Blanchflower, Danny G. and Oswald, Andrew J. . (2004) Money, sex and happiness : an empirical study. Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Vol.106 (No.3). pp. 393-415. ISSN 0347-0520

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Abstract

The links between income, sexual behavior and reported happiness are studied using recent data on a sample of 16,000 adult Americans. The paper finds that sexual activity enters strongly positively in happiness equations. Higher income does not buy more sex or more sexual partners. Married people have more sex than those who are single, divorced, widowed or separated. The happiness‐maximizing number of sexual partners in the previous year is calculated to be 1. Highly educated females tend to have fewer sexual partners. Homosexuality has no statistically significant effect on happiness.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Happiness --United States, Sex -- United States, Income -- United States
Journal or Publication Title:	Scandinavian Journal of Economics
Publisher:	Blackwell
ISSN:	0347-0520
Date:	22 November 2004
Volume:	Vol.106
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 393-415
Identification Number:	10.1111/j.0347-0520.2004.00369.x
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/316

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