Zitatform

Lerch, Nils (2018): The causal analysis of the development of the unemployment effect on life satisfaction. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 991), Berlin, 51 S.

Abstract

"The long-term negative effects of unemployment, especially on subjective well-being, have been indicated by many studies. Therefore, unemployment and its effects on the individual life course must remain an important challenge for social policy. Many studies have focused on the cognitive component of subjective well-being, i.e., life satisfaction, and have analysed in particular its development during the unemployment period. The trajectory is usually characterized by the effects of anticipation, reaction and adaption. Studies have shown different findings regarding the shape of the effect development. The present study discusses the effect development in greater detail and analyses whether the development of the effect is different depending on unemployment experience using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and applying fixed effects regressions. The findings of this study support a non-linear effect development, which begins with the anticipation of unemployment. The trend can be described by a linear function and polynomials up to the fifth degree. The introduction of a model according to modern causal analysis and the interpretation of the dynamic development of the counterfactual outcomes are the secondary focuses of the study. A detailed discussion of causal assumptions and necessary control variables is needed to reveal the effect of unemployment on life satisfaction. The SOEP provides information about employment status on a monthly basis. This study shows possibilities for using this information for the construction of control groups and treatment groups and analyses with ideal episode patterns." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Merz, Joachim (2018): Are retirees more satisfied? Anticipation and adaptation effects of retirement on subjective well-being. A panel analysis for Germany. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 986), Berlin, 37 S.

Abstract

"Lebensqualität und Lebenszufriedenheit ist für den Einzelnen wie aber auch für die Gesellschaft insgesamt vor dem Hintergrund des demographischen Wandels mit nun länger andauernder Phase nach dem Eintritt in den Ruhestand von besonderer Bedeutung. Die vorliegende Studie will zur Diskussion der Lebenszufriedenheit einen empirisch fundierten Beitrag leisten insbesondere die Lebenszufriedenheit vor und nach einem markanten Ereignis, dem Renteneintritt, quantifizieren und dafür Erklärungsmuster finden. Vor allem wird mit den individuellen Verlaufsdaten und 33 Wellen des Sozio-ökonomischen Panels (SOEP) und der mikroökonometrischen kausalen fixed effects robusten Panelanalyse analysiert, ob die individuelle Lebenszufriedenheit tatsächlich vor dem Renteneintritt absinkt, der Renteneintritt sie hochschnellen lässt und sie nach einer gewissen Zeit wieder auf das vorherige Niveau der Lebenszufriedenheit absinkt. Zu klären wird also zu sein, ob sich ein solches Muster herausschält und wie bedeutend Antizipation und Adaption - bekannt von anderen markanten Ereignissen - für die Lebenszufriedenheit vor und nach dem Renteneintritt in Deutschland sind. Hauptergebnis: Individuelle und familiäre Faktoren erhöhen die Lebenszufriedenheit nach dem Renteneintritt für viele Jahre. Allerdings absorbiert die (vormalige) Arbeitssituation diesen Effekt sowohl für GRV Rentner als auch für Pensionäre (Beamte). Es verbleibt nur eine Periode der Verbesserung mit Antizipation und Adaption nahe dem Renteneintritt aber keine signifikante längere Änderung im Vergleich zur Lebenszufriedenheit vor dem Renteneintritt. Dies gilt für GRV Rentner, für Pensionäre wird kein signifikanter Effekt überhaupt feststellbar." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Mousteri, Victoria & Liam Delaney (2018): The scarring effect of unemployment on psychological well-being across Europe. In: Social science research, Jg. 72, H. May, S. 146-169. DOI:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2018.01.007

Zitatform

Roex, Karlijn L. A. & Jesper J. Rözer (2018): The social norm to work and the well-being of the short- and long-term unemployed. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 139, H. 3, S. 1037-1064. DOI:10.1007/s11205-017-1723-0

