Tilfredshed

Tilfredshed is a term in Danish that denotes a positive evaluative state in which a person perceives that their circumstances meet or exceed their standards or expectations. The word is related to similar terms in other Scandinavian languages, such as tilfredshet in Norwegian and tillfredsställelse in Swedish, and it is often used across psychology, economics, and everyday language to describe a sense of contentment or satisfaction.

In psychological usage, tilfredshed is typically understood as a cognitive appraisal rather than a momentary mood. It can refer to life satisfaction (an overall judgment of one’s life quality), as well as domain-specific satisfaction such as job satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, or health satisfaction. Life satisfaction is frequently treated as a component of subjective well-being, alongside positive and negative affect. In economics and marketing, satisfaction describes the consumer’s post-consumption assessment of a product or service relative to expectations, influencing loyalty and repeat behavior.

Common types include life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and customer satisfaction. Job satisfaction relates to how individuals perceive the rewards, conditions, and autonomy of their work in relation to their expectations. Customer satisfaction measures how well products or services meet or exceed buyer expectations. Satisfaction is typically measured through self-report scales or surveys, such as standardized life-satisfaction scales or customer-feedback instruments.

Factors influencing tilfredshed include outcomes, expectations, personal values, social comparison, and cultural norms. It is associated with well-being, motivation, performance, and social functioning, and it can vary over time as standards and circumstances change.

See also: happiness, well-being, life satisfaction, job satisfaction, customer satisfaction.