Final answer:
Significant life events like marriage, career satisfaction, and aging can greatly affect happiness and life satisfaction. These effects could be positive, as in the support from a stable marriage and relationships, or challenging, as with the stress from adjusting to significant changes. Socioeconomic and psychosocial factors also play critical roles in determining the level of wellbeing during such events.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effects of significant life events on happiness and life satisfaction can be profound and multifaceted. Life events such as marriage, meaningful employment, and the aging process can positively or negatively influence wellbeing depending on the quality of the relationships and ability to cope with stress. For instance, a stable marriage can contribute to wellbeing (Vaillant, 2002), while eustress from positive changes, like marriage or retirement, still requires adjustment and can lead to stress (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). Parenthood, particularly when adult children become a source of positive influence, can enhance parental wellbeing (Umberson, Pudrovska, & Reczek, 2010), although the demands of raising children and managing dual-career responsibilities might also contribute to stress and require coping strategies (Diener, Ng, Harter, & Arora, 2010; DeLongis, Coyne, Dakof, Folkman, & Lazarus, 1982). Lastly, socioeconomic status and social networks have been shown to impact subjective wellbeing in later life (Pinquart & Sörensen, 2000). Overcoming despair, such as remarriage after a spouse's death, can also affect happiness differently for men and women, impacting their sense of freedom or loss and emotional life accordingly (Kate Davidson, 2002).