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Related Experiment Video

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Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

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Joy and happiness: a simultaneous and evolutionary concept analysis.

Laura Cottrell¹

¹Faculty of Nursing Level 3, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.

Journal of Advanced Nursing

|April 28, 2016

Summary

Joy is a spontaneous, transient state linked to connection, while happiness is a stable, long-term state associated with virtue. Understanding these positive concepts is vital for nursing practice and health research.

Keywords:

Rodgers' evolutionary model happiness joy midwives nurses nursing simultaneous concept analysis

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Area of Science:

Nursing
Psychology
Philosophy

Background:

Joy and happiness are underrepresented in nursing literature.
Existing literature lacks clear definitions and understanding of these positive concepts.
Negative concepts are more frequently discussed in nursing research.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct a simultaneous and evolutionary analysis of the concepts of joy and long-term happiness.
To establish conceptual clarity for joy and happiness in nursing.
To explore the relationship between these positive states and health/healing.

Main Methods:

Concept analysis utilizing an adapted combination of Rodgers' Evolutionary Model and Haase et al.'s Simultaneous Concept Analysis (SCA) method.
Extensive literature search across multiple databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, PsycEXTRA, etc.) for articles published between 1978-2014.
Analysis of 61 articles and one book to identify attributes and characteristics of joy and happiness.

Main Results:

Joy is characterized as a spontaneous, sudden, and transient state associated with connection, awareness, and freedom.
Happiness is defined as a pursued, long-lasting, stable mental state linked to virtue and self-control.
Significant differences were identified between the attributes of joy and happiness, despite both being positive concepts.

Conclusions:

Further research is needed to determine the relationship between joy, happiness, and health outcomes.
Clarifying these positive concepts is essential for advancing nursing theory and practice.
Nurses should consider the value and application of positive psychological concepts in all aspects of care.