Abstract

Based on the Motivational States Theory(MOST), the present research expanded and complemented Kim(2007)'s proposal to add the Life Satisfaction Expectancy Scale(LSES) to Diener et al's Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS) to measure subjective well-being(SWB). In the present study, the Life Satisfaction Motivation Scale(LSMS) was introduced to measure the strength of motivation for life satisfaction in general. Two hundred and eighty six college students participated in this study. Factor analyses revealed a two-factor structure, with the factors corresponding to life satisfaction and life satisfaction expectancy. Measures of internal and temporal reliability show the LSMS to be a good complement for the measure of SWB(The LSMS showed high internal and test-retest reliability). It was found that the addition of the LSES provided a significant increment in predictive power over the SWLS in the prediction of various factors related with well-being prediction. Exceptionally, in the prediction of anger the LSMS had the most predictive power. There were some differences between male and female students in the correlations among life satisfaction, life satisfaction expectancy and life satisfaction motivation and well-being-related factors. The merits of including LSES in the measurement of subjective well-being and the limitations of this study are discussed.