Abstract

"Why are the unemployed particularly unhappy in some societies? According to the social norm theory of unemployment, the well-being of the non-employed is lower in countries with a strong social norm to work because of the greater stigma attached to unemployment. In this study, a social norm to work has been defined as the extent to which people expect others to work: do people think the unemployed should take any job they are offered, or should they have a right to refuse? The combined world and European values study and the European social survey were used to test the theory. Multilevel analyses show that - net of one's own norm and other measures of the social norm to work, such as one's personal work ethic - the well-being of unemployed men is lower in countries with a strong social norm to work, in particular that of the long-term unemployed. Overall, it appears that the social norm to work still weighs more heavily upon men than women." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

Zitatform

Song, Younghwan (2018): Job displacement and subjective well-being: Findings from the American Time Use Survey Well-Being Modules. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 52, S. 1-13. DOI:10.1186/s12651-018-0249-5

Abstract

"Using matched cross-sectional data drawn from the 2010 and 2012 Displaced Workers Supplements of the Current Population Surveys and the 2010, 2012, and 2013 American Time Use Survey Well-Being Modules, this paper examines the relationship between job displacement and various measures of subjective well-being by sex. Displaced men report lower levels of life evaluation than nondisplaced men due to the differences in employment, marital status and income, whereas displaced women report lower levels of net affect and happiness and increased pain, sadness, and stress than nondisplaced women, but no difference in their life evaluation. Among men, those displaced by layoffs, not by plant closings, express lower levels of life evaluation than those not displaced, but there is no such difference by cause of displacement among women. The negative relationship between job displacement and subjective well-being decreases over time for both men and women." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

Zitatform

Tammelin, Mia (Hrsg.) (2018): Family, work and well-being. Emergence of new issues. (SpringerBriefs in well-being and quality of life research), Cham: Springer London, 116 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-76463-4

Abstract

"This book analyses the current state-of-the-art research on families, working hours and well-being in Europe, addressing both paid and non-paid work from a family perspective, and introducing emerging issues related to working hours and family life. Further, it discusses the implications of these issues for the well-being of individuals and families. Examining topics such as the division of paid and non-paid work within families, flexibility patterns, the 24/7 society, intensification of work, and the implication of mobile technology for work - family relations, it illustrates how the experiences of working families differ depending on their socio-economic status." (Publisher information, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel & George Ward (2017): Happiness at work. (CEP discussion paper 1474), London, 72 S.

Abstract

"Happiness is typically defined by how people experience and evaluate their lives as a whole. Since the majority of people spend much of their lives at work, it is critically important to gain a solid understanding of the role that employment and the workplace play in shaping happiness for individuals and communities around the world. In this paper, we focus largely on the role of work and employment in shaping people's happiness, and investigate how employment status, job type, and workplace characteristics relate to measures of subjective wellbeing." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Hetschko, Clemens & Ronnie Schöb (2017): Modes of employment and identity. In: Die Unternehmung. Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Jg. 71, H. 4, S. 369-389., 2017-10-09. DOI:10.5771/0042-059X-2017-4-368

Abstract

"In diesem Beitrag widmen wir uns dem Thema Arbeit aus Sicht der ökonomischen Wohlbefindensforschung. Wir dokumentieren anhand zahlreicher Studien, wie der Erwerbsstatus und das Arbeitsleben das subjektive Wohlbefinden beeinflussen. Im Gegensatz zur traditionellen Arbeitszufriedenheitsforschung basieren diese Studien zumeist auf umfassenden Längsschnittanalysen repräsentativer Daten und widmen sich Indikatoren des Wohlbefindens, die nicht spezifisch auf das Berufsleben abzielen. Im Ergebnis stellt sich heraus, dass insbesondere das Identitätsempfinden von Arbeitnehmern ein wichtiger Kanal ist, durch den Erwerbsstatus und Arbeitsplatzmerkmale das Wohlbefinden beeinflussen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Melzer, Silvia Maja & Ruud J. Muffels (2017): Migrants' pursuit of happiness. An analysis of the effects of adaptation, social comparison and economic integration on subjective well-being on the basis of German panel data for 1990-2014. In: Migration studies, Jg. 5, H. 2, S. 190-215. DOI:10.1093/migration/mnx021

