The Library
Is well-being U-shaped over the life cycle?
Tools
Blanchflower, David G. and Oswald, Andrew J. (2007) Is well-being U-shaped over the life cycle? Working Paper. Coventry: University of Warwick, Department of Economics. Warwick economic research papers (No.826).
|
PDF
WRAP_Oswald_twerp_826.pdf - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (145Kb) |
Official URL: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/resear...
Abstract
We present evidence that psychological well-being is U-shaped through life. A difficulty with research on this issue is that there are likely to be omitted cohort effects (earlier generations may have been born in, say, particularly good or bad times). First, using data on 500,000 randomly sampled Americans and West Europeans, the paper designs a test that can control for cohort effects. Holding other factors constant, we show that a typical individual’s happiness reaches its minimum -- on both sides of the Atlantic and for both males and females -- in middle age. Second, evidence is provided for the existence of a similar U-shape through the life-course in East European, Latin American and Asian nations. Third, a U-shape in age is found in separate well-being regression equations in 72 developed and developing nations. Fourth, using measures that are closer to psychiatric scores, we document a comparable well-being curve across the life cycle in two other data sets : (i) in GHQ-N6 mental health levels among a sample of 16,000 Europeans, and (ii) in reported depression and anxiety levels among 1 million U.K. citizens. Fifth, we discuss some apparent exceptions, particularly in developing nations, to the U-shape. Sixth, we note that American male birth-cohorts seem to have become progressively less content with their lives. Our paper’s results are based on regression equations in which other influences, such as demographic variables and income, are held constant.
Item Type: | Working or Discussion Paper (Working Paper) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | General Health Questionaire, Well-being -- Age factors, Marginal utility, Happiness | ||||
Series Name: | Warwick economic research papers | ||||
Publisher: | University of Warwick, Department of Economics | ||||
Place of Publication: | Coventry | ||||
Official Date: | 29 October 2007 | ||||
Dates: |
|
||||
Number: | No.826 | ||||
Number of Pages: | 36 | ||||
Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Status: | Not Peer Reviewed | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | ||||
Funder: | Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC) |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |