Happiness – wie Glück, Arbeit und Einkommen zusammenhängen
Das Streben nach Glück ist ein zentrales Element im Leben, wobei das individuelle Wohlbefinden sowohl persönliche als auch gesellschaftliche Ursachen hat. Welchen Einfluss haben Wirtschaftsentwicklung, Einkommen, der berufliche Werdegang oder Arbeitslosigkeitserfahrungen auf das Glücksempfinden eines Menschen? Die IAB-Infoplattform bietet hierzu aktuelle Literatur.
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Literaturhinweis
Zwischen Glücksjagd und Sinnsuche in der Arbeitswelt (2014)
Hardering, Friedericke;Zitatform
Hardering, Friedericke (2014): Zwischen Glücksjagd und Sinnsuche in der Arbeitswelt. In: Sozialwissenschaften und Berufspraxis, Jg. 37, H. 2, S. 175-187.
Abstract
"Im Folgenden wird zunächst auf die soziologische Erforschung von Glücksvorstellungen der Arbeit eingegangen. Anschließend werden verschiedene subjektive Bezugnahmen auf Glücksvorstellungen vorgestellt, die aus Interviews mit freiwilligen BerufswechslerInnen rekonstruiert wurden. Da diese Gruppe durch den beruflichen Wechsel eine erhöhte Reflexivität im Hinblick auf eigene Erwartungen an die Arbeit aufweist, lassen sich Deutungen und Eigentheorien darüber, welche Glücksvorstellungen sich für die InterviewpartnerInnen als tragfähig erwiesen haben und welchen Vorstellungen vom Glück sie folgen, gut rekonstruieren. Insgesamt zielt der Beitrag darauf ab, die eigensinnigen Aneignungen und Reaktualisierungen von Glücksvorstellungen in der Arbeit abzubilden, um so den Blick auf individuell genutzte Handlungsspielräume und Ressourcen zu richten und zudem einen konzeptionellen Beitrag zur Systematisierung gegenwärtiger Glücksvorstellungen der Arbeit zu leisten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Happiness and work (2014)
Krause, Annabelle;Zitatform
Krause, Annabelle (2014): Happiness and work. (IZA discussion paper 8435), Bonn, 12 S.
Abstract
"The relationship between happiness and work is subject to an ever growing empirical literature in economics. The analyses are mostly based on large-scale survey data to measure subjective well-being. Whereas one large strand of research investigates the effect of job loss and becoming unemployed, another field of study focuses on the determinants of job satisfaction evolving around employment conditions, self-employment, and potential public sector satisfaction premiums. A smaller part of the literature investigates potential driving effects of happiness on labor market outcomes. This article will give an overview about the most significant subareas of research and the empirical literature in economics to date." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Economic approaches to understanding change in happiness (2014)
Zitatform
Powdthavee, Nattavudh & Alois Stutzer (2014): Economic approaches to understanding change in happiness. (IZA discussion paper 8131), Bonn, 24 S.
Abstract
"Are people condemned to an inherent level of experienced happiness? A review of the economic research on subjective well-being gives reason to the assessment that happiness can change. First, empirical findings clearly indicate that people are not indifferent to adverse living conditions when reporting their subjective well-being as observed for limited freedom of choice, low levels of democratization, unemployment, low income, etc. Second, considering people's adaptation to life events and (external) conditions reveals substantial heterogeneity in the speed as well as the degree of reversion. Together, the evidence suggests that reported subjective well-being is a valuable complementary source of information about human well-being and the phenomenon of adaptation. Many challenges, of course, remain. First, we are only at the beginning of understanding variation in the process of adaptation. The modeling of happiness over the life course promises a productive perspective. Second, adaptation might well pose a challenge to individual decision-making when people are not good in predicting it. Third, adaptation might have great consequences for public policy and the idea of social welfare maximization depending on how fast and slow adapting people are treated." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Richer in money, poorer in relationships and unhappy?: time series comparisons of social capital and well-being in Luxembourg (2014)
Sarracino, Francesco;Zitatform
Sarracino, Francesco (2014): Richer in money, poorer in relationships and unhappy? Time series comparisons of social capital and well-being in Luxembourg. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 115, H. 2, S. 561-622. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0223-5
Abstract
"The worrying decline of social capital (Putnam in Bowling alone: the collapse and revival of American community. Simon and Schuster, New York, 2000) and the disappointing trends of subjective well-being characterising the US (Easterlin in Nations and households in economic growth. Academic Press, New York, 1974; Easterlin and Angelescu in Happiness and growth the world over: time series evidence on the happiness income paradox, 2009; Easterlin et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci 107:22463 - 22468, 2010) raise urgent questions for modern societies: is the erosion of social capital a feature of the more developed and richer countries or is it rather a characteristic aspect of the American society? To test the hypothesis that the erosion of social capital and declining well-being are not a common feature of richer countries, present work focuses on Luxembourg. The main results are: (1) the erosion of social capital is not a legacy of the richest countries in the world; (2) between 1999 and 2008, people in Luxembourg experienced a substantial increase in almost every proxy of social capital; (3) both endowments and trends of social capital and subjective well-being differ significantly within the population. Migrants participate less in social relationships and report lower levels of well-being; (4) the positive relationship between trends of subjective well-being and social capital found in previous literature is confirmed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How was life?: global well-being since 1820 (2014)
Zanden, Jan Luiten van; Baten, Joerg; Mira d¿Ercole, Marco; Timmer, Marcel; Rijpma, Auke; Smith, Conal;Zitatform
Zanden, Jan Luiten van, Joerg Baten, Marco Mira d¿Ercole, Auke Rijpma, Conal Smith & Marcel Timmer (Hrsg.) (2014): How was life? Global well-being since 1820. Paris, 269 S. DOI:10.1787/9789264214262-en
Abstract
"Die Lebensqualität der Menschen hat sich seit dem frühen 20. Jahrhundert in großen Teilen der Welt verbessert. Gerade in jüngerer Zeit haben sich die Lebensbedingungen in den Ländern rund um den Globus stärker angeglichen als das Bruttoinlandsprodukt pro Kopf. Mit einer Ausnahme, den Ländern südlich der Sahara.
Die Studie 'How Was Life? - Global Well-being since 1820' bietet zum ersten Mal systematische Erkenntnisse über langfristige Trends in Gesundheit, Bildung, sozialer Gleichheit, Umwelt oder persönlicher Sicherheit. Die historischen Daten erstrecken sich von inflationsbereinigten Löhnen über das BIP, die Lebenserwartung, Bildungsabschlüsse, Größe (als Maß für physisches Wohlbefinden und Ernährung), Sicherheit, politische Institutionen, die Umwelt bis hin zur Ungleichheit in Bezug auf Einkommen und zwischen den Geschlechtern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)Weiterführende Informationen
Deutschsprachige Zusammenfassung -
Literaturhinweis
Predicting the trend of well-being in Germany: how much do comparisons, adaptation and sociability matter? (2013)
Bartolini, Stefano; Bilancini, Ennio; Sarracino, Francesco;Zitatform
Bartolini, Stefano, Ennio Bilancini & Francesco Sarracino (2013): Predicting the trend of well-being in Germany. How much do comparisons, adaptation and sociability matter? In: Social indicators research, Jg. 114, H. 2, S. 169-191. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0142-5
Abstract
"Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we estimate the variation of subjective well-being experienced by Germans over the last two decades testing the role of some of the major correlates of people's well-being. Our results suggest that the variation of Germans' well-being between 1996 and 2007 is well predicted by changes over time of income, demographics and social capital. The increase in social capital predicts the largest positive change in subjective well-being. Income growth, also predicts a substantial change in subjective well-being, but it is compensated for about three fourths by the joint negative predictions due to income comparison and income adaptation. Finally, we find that aging of the population predicts the largest negative change in subjective well-being. This result appears to hinge on the large loss of satisfaction experienced by individuals in old age." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The drivers of happiness inequality: suggestions for promoting social cohesion (2013)
Zitatform
Becchetti, Leonardo, Riccardo Massari & Paolo Naticchioni (2013): The drivers of happiness inequality. Suggestions for promoting social cohesion. (IZA discussion paper 7153), Bonn, 34 S.
Abstract
"This paper identifies and quantifies the contribution of a set of covariates in affecting levels and over time changes of happiness inequality. Using a decomposition methodology based on RIF regression, we analyse the increase in happiness inequality observed in Germany between 1992 and 2007, using the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) database, deriving the following findings. First, trends in happiness inequality are mainly driven by composition effects, while coefficient effects are negligible. Second, among composition effects, education has an inequality-reducing impact, while the increase in unemployment contributes to the rise in happiness inequality. Third, the increase in average income has a reducing impact on happiness inequality, while the raise in income inequality cannot be considered as a driver of happiness inequality trends. A clear cut policy implication is that policies enhancing education and economic performance contribute to reduce happiness inequality and the potential social tensions arising from it." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Happy working mothers? Investigating the effect of maternal employment on life satisfaction (2013)
Zitatform
Berger, Eva M. (2013): Happy working mothers? Investigating the effect of maternal employment on life satisfaction. In: Economica, Jg. 80, H. 317, S. 23-43. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-0335.2012.00932.x
Abstract
"This paper analyses the effect of non-participation and part-time employment compared to full-time employment on life satisfaction of mothers in Germany. Using data from the SOEP and applying fixed-effects panel estimations, the results show that mothers in family-related non-participation and mothers employed part-time are less satisfied than mothers employed full-time. The direct and the indirect effect - due to foregone household income - each account for about half of the total effect. I attribute the found negative effects on the institutional and social conditions in Germany that prevent many mothers from reconciling (full-time) employment with motherhood." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Inequality and happiness: when perceived social mobility and economic reality do not match (2013)
Bjørnskov, Christian; Gehring, Kai; Dreher, Axel; Schnellenbach, Jan; Fischer, Justina A.V.;Zitatform
Bjørnskov, Christian, Axel Dreher, Justina A.V. Fischer, Jan Schnellenbach & Kai Gehring (2013): Inequality and happiness. When perceived social mobility and economic reality do not match. In: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Jg. 91, H. July, S. 75-92. DOI:10.1016/j.jebo.2013.03.017
Abstract
"We argue that perceived fairness of the income generation process affects the association between income inequality and subjective well-being, and that there are systematic differences in this regard between countries that are characterized by a high or, respectively, low level of actual fairness. Using a simple model of individual labor market participation under uncertainty, we predict that high levels of perceived fairness cause higher levels of individual welfare, and lower support for income redistribution. Income inequality is predicted to have a more favorable impact on subjective well-being for individuals with high fairness perceptions. This relationship is predicted to be stronger in societies that are characterized by low actual fairness. Using data on subjective well-being and a broad set of fairness measures from a pseudo micro-panel from the WVS over the 1990 - 2008 period, we find strong support for the negative (positive) association between fairness perceptions and the demand for more equal incomes (subjective well-being). We also find strong empirical support for the predicted differences in individual tolerance for income inequality, and the predicted influence of actual fairness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Can governments boost people's sense of well-being?: the impact of selected labour market and health policies on life satisfaction (2013)
Boarini, Romina; Comola, Margherita; Manchin, Robert; Keulenaer, Femke de; Smith, Conal;Zitatform
Boarini, Romina, Margherita Comola, Femke de Keulenaer, Robert Manchin & Conal Smith (2013): Can governments boost people's sense of well-being? The impact of selected labour market and health policies on life satisfaction. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 114, H. 1, S. 105-120. DOI:10.1007/s11205-013-0386-8
Abstract
"There is strong evidence that subjective well-being measures capture in a reliable way specific components of well-being that other non-subjective measures miss. The question of whether subjective well-being is policy amenable is however still largely unexplored in the research. This paper sheds some light on this issue, by looking at the impact of selected labour market and health policies on subjective well-being, using well-being data from the Gallup World Poll on the 34 OECD countries. The paper finds that the generosity of unemployment benefits and the strictness employment protection legislation affects positively life satisfaction, while out-of-pocket health expenses significantly reduce subjective well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Are you happy while you work? (2013)
Zitatform
Bryson, Alex & George MacKerron (2013): Are you happy while you work? (CEP discussion paper 1187), London, 25 S.
Abstract
"Recent work in psychology and economics has investigated ways in which individuals experience their lives. This literature includes influences on individuals' momentary happiness. We contribute to this literature using a new data source, Mappiness (www.mappiness.org.uk), which permits individuals to record their wellbeing via a smartphone. The data contain more than a million observations on tens of thousands of individuals in the UK, collected since August 2010. We explore the links between individuals' wellbeing measured momentarily at random points in time and their experiences of paid work. We explore variation in wellbeing within-individual over time having accounted for fixed unobservable differences across people. We quantify the effects of working on individuals' affect relative to other activities they perform. We consider the effects of working on two aspects of affect: happiness and relaxation. We find paid work is ranked lower than any of the other 39 activities individuals engage in, with the exception of being sick in bed. Although controlling for other factors, including person fixed effects, reduces the size of the association its rank position remains the same and the effect is still equivalent to a 7-8% reduction in happiness relative to circumstances in which one is not working. Paid work has a similar though slightly larger negative impact on being relaxed. However, precisely how unhappy or anxious one is while working depends on the circumstances. Wellbeing at work varies significantly with where you work (at home, at work, elsewhere); whether you are combining work with other activities; whether you are alone or with others; and the time of day or night you are working." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The objective benefits of subjective well-being (2013)
De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel; Diener, Ed; Tay, Louis; Xuereb, Cody;Zitatform
De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel, Ed Diener, Louis Tay & Cody Xuereb (2013): The objective benefits of subjective well-being. (CEP discussion paper 1236), London, 35 S.