Abstract

"German reunification provides a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of migration on subjective well-being (SWB) on the basis of longitudinal pre- and post-migration data. Our main goal is to assess the effects of adaptation, social comparison and economic integration on the change in SWB associated with migration from eastern to western Germany after the German reunification of 1990. We expect that gains or losses in SWB after migration are influenced by how migrants adapt to their new economic conditions, with whom they compare themselves and how well they integrate economically (as indicated by their relative income position) into the new society. We estimate fixed-effects generalized least squares regressions using Socio-Economic Panel data for the period 1990 - 2014. The results indicate a positive and strong effect of migration on SWB, both for men and women, which results in part from the higher incomes migrants earn in the new society. In line with the Easterlin paradox, our results show that general income increases do not generate equivalent gains in SWB because of processes of adaptation and social comparison. For migrating men the increase in SWB is diminished significantly by a dissatisfaction resulting from comparing their income with that of their new peers in western Germany and that of their former peers in eastern Germany. The change in SWB of migrating women and men is much more dependent on social comparison than on economic integration." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Mueller, Swantje, Jenny Wagner, Gert G. Wagner, Nilam Ram & Denis Gerstorf (2017): How far reaches the power of personality? Personality predictors of terminal decline in well-being. (SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research at DIW Berlin 944), Berlin, 56 S.

Abstract

"Personality is a powerful predictor of central life outcomes, including subjective well-being. Yet, we still know little about how personality manifests in the very last years of life when well-being typically falls rapidly. Here, we investigate whether the Big Five personality traits buffer (or magnify) terminal decline in well-being beyond and in interaction with functioning in key physical and social domains. We applied growth models to up to 10-year longitudinal data from 629 now deceased participants in the nation-wide German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP; age at death: M = 76 years; SD = 11). Lower neuroticism and higher conscientiousness were each uniquely associated with higher late-life well-being one year prior to death. At the same time, participants low in neuroticism experienced steeper terminal well-being declines. Similarly, individuals high in agreeableness and women high in extraversion reported higher well-being far away from death, but experienced more severe terminal decline, such that personality-related differences in well-being were not discernible anymore at one year prior to death. Interaction effects further revealed that individuals suffering from disability benefit less from higher levels of conscientiousness, while openness to experience appeared particularly beneficial for the less educated. We conclude that in the context of often severe late-life health challenges that accompany the last years of life, adaptive personality-related differences continue to be evident and sizeable for some traits, but appear to diminish and even reverse in direction for other traits. We discuss possible underlying mechanisms and practical implications." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schöb, Ronnie (2017): Ungleichheit und Zufriedenheit. Anmerkungen zur Ungleichheitsdebatte. In: Ifo Dresden berichtet, Jg. 24, H. 4, S. 32-35.

Abstract

"Befragungen zur Lebenszufriedenheit in Deutschland zeigen einen deutlichen Anstieg der Zufriedenheit in den Jahren 2005 bis 2015. In der gegenwärtigen politischen Diskussion wird dagegen häufig ein Bild gezeichnet, wonach sich immer mehr Menschen abgehängt fühlen und zunehmend Sorgen um die Zukunft machen. Blickt man aber auf die Entwicklung der subjektiven Lebenszufriedenheit in den unterschiedlichen Einkommensgruppen, zeigt sich, dass die Schere zwischen Unzufriedenen und Zufriedenen nicht etwa aufgegangen ist, sondern sich sogar etwas geschlossen hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag ergründet mögliche Ursachen dieser gegensätzlichen Wahrnehmung." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Yasar, Rusen (2017): Subjective well-being and income: a compromise between Easterlin paradox and its critiques. (Economics. Discussion papers 2017-113), Kiel, 25 S.

Abstract

"Despite rising popularity of subjective well-being (SWB) as a proxy for utility, its relationship with income is still unresolved. Against the background of debates around the 'Easterlin paradox', this paper seeks a compromise between two positions: one that insists on individual relative income, and one that finds similarity between individual and aggregate levels. Proposing a model which puts the emphasis on the interaction between individual and aggregate-level factors, it argues that the effect of relative income on SWB varies across countries as a function of average income, in addition to a relatively small direct effect of the latter, in partial agreement with the two major positions. The model is tested cross-sectionally on the data from the latest wave of World Values Survey. The results from hierarchical mixed-effect models confirm the main argument. But further examination reveals that there is still unaccounted variation especially in middle-income economies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2017): How's life? 2017. Measuring well-being. (How's life? 04), Paris, 458 S. DOI:10.1787/how_life-2017-en

Abstract

"Alle zwei Jahre stellt die OECD die Frage: Wie ist das Leben? Wie steht es um Einkommen und Beschäftigung, aber auch Wohnen, Gesundheit, Bildung, den sozialen Zusammenhalt oder die Work-Life-Balance? Die aktuelle Untersuchung zeigt: In den letzten zehn Jahren hat sich die Lebensqualität in vielen Bereichen verbessert, doch es gibt auch rückläufige Entwicklungen und vor allem Unterschiede nach Geschlecht und Bildungsniveau.
Die OECD-Studie 'How's Life? 2017' analysiert mithilfe von 50 international vergleichbaren Indikatoren jenseits des Bruttoinlandsprodukts die Lebensbedingungen der Menschen in den 35 OECD- und sechs Partnerländern. Ein Kapitel befasst sich mit der Situation von Migranten. Ein weiteres Kapitel präsentiert die Ergebnisse der einzelnen Länder." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Burkhauser, Richard V., Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & Nattavudh Powdthavee (2016): Top incomes and human well-being around the world. (CEP discussion paper 1400), London, 57 S.

Abstract

"The share of income held by the top 1 percent in many countries around the world has been rising persistently over the last 30 years. But we continue to know little about how the rising top income shares affect human well-being. This study combines the latest data to examine the relationship between top income share and different dimensions of subjective well-being. We find top income shares to be significantly correlated with lower life evaluation and higher levels of negative emotional well-being, but not positive emotional well-being. The results are robust to household income, individual's socio-economic status, and macroeconomic environment controls." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Crost, Benjamin (2016): Can workfare programs offset the negative effect of unemployment on subjective well-being? In: Economics Letters, Jg. 140, H. March, S. 42-47. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2015.12.007

Abstract

"Previous research suggests that unemployment negatively affects indicators of mental health and well-being, but it remains unclear whether active labor market policy can offset this effect. This paper examines a workfare program that was a key part of Germany's active labor market policy for over 30 years. Fixed effects panel estimates suggest that participation in the workfare program offset most, though not all, of the negative effect of unemployment on subjective life satisfaction. Robustness tests find no evidence that this estimate is due to non-parallel time-trends, unobserved shocks in the pre-treatment period, adaptation to unemployment or differences in regional unemployment rates. These results suggest that active labor market policies can help reduce the negative psychological effect of unemployment." (Author's abstract, © 2016 Elsevier) ((en))

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Ewers, Mara (2016): Vertrauen und emotionale Stabilität als Determinanten von Erfolg und Lebenszufriedenheit. In: IW-Trends, Jg. 43, H. 2, S. 1-89. DOI:10.2373/1864-810X.16-02-06

