Need Satisfaction and Involvement in Personal Projects: Toward an Integrative Model of Subjective Well-Being

Telic theories locate well-being in the attainment of desired end states (i.e., in need satisfaction) whereas autotelic theories locate well-being in the movement towards such end states (i.e., in the experience of involvement). This article outlines a model of subjective well-being which integrates these two approaches. It is proposed that need satisfaction and involvement are conceptually distinct sources of feelings of subjective well-being which derive, in part, from common origins such as the perception of opportunities for need satisfaction. The strengths of the relationships implied by this model were estimated using data obtained from 39 adult subjects who reported on their 10 most important personal projects ( Little, 1983 ). Results from within-subjects analyses supported the model when positive but not negative affect was used as a measure of well-being. Evidence is also presented to support the adoption of personal projects as a useful way of representing how persons structure and experience their lives.