Personal Attribute

Abstract: This paper attempts to explain the conceptual connections between happiness and well-being. It first distinguishes episodic happiness from happiness in the personal attribute sense. It then evaluates two recent proposals about the connection between happiness and well-being: (1) the idea that episodic happiness and well-being both have the same fundamental determinants, so that a person is well-off to a particular degree in virtue of the fact that they are happy to that degree, and (2) the idea that happiness in the personal attribute sense can serve as a “proxy” for well-being, i.e., that a person’s degree of deep or robust happiness approximates their degree of well-being. It is argued that happiness in both these senses is conceptually, metaphysically, and empirically distinct from well-being. A new analysis of welfare, well-being as agential flourishing, can explain welfare’s real connection to happiness in both the episodic and personal attribute senses. It predicts that such happiness is only directly beneficial when it is valued, when it is a form of valuing, or when it underwrites (i.e., serves as the causal basis for) the disposition to realize one’s values. It is therefore a necessary—but not sufficient—condition for especially high levels of well-being. This analysis of welfare integrates many insights from the eudaimonic tradition of welfare and happiness research in psychology, and also addresses common criticisms of these eudaimonic models.

Abstract: A method and system for accumulating data to match and matching a user, based upon a play style and/or personal attribute, in an online gaming environment is described. One aspect of the invention provides a matchmaking system that matches players based upon a play style of the players. The system matches players who are looking for games with players who prefer similar play styles. Similarly the system can match players based upon a personal attribute of the player. The system can be built into existing general skill level and technical capabilities based matchmaking systems to provide more user desired matchmaking parameters, allowing a user to choose based upon play style, personal attribute, general skill level, and/or technical capabilities.

Abstract: Research on mindset theory (GollwitTer & Baye4 1999) observed that people in an implemental mindset show an orientation towards positive illusionary self-evaluations, whereas people in a deliberative mindset opt for accura.te self-evaluations. In the present study, we tested whether these self-evaluative orientations and the associated search for certain types of self-relevant information (feedback) are moderated by low versus high self-views. With high self-view participants we observed the hypothesized mindset effects on information search, but we obtained the reverse pattern for low self-view participants. The latter finding points to self-defensiveness in low self-view individuals. Implications are discussed in terms of the consequences of accurate versus positive illusionary selfevaluations for the successful control of goal pursuits, and individual dffirences in mindset effects. Self-evaluation is guided by different motives or purposes (Pomerantz, Saxon, & Kenney, 2001; Sedikides & Skowronski, 2000; Sedikides & Strube, 1997). First, a concern for self-assessment motivates people to reduce uncertainty about their abilities and personal attributes. This is achieved by performing high diagnostic tasks and searching for diagnostic information (Trope, 1936). Second, people's self-evaiuations also serve self-enhancement concerns. The self is protected from negative information by selectively processing positive information. The valence of feedback and the personal importance of the attribute in question are of primary importance. People guidedby self-enhancement concerns will thus find information diagnostic of success, high ability, or any other positive personal attribute to be more attractive than information diagnostic of failure, low ability, or any other negative personal attribute (Brown & Dutton, 1995; Kunda,1990; Taylor & Brown, 1988). Thfud, people's self-evaluations are also guided by self-verification concerns which aim at endorsing preexisting self-conceptions. Self-verification applies to both positive and negative aspects of the self. People seek verification of their certain self-concepts to a larger degree than $reir uncertain self-concepts. What matters is the consistency between self-concept and feedback rather than selfconcept valence or feedback valence (Swann, 1990,1997). Finally, people are motivated to improve their traits, abilities, skills, health status, or well-being. This motive is conceptually different from the

Abstract: A human-computer interface for automatic persuasive dialogue between the interface and a user and a method of operating such an interface. The method comprising presenting a user with an avatar or animated image for conveying information to the user and receiving real time data relating to a personal attribute of the user, so as to modify the visual appearance and/or audio output of the avatar or animated image as a function of the received data relating to a personal attribute of the user. In this way, a more engaging, context sensitive and generally more persuasive automatic dialogue can be generated between the interface and the user.