Abstract
"The aim of this paper is to survey the 'hard' evidence on the effects of subjective well-being. In doing so, we complement the evidence on the determinants of well-being by showing that human well-being also affects outcomes of interest such as health, income, and social behaviour. Generally, we observe a dynamic relationship between happiness and other important aspects of our lives, with influence running in both directions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Trading up the happiness ladder (2013)
Dluhosch, Barbara; Horgos, Daniel;Zitatform
Dluhosch, Barbara & Daniel Horgos (2013): Trading up the happiness ladder. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 113, H. 3, S. 973-990. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0122-9
Abstract
"How globalization affects subjective happiness is highly disputed. Several studies use an index that amalgamates globalization's different dimensions into a single variable. Unlike previous studies and in order to better illuminate its facets, we adopt a disaggregated perspective on trade (policy) data. Distinguishing actual trade flows and the option value of trade, we find the former to slightly depress happiness, the latter to significantly promote happiness. Segmentation of WVS-data shows that the positive connotation is concentrated in low-income countries still in the process of climbing the income ladder, thus backing the notion of a shift in values." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Inequality of happiness in the U.S.: 1972-2010 (2013)
Dutta, Indranil; Foster, James;Zitatform
Dutta, Indranil & James Foster (2013): Inequality of happiness in the U.S.: 1972-2010. In: Review of Income and Wealth, Jg. 59, H. 3, S. 393-415. DOI:10.1111/j.1475-4991.2012.00527.x
Abstract
"It is well accepted that a country's GDP may not fully reflect its level of well-being. In recent years, happiness has emerged as an alternative indicator of well-being, and research has mainly focused on determining the level of happiness. While it is important to look at the level, the distribution of happiness is also a salient aspect in any evaluation of inequality. There has been a growing interest in the distribution of happiness, although the ordinal nature of the data makes the use of standard inequality measures problematic. Our paper contributes to the literature by exploring the distributions for the U.S. from 1972 to 2010. Based on new methods developed for ordinal data, we are able to overcome the problems associated with ordinality and obtain unambiguous rankings of happiness distributions. We also compute the level of happiness inequality using existing measures based on median centred approaches. Further, we decompose the median based inequality measures of happiness by gender, race, and region." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Happiness and economic growth: the evidence (2013)
Easterlin, Richard A.;Zitatform
Easterlin, Richard A. (2013): Happiness and economic growth. The evidence. (IZA discussion paper 7187), Bonn, 30 S.
Abstract
"Long term trends in happiness and income are not related; short term fluctuations in happiness and income are positively associated. Evidence for this is found in time series data for developed countries, transition countries, and less developed countries, whether analyzed separately or pooled. Skeptics, who claim that the long term time series trend relationship is positive, are mistaking the short term association for the long term one, or are misguided by a statistical artifact. Some analysts assert that in less developed countries happiness and economic growth are positively related 'up to some point,' beyond which the association tends to become nil, but time series data do not support this view. The most striking contradiction is China where, despite a fourfold multiplication in two decades in real GDP per capita from a low initial level, life satisfaction has not improved." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Testing the tunnel effect: Comparison, age and happiness in UK and German panels (2013)
Zitatform
FitzRoy, Felix R., Michael A. Nolan, Max F. Steinhardt & David Ulph (2013): Testing the tunnel effect: Comparison, age and happiness in UK and German panels. (IZA discussion paper 7452), Bonn, 34 S.
Abstract
"In contrast to previous results combining all ages we find positive effects of comparison income on happiness for the under 45s, and negative effects for those over 45. In the BHPS these coefficients are several times the magnitude of own income effects. In GSOEP they cancel to give no effect of effect of comparison income on life satisfaction in the whole sample, when controlling for fixed effects, and time-in-panel, and with flexible, age-group dummies. The residual age-happiness relationship is hump-shaped in all three countries. Results are consistent with a simple life cycle model of relative income under uncertainty." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Happiness inequality: How much is reasonable? (2013)
Gandelman, Néstor; Porzecanski, Rafael;Zitatform
Gandelman, Néstor & Rafael Porzecanski (2013): Happiness inequality: How much is reasonable? In: Social indicators research, Jg. 110, H. 1, S. 257-269. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9929-z
Abstract
"We compute the Gini indexes for income, happiness and various simulated utility levels. Due to decreasing marginal utility of income, happiness inequality should be lower than income inequality. We find that happiness inequality is about half that of income inequality. To compute the utility levels we need to assume values for a key parameter that can be interpreted as a measure of relative risk aversion. If this coefficient is above one, as many economists believe, then a large part of happiness inequality is not related to pecuniary dimensions of life." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Unemployment expectations, excessive pessimism, and news coverage (2013)
Garz, Marcel;Zitatform
Garz, Marcel (2013): Unemployment expectations, excessive pessimism, and news coverage. In: Journal of economic psychology, Jg. 34, H. February, S. 156-168. DOI:10.1016/j.joep.2012.09.007
Abstract
"This study employs monthly survey data and information obtained from media content analyses to investigate the potential link between (negativity in) economic news coverage and the pessimism in German unemployment expectations. For the period from 2001 to 2009, time-series estimates do not indicate a link in the short-run, but the cumulative effects of repeated media coverage affect long-run attitudes. A single negative report has a long-term effect similar to that of a positive one, but the quantitative dominance of negative over positive news causes an asymmetric reaction in unemployment expectations, which promotes pessimism." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Direct evidence on income comparisons and subjective well-being (2013)
Zitatform
Goerke, Laszlo & Markus Pannenberg (2013): Direct evidence on income comparisons and subjective well-being. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 549), Berlin, 18 S.
Abstract
"Subjective well-being (SWB) is generally argued to rise with relative income. However, direct evidence is scarce on whether and how intensively individuals undertake income comparisons, to whom they relate, and what they perceive their relative income to be. In this paper, novel data with direct information on income comparison intensity and perceived relative income with respect to predetermined reference groups is used to provide evidence on the relationship between income comparisons and SWB. We find negative correlations between comparison intensity and SWB for co-workers, people in the same occupation and friends. For job-related reference groups income comparisons are mostly upwards and perceiving to earn less than the reference group is negatively correlated with SWB." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The impact of economic crisis on happiness (2013)
Gudmundsdottir, Dora Gudrun;Zitatform
Gudmundsdottir, Dora Gudrun (2013): The impact of economic crisis on happiness. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 110, H. 3, S. 1083-1101. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9973-8
Abstract
"There is a common belief that economic crisis will lead to a decrease in subjective wellbeing. Previous studies indicate that income is correlated with happiness and unemployment with unhappiness. The relationship between increased income and happiness is well documented while the impact of decreased income has been less explored. The aim of this paper is to study how the economic downfall in Iceland, followed by reduced income and increased unemployment, affects happiness as well as to explore which groups are most vulnerable to changes in happiness and which are most resilient. The study is a longitudinal, nationally representative postal survey which assessed 5,918 individual's aged 18-79. A total of 4,092 (77.3%) answered again in 2009. The relationship between economic factors and happiness was explored using multiple linear regression to find out how much they explain of the happiness variance and the changes in happiness, together with demographic factors, health and social relationships. Results indicate that income and unemployment did not predict happiness but financial difficulties did. A decrease in happiness was detected after the collapse. The change in happiness from 2007 to 2009 was normally distributed, 40% had the same score in both years and an equal number increased as decreased. The explored factors did not explain the changes in happiness. The economic crisis had a limited affect on happiness. Those with financial difficulties were hardest hit. Changes in happiness need to be studied further since they are not well explained by the factors which influence cross-sectional levels of happiness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Der Einfluss von Armut und Reichtum auf die Lebenszufriedenheit: eine empirische Analyse mit dem SOEP unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Capability Approach (2013)
Zitatform
Hajek, André (2013): Der Einfluss von Armut und Reichtum auf die Lebenszufriedenheit. Eine empirische Analyse mit dem SOEP unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Capability Approach. München: Utz, 319 S., Anhang.
Abstract
"In dem zweiten Kapitel werden die wesentlichen Begriffe dieser Arbeit näher vorgestellt. Dazu gehören die Termini Lebenszufriedenheit, Armut und Reichtum sowie der Ansatz der Verwirklichungschancen. Die Basis der Operationalisierung von Armuts- und Reichtumsvariablen bildet dabei der Ansatz der Verwirklichungschancen. Welchen Problemen und Fragen man sich dabei in der Praxis stellen muss, wird in dem dritten Kapitel thematisiert. Ein Exkurs zur Kausalität erfolgt danach am Anfang des vierten Kapitels (Kap. 4.1). Dies ist wesentlich, um die Erkenntnisse dieser Arbeit angemessen evaluieren zu können. Anschließend wird der Forschungsstand (wesentliche Theorien der Zufriedenheitsforschung und Einflussfaktoren der Lebenszufriedenheit) vorgestellt. Daraus werden entsprechende Hypothesen abgeleitet. Nachfolgend wird das Fundament für die empirischen Analysen erarbeitet (Vorstellung der Datenbasis, Operationalisierung, methodische Grundlagen). Nach einem anfänglichen Between-Vergleich zwischen Reichen und Nicht-Reichen sowie Armen und Nicht-Armen wird in dem empirischen Abschnitt mithilfe multivariater Analyseverfahren die Entwicklung der Individuen im Zeitverlauf betrachtet.
In Ergänzung zum vierten Kapitel wird im fünften Kapitel gezielt auf die Wirkung der Wahlfreiheit auf die Lebenszufriedenheit eingegangen. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf den Gebieten (1) soziale Exklusion, (2) Arbeitslosigkeit und (3) berufliche Weiterbildung. Über die Ergebnisse dieses Kapitels wird der besondere Nutzen des CA im Kontext der Armuts- und Reichtumsforschung herausgearbeitet.
Das sechste Kapitel berücksichtigt - in Erweiterung zum vierten Kapitel - sowohl potenzielle Antizipation- als auch Adaptationseffekte im ökonometrischen Modell, da derartige Effekte in der bisherigen Zufriedenheitsforschung beobachtet wurden. Dadurch kann die Effektdauer eingeschätzt werden. Beleuchtet wird im siebten Kapitel indessen das komplexe Zusammenwirken der Lebenszufriedenheit mit der Gesundheit, dem Einkommen und dem Erwerbsstatus bzw. der beruflichen Autonomie.
Im Anschluss daran wird im achten Kapitel der Frage nachgegangen: Wie tangiert makroökonomische Einkommensungleichheit die Individuen im Lande? Daran knüpft die Frage an, ob dieser Einfluss der Ungleichheit auf die Zufriedenheit zwischen den Gruppen der Einkommensarmen und Einkommensreichen differiert. Abschließend werden die einzelnen Ergebnisse im neunten Kapitel zusammengefasst und bewertet. Dies wird von einem Ausblick begleitet. Dieser weist auf künftige, bedeutende Fragestellungen hin." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku) -
Literaturhinweis
Are Americans really less happy with their incomes? (2013)
Kapteyn, Arie; Soest, Arthur van; Smith, James P.;Zitatform
Kapteyn, Arie, James P. Smith & Arthur van Soest (2013): Are Americans really less happy with their incomes? In: Review of Income and Wealth, Jg. 59, H. 1, S. 44-65. DOI:10.1111/j.1475-4991.2012.00532.x
Abstract
"Recent economic research on international comparisons of subjective well-being suffers from several important biases due to the potential incomparability of response scales within and across countries. In this paper we concentrate on self-reported satisfaction with income in two countries: the Netherlands and the U.S. The comparability problem is addressed by using anchoring vignettes. We find that in the raw data, Americans appear decidedly less satisfied with their income than the Dutch. It turns out however that after response scale adjustment based on vignettes, the distribution of satisfaction in the two countries is essentially identical. In addition, we find that the within-country cross-sectional effect of income on satisfaction - a key parameter in the recent debate in the economic literature - is significantly underestimated, especially in the U.S., when differences in response scales are not taken into account." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Economic freedom, money and happiness: why deregulation matters beyond its wealth enhancing effect (2013)
Zitatform
Knoll, Bodo, Hans Pitlik & Martin Rode (2013): Economic freedom, money and happiness. Why deregulation matters beyond its wealth enhancing effect. In: CESifo DICE report, Jg. 11, H. 2, S. 35-42.
Abstract
"For a long time economic happiness research has focused on the question: 'Does money make people happy?' In recent years, some researchers have broadened the scope of this question by asking if (economic) events and situations can have effects that go beyond pure pecuniary effects. Periods of unemployment are detrimental for subjective well-being to a far greater extent than the loss of labor income and the reduced consumption levels of the unemployed. Institutions matter for two reasons: (1) Free markets are an important determinant of growth, thereby contributing to life satisfaction via higher income levels. (2) In addition, ideology, risk aversion and freedom of choice as a value in itself may explain why positive or negative effects on life satisfaction remain even after controlling for the individual income position. These non-pecuniary effects seem to be unequally distributed within societies. Further research is needed to address endogeneity issues and to fully understand some of the paradoxical results that have emerged from previous empirical studies." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Short-run and long-run causalities between happiness, income and unemployment in Japan (2013)
Lee, Chew Ging; Lee, Cassey; Ng, Pek Kim;Zitatform
Lee, Chew Ging, Pek Kim Ng & Cassey Lee (2013): Short-run and long-run causalities between happiness, income and unemployment in Japan. In: Applied Economics Letters, Jg. 20, H. 18, S. 1636-1639. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2013.829195
Abstract
"This article examines the short-run and long-run causal interactions between happiness and two economic variables in Japan, namely, unemployment and income. Results suggest that whilst more rapid economic growth and lower levels of unemployment are important in raising people's well-being in the short run, it is the relative growth performance of the economy that matters in the long run." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Glücksfaktor Arbeit: was bestimmt unsere Lebenszufriedenheit? (2013)
Neumann, Michael; Schmidt, Jörg;Zitatform
Neumann, Michael & Jörg Schmidt (2013): Glücksfaktor Arbeit. Was bestimmt unsere Lebenszufriedenheit? (Roman-Herzog-Institut. Diskussion 21), München, 27 S.
Abstract
"Arbeit - genauer Erwerbsarbeit - ist ein zentraler Bestandteil unseres Lebens und nimmt somit auch Einfluss auf unsere Lebenszufriedenheit. Diese Erkenntnis ist zwar nicht neu. Die überwiegende Anzahl der Fachpublikationen zum Thema Lebenszufriedenheit fokussierte bislang aber auf andere Lebensbereiche und Personengruppen, wie etwa Studenten, Kinder und Menschen mit gesundheitlichen Problemen (Erdogan et al., 2012). Dies scheint überraschend, da wir doch einen großen Anteil unserer Lebenszeit im Beruf verbringen und sich dies nachhaltig auf unsere Zufriedenheit auswirken dürfte. Der Blick auf andere Lebensbereiche zeigt, dass diese ebenfalls eine wichtige Rolle spielen, darunter vor allem die eigene Gesundheit oder die Familie. Wie also muss mein Arbeitsplatz aussehen, um mich glücklicher und zufriedener zu machen? Kann ich mir das Glück gewissermaßen 'erarbeiten'? Die vorliegende Publikation trägt vorhandene Literatur zu diesen Fragen zusammen und ergänzt sie um eigene Auswertungen aus dem Sozio-oekonomischen Panel (SOEP). Aufgrund der Komplexität der Forschungsfrage ist der vorliegende Beitrag wie folgt gegliedert:
Zunächst wird in Kapitel 2 die Bedeutung des Arbeitsumfelds im Zusammenspiel mit anderen Lebensbereichen aufgezeigt. Zudem werden im internationalen Vergleich und nach der Art der Erwerbsform differenziert einige zusammengefasste Befunde erläutert. Im Anschluss daran beleuchtet Kapitel 3 beispielhaft einige für die allgemeine Lebenszufriedenheit wesentliche Aspekte der Arbeit, von denen unter Bezug auf die vorliegende Literatur erwartet werden kann, dass sie einen maßgeblichen Einfluss auf die Lebenszufriedenheit haben (ohne den Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit zu erheben). Kapitel 4 zieht die resultierenden Schlussfolgerungen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku) -
Literaturhinweis
Does migration make you happy?: a longitudinal study of internal migration and subjective well-being (2013)
Zitatform
Nowok, Beata, Maarten van Ham, Allan M. Findlay & Vernon Gayle (2013): Does migration make you happy? A longitudinal study of internal migration and subjective well-being. In: Environment and Planning. A, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Jg. 45, H. 4, S. 986-1002. DOI:10.1068/a45287
Abstract
"The majority of quantitative studies on the consequences of internal migration focus almost exclusively on the labour-market outcomes and the material well-being of migrants. We investigate whether individuals who migrate within the UK become happier after the move than they were before, and whether the effect is permanent or transient. Using life-satisfaction responses from twelve waves of the British Household Panel Survey and employing a fixed-effects model, we derive a temporal pattern of migrants' subjective well-being around the time of the migration event. Our findings make an original contribution by revealing that, on average, migration is preceded by a period when individuals experience a significant decline in happiness for a variety of reasons, including changes in personal living arrangements. Migration itself causes a boost in happiness, and brings people back to their initial levels. The research contributes, therefore, to advancing an understanding of migration in relation to set-point theory. Perhaps surprisingly, long-distance migrants are at least as happy as short-distance migrants despite the higher social and psychological costs involved. The findings of this paper add to the pressure to retheorize migration within a conceptual framework that accounts for social well-being from a life-course perspective." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Does unemployment hurt less if there is more of it around?: a panel analysis of life satisfaction in Germany and Switzerland (2013)
Zitatform
Oesch, Daniel & Oliver Lipps (2013): Does unemployment hurt less if there is more of it around? A panel analysis of life satisfaction in Germany and Switzerland. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 29, H. 5, S. 955-967. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcs071
Abstract
"This article examines the existence of a habituation effect to unemployment: Does the subjective well-being of unemployed people decline less if unemployment is more widespread? The underlying idea is that unemployment hysteresis may operate through a sociological channel: if many people in the community lose their job and remain unemployed over an extended period, the psychological cost of being unemployed diminishes, and the pressure to accept a new job declines. We analyse this question with individual-level data from the German socio-economic panel (1984 - 2010) and the Swiss household panel (2000 - 2010). Our fixed-effects estimates show no evidence for a mitigating effect of high surrounding unemployment on the subjective well-being of the unemployed. Becoming unemployed hurts as much when regional unemployment is high as when it is low. Likewise, the strongly harmful impact of being unemployed on well-being neither wears off over time, nor do repeated episodes of unemployment make it any better. It thus appears doubtful that an unemployment shock becomes persistent because the unemployed becomes used to, and hence reasonably content with, being without a job." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Happiness and satisfaction with work commute (2013)
Olsson, Lars E.; Gärling, Tommy; Friman, Margareta; Ettema, Dick; Fujii, Satoshi;Zitatform
Olsson, Lars E., Tommy Gärling, Dick Ettema, Margareta Friman & Satoshi Fujii (2013): Happiness and satisfaction with work commute. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 111, H. 1, S. 255-263. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0003-2
Abstract
"Research suggests that for many people happiness is being able to make the routines of everyday life work, such that positive feelings dominate over negative feelings resulting from daily hassles. In line with this, a survey of work commuters in the three largest urban areas of Sweden show that satisfaction with the work commute contributes to overall happiness. It is also found that feelings during the commutes are predominantly positive or neutral. Possible explanatory factors include desirable physical exercise from walking and biking, as well as that short commutes provide a buffer between the work and private spheres. For longer work commutes, social and entertainment activities either increase positive affects or counteract stress and boredom. Satisfaction with being employed in a recession may also spill over to positive experiences of work commutes." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Work hours and well being: an investigation of moderator effects (2013)
Pereira, Maria C.; Coelho, Filipe;Zitatform
Pereira, Maria C. & Filipe Coelho (2013): Work hours and well being. An investigation of moderator effects. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 111, H. 1, S. 235-253. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0002-3
Abstract
"The relationship between work hours and subjective well being is marked by contradictory findings, thereby implying that it is far from being completely understood. A study of moderator effects can help explain variations in results across studies and, thus, overcome inconsistencies in past research. Accordingly, the current study aims to enlighten the relationship between work hours and well being by investigating how a number of variables moderate this relationship. To develop the research hypotheses concerning the moderator effects, this study relies mostly on social identity theory. Overall, the results suggest that work hours, per se, do not have a significant relationship with individual well being. Rather, their effects seem to depend on a number of issues, namely concerned with individuals' objective characteristics, as well as their social identities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Income comparisons, income adaptation, and life satisfaction: how robust are estimates from survey data? (2013)
Pfaff, Tobias;Zitatform
Pfaff, Tobias (2013): Income comparisons, income adaptation, and life satisfaction. How robust are estimates from survey data? (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 555), Berlin, 44 S.
