.2.2 Hypothesis 2 ................................................................................................. 31
9.3 Summary of Results ............................................................................................ 31
10. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 32
10.1 Support of Original Hypotheses ......................................................................... 32
10.2 Similarity of Results to Previous Research ........................................................ 32
10.3 Limitations.......................................................................................................... 33
10.4 Contributions...................................................................................................... 33
10.5 Implications ........................................................................................................ 34
11. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 35
12. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 36
