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on Economics of Happiness |
|
Issue of 2009‒06‒10
four papers chosen by |
| By: | Oded Galor |
| Abstract: | This paper provides an overview of the modern perspective on the relationship between inequality and economic development. |
| Keywords: | Inequality; Growth; Development |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bro:econwp:2009-3&r=hap |
| By: | Martin Binder; Alex Coad |
| Abstract: | We use a panel vector autoregressions model to examine the coevolution of changes in happiness and changes in income, health, marital status as well as employment status for the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) data set. This technique allows us to simultaneously analyze the impact of the aforementioned factors on each other. We find that increases in happiness are associated with subsequent increases in income, marriage, employment, and health variables, while increases in the these life-domain variables (except health) tend to be followed by decreases in happiness in subsequent periods, suggesting adaptation dynamics in all domains. These findings are quite robust to different model specifications. |
| Keywords: | Happiness dynamics, vector autoregressions, subjective well-being, BHPS Length 36 pages |
| JEL: | I31 D63 C33 |
| Date: | 2009–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esi:evopap:2009-04&r=hap |
| By: | Migheli, Matteo |
| Abstract: | The link between individual religiosity and happiness has been studied with respect to different aspects. The general conclusion is that religiosity helps people to feel happier. However the extant studies have never taken into account how belonging to a discriminated religious group in a tense environment affects happiness. This paper analyzes this in India, a multireligious country, characterized by religious conflicts. The results show that membership to a discriminated group is source of unhappiness provided that the group represents a minority in a specific territory. Instead, when a religious community is a minority in the country, but it is represents the majority of the population in some specific region(s) membership to it increases individual's happiness. A religiousbased federalism could appease the conflicts and increase people's happiness. |
| Keywords: | happiness, India, religious denominations, conflict, discrimination |
| JEL: | D01 D69 Z12 |
| Date: | 2009–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uca:ucapdv:126&r=hap |
| By: | Maurizio Pugno; Sara Depedri |
| Abstract: | The empirical evidence from the econometrics of self-reported job satisfaction and from organisational psychology on job performance confronts economic theory with some puzzling results. Job performance is found to be positively correlated with job satisfaction, whereas effort is assumed to be a disutility in the theory. Economic incentives are not found to be the main motivations of job performance; in some cases, indeed, they are even counterproductive. Interest in the job is found to account better for job satisfaction. This paper proposes an integrated approach to these issues by (i) conducting an interdisciplinary critical survey, (ii) proposing a simple economic framework within which to explain the puzzles. The key idea behind this framework is that intrinsic motivations and self-esteem help explain both job satisfaction and job performance. The employer can thus adopt other, more friendly actions, besides using incentives and controls to enhance performance by employees. |
| Keywords: | job performance, job satisfaction, intrinsic motivations |
| JEL: | A12 D23 J28 L31 O31 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:trn:utwpde:0904&r=hap |