Abstract

"Wie erklären sich Unterschiede im guten und erfolgreichen Leben, wenn man dieses an der Lebens- und Arbeitszufriedenheit, dem Bruttostundenlohn, der Gesundheit und den Ausbildungsjahren festmacht? Erkenntnisse fachübergreifender Forschung von Ökonomen und Psychologen werfen die Frage auf, ob allein ökonomische Präferenzen sowie gesellschaftliche und ökonomische Rahmenbedingungen hierfür verantwortlich sind. Die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt, dass Ungleichheit auch eine Folge der Entwicklung der Persönlichkeit ist. Ökonomische Präferenzen und Persönlichkeitsmerkmale sind nicht perfekt austauschbar. Vielmehr ergänzen sie sich. Erfolgreiche Bundesbürger in allen untersuchten Lebensbereichen weisen vor allem hohe Werte bei der emotionalen Stabilität und beim Vertrauen auf. Von den Bundesbürgern, die der Aussage 'Im Allgemeinen kann man den Menschen vertrauen' voll zustimmten, geben 72 Prozent eine hohe Lebenszufriedenheit an. Unter allen Deutschen trifft dies nur auf jeden zweiten zu." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Pfeifer, Christian & Inna Petrunyk (2016): Life satisfaction in Germany after reunification. Additional insights on the pattern of convergence. In: Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik, Jg. 236, H. 2, S. 217-239. DOI:10.1515/jbnst-2015-1010

Abstract

"The authors update previous findings on the total East-West gap in overall life satisfaction and its trend by using data from the German Socio- Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1992 to 2013. Additionally, the East-West gap and its trend are separately analyzed for men and women as well as for four birth cohorts. The results indicate that reported life satisfaction is on average significantly lower in East than in West German federal states and that part of the raw East-West gap is due to differences in household income and unemployment status. The conditional East-West gap decreased in the first years after the German reunification and remained quite stable and sizeable since the mid-nineties. The results further indicate that gender differences are small. But the East-West gap is significantly smaller and shows a trend towards convergence for younger birth cohorts." (Author's abstract, © De Gruyter) ((en))

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Poppitz, Philipp (2016): Does self-perceptions and income inequality match? The case of subjective social status. (IMK working paper 173), Düsseldorf, 28 S.

Abstract

"This paper uses subjective social status to test whether individual comparisons are driven by income and wealth, or other dimensions of inequality including education and prestige. Using a cross-sectional data set of 18 European countries and a mixed model with an MCMC estimation method, this work reveals that material factors are just as important as non-material factors. Besides income and wealth, social and cultural capital are important factors to explain the gap between income inequality and the perception of inequality. The most relevant institutions to explain the cross-country differences within Europe are the GDP level, average health and the education system, which also moderates the relevance of wealth on subjective social status." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Schnitzlein, Daniel D. & Christoph Wunder (2016): Are we architects of our own happiness? The importance of family background for well-being. In: The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy, Jg. 16, H. 1, S. 125-149. DOI:10.1515/bejeap-2015-0037

Abstract

"This paper analyzes whether individuals have equal opportunity to achieve happiness (or well-being). We estimate sibling correlations and intergenerational correlations in self-reported life satisfaction, satisfaction with household income, job satisfaction, and satisfaction with health. We find high sibling correlations for all measures of well-being. The results suggest that family background explains, on average, between 30% and 60% of the inequality in permanent well-being. The influence is smaller when the siblings' psychological and geographical distance from their parental home is larger. Results from intergenerational correlations suggest that parental characteristics are considerably less important than family and community factors." (Author's abstract, © De Gruyter) ((en))

Zitatform

Brown, Sarah, Daniel Gray & Jennifer Roberts (2015): The relative income hypothesis. A comparison of methods. In: Economics letters, Jg. 130, H. May, S. 47-50. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2015.02.031

Abstract

"Studies of the relative income hypothesis find positive and negative effects of relative income. To facilitate comparisons we use a large household panel and highlight the sensitivity of the relative income effect to the definition of the reference group and to the estimation strategy employed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))