Abstract
"Theory suggests that subjective well-being is affected by income comparisons and adaptation to income. Empirical tests of the effects often rely on self-constructed measures from survey data. This paper shows that results can be highly sensitive to simple parameter changes. Using large-scale panel data from Germany and the UK, I report cases where plausible variations in the underlying income type substantially affect tests of the relationship between life satisfaction, income rank, reference income, and income adaptation. Models simultaneously controlling for income and income rank as well as models with a number of income lags are prone to imperfect multicollinearity with consequences for the precision and robustness of estimates. When testing relative-income effects, researchers should be aware that reference income constructed as average of a rather arbitrarily defined reference group and reference income predicted from Mincer-type earnings equations are two approaches that can produce inconsistent results, and that are probably not as reliable and valid as previously assumed. The analysis underlines the importance of robustness checks and regression diagnostics, two routines that are often not carried out diligently in empirical research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Austria's well-being goes beyond GDP (2013)
Röhn, Oliver; Gönenc, Rauf; Boarini, Romina; Beer, Christian;Zitatform
Röhn, Oliver, Rauf Gönenc, Christian Beer & Romina Boarini (2013): Austria's well-being goes beyond GDP. (OECD Economics Department working papers 1079), Paris, 58 S. DOI:10.1787/5k422133hjnv-en
Abstract
"Austria enjoys strong material well-being and high quality of life. Steady convergence with top GDP per capita levels translated into decisive improvements in household disposable incomes while significant redistribution has ensured low income inequality and poverty. This has been combined with gains in leisure time, especially time spent in retirement, low unemployment, high environmental standards, rising life expectancy, a well-functioning social support network and high subjective well-being. This performance was achieved with a unique combination of supportive conditions for a dynamic business sector, priority for family based care, a wide supply of public services, and a well-functioning social partnership. Particularly remarkable for a small open economy has been the degree of stability, which may have contributed to Austria's high quality of life. However, a number of weaknesses also exist. Older, unskilled and in particular people with migrant background, have lower labour market attachments. Outcomes in education and health care are subject to inequalities. Family services are still mainly carried out by women, who have closed the gap in education attainment with men but face tensions between work and family responsibilities and a high wage gap. The gaps experienced by people with migrant background are in several dimensions larger than in the average OECD country. This Working Paper relates to the 2013 OECD Economic Survey of Austria (https://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/austria-2013.htm)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The new stylized facts about income and subjective well-being (2013)
Zitatform
Sacks, Daniel W., Betsey Stevenson & Justin Wolfers (2013): The new stylized facts about income and subjective well-being. (CESifo working paper 4067), München, 14 S.
Abstract
"In recent decades economists have turned their attention to data that asks people how happy or satisfied they are with their lives. Much of the early research concluded that the role of income in determining well-being was limited, and that only income relative to others was related to well-being. In this paper, we review the evidence to assess the importance of absolute and relative income in determining well-being. Our research suggests that absolute income plays a major role in determining well-being and that national comparisons offer little evidence to support theories of relative income. We find that well-being rises with income, whether we compare people in a single country and year, whether we look across countries, or whether we look at economic growth for a given country. Through these comparisons we show that richer people report higher well-being than poorer people; that people in richer countries, on average, experience greater well-being than people in poorer countries; and that economic growth and growth in well-being are clearly related. Moreover, the data show no evidence for a satiation point above which income and well-being are no longer related." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Ähnliche Treffer
auch erschienen als: IZA discussion paper , 7105 -
Literaturhinweis
The interplay between educational achievement, occupational success, and well-being (2013)
Zitatform
Samuel, Robin, Manfred Max Bergman & Sandra Hupka-Brunner (2013): The interplay between educational achievement, occupational success, and well-being. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 111, H. 1, S. 75-96. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9984-5
Abstract
"Many studies have examined the effect of life events, education, and income on well-being. Conversely, research concerning well-being as a predictor of life course outcomes is sparse. Diener's suggestion 'to inquire about the effects of well-being on future behavior and success' has, with some exceptions, not yet come to fruition. This article contributes to this body of research. We conceptualize and analyze the interplay between educational achievement, occupational success, and well-being as a complex process. The relationship between these domains is examined drawing on a structure-agency framework derived from Bourdieu and Social Comparison Theory. Social comparison between adolescents and their parents is suggested to be the mechanism explaining the effects of successful and unsuccessful intergenerational transmission of educational achievement and occupational success on well-being. It is further argued that well-being may serve as an individual resource by fostering educational and occupational outcomes. Panel data from the Transition from Education to Employment (TREE) project, a Swiss PISA 2000 follow-up study, was used. The interplay between well-being and successful and unsuccessful intergenerational transfer of educational attainment was analyzed in an autoregressive cross-lagged mixture model framework. Social comparison was found to be related to well-being, while well-being proved to significantly increase the probability of successful intergenerational transfer of educational attainment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Determinants of subjective well-being in high and low income countries: do happiness equations differ across countries? (2013)
Sarracino, Francesco;Zitatform
Sarracino, Francesco (2013): Determinants of subjective well-being in high and low income countries. Do happiness equations differ across countries? In: The Journal of Socio-Economics, Jg. 42, H. February, S. 51-66. DOI:10.1016/j.socec.2012.11.006
Abstract
Die Bedeutung sozialer Beziehungen für das subjektive Wohlbefinden der Menschen in Industrie- und Entwicklungsländern ist Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung. Hierzu wurden Daten des World Value Survey für den Zeitraum 1980 bis 2001 mittels Regressionsanalysen und Oaxaca-Dekomposition ausgewertet. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass das soziale Kapital sowohl in armen als auch in reichen Ländern entscheidend für das subjektive Wohlbefinden ist. Hierzu zählen soziale Beziehungen zu Arbeitskollegen, in religiösen Gruppen, bei ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeiten und in der Freizeit. (IAB)
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Literaturhinweis
Subjective well-being and income: is there any evidence of satiation? (2013)
Stevenson, Betsey; Wolfers, Justin;Zitatform
Stevenson, Betsey & Justin Wolfers (2013): Subjective well-being and income. Is there any evidence of satiation? (CESifo working paper 4222), München, 25 S.
Abstract
"Many scholars have argued that once 'basic needs' have been met, higher income is no longer associated with higher in subjective well-being. We assess the validity of this claim in comparisons of both rich and poor countries, and also of rich and poor people within a country. Analyzing multiple datasets, multiple definitions of 'basic needs' and multiple questions about well-being, we find no support for this claim. The relationship between wellbeing and income is roughly linear-log and does not diminish as incomes rise. If there is a satiation point, we are yet to reach it." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Subjective well-being and income: is there any evidence of satiation? (2013)
Stevenson, Betsey; Wolfers, Justin;Zitatform
Stevenson, Betsey & Justin Wolfers (2013): Subjective well-being and income. Is there any evidence of satiation? (IZA discussion paper 7353), Bonn, 26 S.
Abstract
"Many scholars have argued that once 'basic needs' have been met, higher income is no longer associated with higher in subjective well-being. We assess the validity of this claim in comparisons of both rich and poor countries, and also of rich and poor people within a country. Analyzing multiple datasets, multiple definitions of 'basic needs' and multiple questions about well-being, we find no support for this claim. The relationship between wellbeing and income is roughly linear-log and does not diminish as incomes rise. If there is a satiation point, we are yet to reach it." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Soziales Wohlbefinden in Deutschland nur schwach ausgeprägt: Untersuchungen zum subjektiven Wohlbefinden mittels eines aggregierten Indexes (2013)
Weick, Stefan;Zitatform
Weick, Stefan (2013): Soziales Wohlbefinden in Deutschland nur schwach ausgeprägt. Untersuchungen zum subjektiven Wohlbefinden mittels eines aggregierten Indexes. In: Informationsdienst Soziale Indikatoren H. 49, S. 12-15.
Abstract
"Das subjektive Wohlbefinden hat viele Aspekte, die sich, zumindest nicht vollständig, mit einer einzelnen Maßzahl erfassen lassen. Glück und Zufriedenheit - das Eingebundensein in die Gesellschaft sowie das Gefühl ein erfülltes Leben zu führen - gelten als Merkmale des subjektiven Wohlbefindens, die zwar von der Persönlichkeit, aber auch wesentlich von den sozialstrukturellen, kulturellen, politischen und wirtschaftlichen Voraussetzungen in einem Land und nicht zuletzt von individuellen Erwartungen abhängen. Das subjektive Wohlbefinden ist kein Abbild der objektiven Situation und wird von sozialen Vergleichen und Präferenzen beeinflusst, steht aber in Europa dennoch mit dem Lebensstandard in einem deutlichen Zusammenhang. Untersuchungen zum subjektiven Wohlbefinden im nationalen und internationalen Rahmen basieren überwiegend auf der Survey-Frage zur Zufriedenheit mit dem Leben allgemein, die auf eine übergreifende Bewertung des eigenen subjektiven Wohlbefindens abzielt. Alternativ, aber auch ergänzend wird die Nutzung von aggregierten Indizes vorgeschlagen (Diener, 2000). Messfehler sollen durch die Verwendung einer größeren Anzahl von Items reduziert und zudem die Untersuchung einzelner Komponenten des subjektiven Wohlbefindens ermöglicht werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
Income comparison, income formation, and subjective well-being: new evidence on envy versus signaling (2013)
Welsch, Heinz; Kühling, Jan;Zitatform
Welsch, Heinz & Jan Kühling (2013): Income comparison, income formation, and subjective well-being. New evidence on envy versus signaling. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 552), Berlin, 24 S.
Abstract
"Drawing on the distinction between envy and signaling effects in income comparison, this paper uses 307,465 observations for subjective well-being and its covariates from Germany, 1990-2009, to study whether the nature of income comparison has changed in the process of economic development, and how such changes are related to changes in the nature of income formation. By conceptualizing a person's comparison income as the income predicted by an earnings equation, we find that, while in 1990-1999 envy has been the dominant concern in West Germany and signaling the dominant factor in East Germany, income comparison was non-existing in 2000-2009. We also find that the earnings equation reflects people's ability more accurately in the second than in the first period. Together, these findings suggest that comparing one's income with people of the same ability is important only when ability is insufficiently reflected in own income." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Well-being over the life span: semiparametric evidence from British and German longitudinal data (2013)
Wunder, Christoph; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Wiencierz, Andrea; Schwarze, Johannes;Zitatform
Wunder, Christoph, Andrea Wiencierz, Johannes Schwarze & Helmut Küchenhoff (2013): Well-being over the life span. Semiparametric evidence from British and German longitudinal data. In: The Review of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 95, H. 1, S. 154-167. DOI:10.1162/REST_a_00222
Abstract
"This paper applies semiparametric regression models using penalized splines to investigate the profile of well-being over the life span. Using data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the analysis shows a common, and quite similar, age-specific pattern of life satisfaction for both Britain and Germany that can be characterized by three age stages. The evidence suggests that the U-shaped profile is a good approximation of decreasing and increasing well-being in the first and second stage. After people reached their late 60s, however, a decline in well-being is found in the third stage." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Third European quality of life survey: quality of life in Europe: Impacts of the crisis (2012)
Anderson, Robert; Dubois, Hans; Leončikas, Tadas; Sandor, Eszter;Zitatform
Anderson, Robert, Hans Dubois, Tadas Leončikas & Eszter Sandor (2012): Third European quality of life survey. Quality of life in Europe: Impacts of the crisis. Dublin, 163 S. DOI:10.2806/42471
Abstract
"What determines life satisfaction and happiness? How do we value our social situation and immediate surroundings? How has this changed with the economic crisis? For the third wave of the European Quality of Life survey, 35,500 Europeans in all EU Member States were interviewed, in an effort to gain insights to these questions. This overview report presents findings and trends and shows that the impacts of the recession are indeed noticeable and measurable in some areas, while in others there are more long-term developments to be observed. While overall life satisfaction levels have not changed much, optimism about the future and trust in institutions have declined markedly in those countries most affected by the downturn. And groups that were already vulnerable - the long-term unemployed, older people in central and eastern Europe and single parents - report the highest levels of material deprivation and dissatisfaction with their life situation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Weiterführende Informationen
Executive Summary -
Literaturhinweis
An analysis of well-being in retirement: the role of pensions, health, and 'voluntariness' of retirement (2012)
Bender, Keith A.;Zitatform
Bender, Keith A. (2012): An analysis of well-being in retirement. The role of pensions, health, and 'voluntariness' of retirement. In: The Journal of Socio-Economics, Jg. 41, H. 4, S. 424-433. DOI:10.1016/j.socec.2011.05.010
Abstract
"This paper examines a wide range of determinants of retiree well-being of retirees. Using data from the 2000 Health and Retirement Study, increases in economic factors such as income lead to higher wellbeing, although relative income has a larger effect than absolute income. The strongest predictors are the voluntariness of entering retirement, pension characteristics, and health. Retirees 'forced' to retire or have defined contribution pensions or bad health have significantly lower well-being. The results suggest a more nuanced approach in addressing retiree well-being than just a focus on the economic well-being of retirees." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Satisfaction with job and income among older individuals across European countries (2012)
Bonsang, Eric; Soest, Arthur van;Zitatform
Bonsang, Eric & Arthur van Soest (2012): Satisfaction with job and income among older individuals across European countries. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 105, H. 2, S. 227-254. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9879-5
Abstract
"Using data on individuals of age 50 and older from 11 European countries, we analyze two economic aspects of subjective well-being of older Europeans: satisfaction with household income, and job satisfaction. Both have been shown to contribute substantially to overall well-being (satisfaction with life or happiness). We use anchoring vignettes to correct for potential differences in response scales across countries. The results highlight a large variation in self-reported income satisfaction, which is partly explained by differences in response scales. When differences in response scales are eliminated, the cross-country differences are quite well in line with differences in an objective measure of purchasing power of household income. There are common features in the response scale differences in job satisfaction and income satisfaction. French respondents tend to be critical in both assessments, while Danish and Dutch respondents are always on the optimistic end of the spectrum. Moreover, correcting for response scale differences decreases the cross-country association between satisfaction with income and job satisfaction among workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
How education enhances happiness: comparison of mediating factors in four East Asian countries (2012)
Chen, Wan-chi;Zitatform
Chen, Wan-chi (2012): How education enhances happiness. Comparison of mediating factors in four East Asian countries. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 106, H. 1, S. 117-131. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9798-5
Abstract
"Educational philosophers contend that education enhances autonomy and thus happiness, but empirical studies rarely explore the positive influence of education on happiness. Based on the previous finding that being better connected to the outside world makes people happy, this study examines the possibility that how well an individual connects to the world accounts for the positive association between education and happiness. Analyzing survey data from four East Asian countries, we find a common pattern among Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Although both monetary and non-monetary factors play a role in explaining the relationship between education and higher reports of happiness, monetary factor is relatively unimportant whereas non-monetary factors, such as interpersonal network and degree of cosmopolitanism, account for a significant part of the association between education and happiness. China is exceptional due to its relative importance of personal income in accounting for happiness. In short, individuals who receive more education have more extensive social networks as well as greater involvement with the wider world; these life conditions are positively related with happiness. By enhancing one's ability and propensity to connect with the wider social world, education may improve an individual's subjective well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Revisiting the structure of subjective well-being in middle-aged adults (2012)
Chmiel, Magda; Brunner, Martin; Martin, Romain; Schalke, Daniela;Zitatform
Chmiel, Magda, Martin Brunner, Romain Martin & Daniela Schalke (2012): Revisiting the structure of subjective well-being in middle-aged adults. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 106, H. 1, S. 109-116. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9796-7
Abstract
"Subjective well-being is a broad, multifaceted construct comprising general satisfaction with life, satisfaction with life domains (health, family, people, free time, self, housing, work, and finances), positive affect, and negative affect. Drawing on representative data from middle-aged adults (N = 738), the authors used three different structural models to analyze the interrelationships among these facets of subjective well-being. In a top-down model, a single factor representing global subjective well-being explained the correlations found among the more specific facets of subjective well-being and exerted the strongest influence on general satisfaction with life, satisfaction with health, and satisfaction with finances. In a bottom-up model, satisfaction with the latter two domains had the strongest effect on global subjective well-being. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for research on subjective well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Happiness, habits and high rank: comparisons in economic and social life (2012)
Zitatform
Clark, Andrew E. (2012): Happiness, habits and high rank. Comparisons in economic and social life. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 452), Berlin, 40 S.
