Feeling special, feeling happy: Authenticity mediates the relationship between sense of uniqueness and happiness

Abstract

Uniqueness is a fundamental aspect of individual identity, yet commonly used conceptualizations of uniqueness are based on the contrast between an individual and other people, an understanding that is not congruent with person-centred definitions from humanistic approaches. This study is based on the idea that uniqueness is concerned with the acceptance of one’s existence and uses Şimsek and Yalınçetin’s (Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 576–581, 2010) conceptualization, namely, a personal sense of uniqueness. Relying on both self- and observer reports, we examined the mediating role of authenticity in the relationship between a personal sense of uniqueness and happiness. This study also provides an extension of previous research by furthering the understanding of how dimensions of authenticity are linked to well-being. In line with our hypotheses, we found that a personal sense of uniqueness was positively related to authentic living and negatively related to self-alienation. Our results also showed a negative correlation between self-alienation and happiness and a positive correlation between authentic living and happiness. Self-alienation, a core dimension of authenticity, mediated the relationship between a personal sense of uniqueness and happiness. © 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature