Does Gender or Career Choice Matter? Exploring Predictors of Subjective Well-Being

By : Prarthana Saikia, Soumitri Bag Majumder

Page No: 61-70

Abstract
The present study examined the role of gender and career stream in shaping happiness and life satisfaction, two central components of subjective well-being. A sample of 158 participants pursuing careers in the natural sciences or social sciences completed the Oxford Happiness Scale and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LISAT-9). Statistical analyses revealed a moderate and positive correlation between happiness and life satisfaction (r = .665, p < .01), supporting existing evidence that affective and cognitive dimensions of well-being are closely linked. Gender emerged as a significant predictor of both happiness and life satisfaction; however, it accounted for only a small proportion of variance (6%). In contrast, career stream did not significantly predict either happiness or life satisfaction. Further moderation analyses indicated that neither gender nor career stream altered the strength of the relationship between happiness and life satisfaction. In conclusion, the findings suggest that although gender plays a limited predictive role, the relationship between happiness and life satisfaction remains stable across demographic groups.

Authors
Dr. Prarthana Saikia :  Assistant Professor, Amity University, Kolkata, India.
Soumitri Bag Majumder :  Assistant Professor, Amity University, Kolkata, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPR.2026.21.01.7