Dr. Diener is the Joseph R. Smiley Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Senior Scientist for the Gallup Organization. His research focuses on developing theories of well-being and on its measurement from different angles: How do temperament, income, and personality influence well-being?
He received his doctorate at the University of Washington in 1974, and has been a faculty member at the University of Illinois for the past 35 years. He was the president of both the International Society of Quality of Life Studies and the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, and he is currently the president of the International Positive Psychology Association. Dr. Diener was an editor for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and the Journal of Happiness Studies, and he is the founding editor of Perspectives on Psychological Science. He has over 240 publications, with about 190 being in the area of the psychology of well-being, and is listed as one of the most highly cited psychologists by the Institute of Scientific Information, with over 12,000 citations to his credit.
Awards and Credentials
- Distinguished Scientist Award given by International Society of Quality of Life Studies, 2000
- Jack Block Award for Career Contributions to Personality Research given by the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, 2008
- Gallup Academic Leadership Award, 2008
- Oakley-Kundee Award for Undergraduate Teaching at the University of Illinois, 1997
Related Links
Recommended Reading List
- Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. Diener, E., et al. (2008). Blackwell.
- Well-Being For Public Policy. Diener, E., et al. (2009). Oxford.
- International Differences in Well-Being. Diener, E., et al (Eds.). (2009). Oxford.
