Conceptualization specifics and some methodological aspects of well-being research in foreign psychology

Despite the variety of theories and models of well-being and the long history of psychological research in this area, there are some issues with differentiation of approaches and inconsistency of terminology. These issues are especially acute when Russian researchers use foreign (non-Russian) theoretical or methodological approaches. The use of the same terms (e.g., «subjective well-being», «psychological well-being») in different meanings, as well as the development of new terms that cannot be compared with those used in other studies, can be a clear illustration. The aim of the article is to briefly review the main foreign (non-Russian) concepts of well-being and relevant terms (including: hedonic well-being; eudaimonic well-being; life satisfaction; preferentialism; objective list theories). The article also touches on the integration of several concepts into a unifying theory. Conclusions are drawn about the importance of clearly describing the concepts, components and determinants of well-being used; the necessity of linking psychometric instruments to them; and the significance of comparing the results and findings of the research with other studies in the field.