Abstract
"The role of money in producing sustained subjective well-being seems to be seriously compromised by social comparisons and habituation. But does that necessarily mean that we would be better off doing something else instead? This paper suggests that the phenomena of comparison and habituation are actually found in a considerable variety of economic and social activities, rendering conclusions regarding well-being policy less straightforward." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Does education affect happiness?: evidence for Spain (2012)
Cunado, Juncal; Gracia, Fernando Perez de;Zitatform
Cunado, Juncal & Fernando Perez de Gracia (2012): Does education affect happiness? Evidence for Spain. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 108, H. 1, S. 185-196. DOI:10.1007/s11205-011-9874-x
Abstract
"In this paper, we study the impact of education on happiness in Spain using individual-level data from the European Social Survey, by means of estimating ordinal logit models. We find both direct and indirect effects of education on happiness. First, we find an indirect effect of education on happiness through income and labour status. That is, we find that people with a higher education level have higher income levels and a higher probability of being employed, and thus, report higher levels of happiness. Second, and after controlling by income, labour status, and other socio-economic variables, we find that education has a positive (and direct) impact on happiness. We interpret this result as evidence of a 'self-confidence' or 'self-estimation' effect from acquiring knowledge. Finally, we find that the direct impact of education on happiness does not depend of the level of education (primary, secondary, or tertiary)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Individual well-being in a dynamic perspective (2012)
D'Ambrosio, Conchita; Frick, Joachim R.;Zitatform
D'Ambrosio, Conchita & Joachim R. Frick (2012): Individual well-being in a dynamic perspective. In: Economica, Jg. 79, H. 314, S. 284-302. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-0335.2011.00896.x
Abstract
"We explore the determinants of individual wellbeing as measured by self-reported levels of satisfaction with income and life. Making use of the German Socio-Economic Panel, we provide empirical evidence for wellbeing depending on absolute and relative income levels in a dynamic framework where status and signal effects play a role. This finding holds after controlling for other factors in a multivariate setting. The main novelty is the consideration of dynamic aspects: the individual's own history and the relative income performance with respect to other society members play major roles in the assessment of individual wellbeing." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Inequality of wellbeing: a multidimensional approach (2012)
Decancq, Koen; Lugo, María Ana;Zitatform
Decancq, Koen & María Ana Lugo (2012): Inequality of wellbeing. A multidimensional approach. In: Economica, Jg. 79, H. 316, S. 721-746.
Abstract
"An important aspect of multidimensional wellbeing distributions is the correlation between different dimensions. We propose two indices for measuring multidimensional inequality, derived from two underlying social evaluation functions. These functions aggregate both across dimensions and across individuals. The social evaluation functions differ only with respect to the sequencing of aggregation. Aggregating first across dimensions is more attractive since it allows the inequality index to depend on the correlation between dimensions. We illustrate both indices, and the impact of correlation sensitivity, using Russian household data between 1995 and 2005 for four dimensions of wellbeing: expenditure, health, schooling and housing quality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A "happiness test" for the new measures of national well-being: how much better than GDP are they? (2012)
Delhey, Jan; Kroll, Christian;Zitatform
Delhey, Jan & Christian Kroll (2012): A "happiness test" for the new measures of national well-being. How much better than GDP are they? (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung. Discussion papers SP 1 2012-201), Berlin, 28 S.
Abstract
"Across the globe there is growing skepticism about the usefulness of GDP as a measure of national well-being. Consequently, several alternative quality-of-life (QOL) measures were developed which either aim at healing the GDP, complementing it, or replacing it. This chapter portrays some of these new measures and puts them to a 'happiness test': compared to the GDP, are the new QOL measures better able to capture what makes people happy and satisfied with their lives? Using data for 34 OECD societies, we can show that from a happiness perspective, there is - surprisingly - little wrong with the GDP, and most alternative QOL measures do not outperform GDP. Yet, one measure actually does a better job: the OECD's Better Life Index which is particularly effective when it comes to predicting subjective well-being in the richest OECD countries. In sum, the chapter demonstrates that a happiness perspective can add important insights along the way to facilitate the search for a new, widely accepted, internationally comparable measure of well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Does self-employment contribute to national happiness? (2012)
El Harbi, Sana; Grolleau, Gilles;Zitatform
El Harbi, Sana & Gilles Grolleau (2012): Does self-employment contribute to national happiness? In: The Journal of Socio-Economics, Jg. 41, H. 5, S. 670-676. DOI:10.1016/j.socec.2012.06.001
Abstract
"Recent studies showed that self-employment impacts individual happiness either positively or negatively. Rather than considering the happiness effects at the individual level, we assess whether self-employment effects spread and impact the domestic happiness beyond the involved individuals. We distinguish a direct effect of self-employment on life satisfaction and an indirect effect through the impact of self-employment on per capita income and the subsequent impact of income on life satisfaction. Using panel data analysis for 15 OECD countries over a period of 18 years, we investigate empirically whether countries with higher levels of self-employment are happier, by disentangling the two previously mentioned effects. We remedy the potential endogeneity problem when estimating the indirect effect by instrumenting the self-employment rate. The main finding is a significant and negative direct effect which is larger in magnitude than the indirect effect, resulting in an overall negative effect of self-employment on the domestic happiness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))