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The U-shape without controls

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Blanchflower, David G. and Oswald, Andrew J. (2009) The U-shape without controls. Working Paper. Coventry: University of Warwick, Department of Economics. Warwick economic research papers (No.896).

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Official URL: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/resear...

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of results in Blanchflower and Oswald (2008). It provides new evidence that well-being follows a curve through life. We use data on half a million randomly sampled individuals across eight major European nations. Importantly, we show that in this set of countries there is a U-shape even in unadjusted data, that is, without the inclusion of control variables. But we also advise against a focus on elementary bivariate associations.

Item Type:

Working or Discussion Paper (Working Paper)

Subjects:

H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology

Divisions:

Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Happiness -- Testing, Aging -- Psychological aspects, Well-being -- Age factors, Mental health, Life cycle, Human

Series Name:

Warwick economic research papers

Publisher:

University of Warwick, Department of Economics

Place of Publication:

Coventry

Official Date:

27 March 2009

Dates:

Date	Event
27 March 2009	Published

Number:

No.896

Number of Pages:

Status:

Not Peer Reviewed

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

References:

Author, Anonymous. (2009). Is the apparent U-shape of well-being over the life course a results of inappropriate use of control variables? Social Science & Medicine, in press.
Blanchflower, D.G. (2009). International evidence on well-being, in National Time accounting and subjective well-being, edited by Alan B. Krueger, NBER and University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Blanchflower, D.G., & Oswald, A.J. (2004). Well-being over time in Britain and the USA. Journal of Public Economics, 88, 1359-1386.
Blanchflower, D.G., & Oswald, A.J. (2008). Is well-being U-shaped over the life cycle? Social Science & Medicine, 66, 1733-1749.
Easterlin, R. (2006). Life cycle happiness and its sources. Intersections of psychology, economics, and demography. Journal of Economic Psychology, 27, 463-482.

URI:

http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/1321

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