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on Economics of Happiness |
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Issue of 2019‒03‒18
five papers chosen by |
| By: | Binder, Martin; Blankenberg, Ann-Kathrin; Guardiola, Jorge |
| Abstract: | Our well-being is influenced by our notion of what constitutes a good life, a vital part of our identity. While pro-environmental behavior is often found to be positively related to individuals' well-being, our research delves into the extent to which this relationship is influenced by individuals' identity, measured both as green self-image and their notion of the good life in general. Using survey responses from Spanish university students (n = 640) and paying close attention to the subjective perception of what it means to be "satisfied with their lives", we find that green behavior is negatively related to life satisfaction in our sample. In contrast, green self-image is positively related to life satisfaction. Whether pro-environmental behavior is positively related to life satisfaction further depends on whether one's notion of the good life (and hence happiness) is utopian, stoicist, or based on a fulfillment- or virtueview. In addition, well-being loss from pro-environmental behavior also decreases with the available disposable income. |
| Keywords: | Pro-environmental behavior,subjective well-being,good life,identity,green self-image,conceptual referent theory,life satisfaction |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:cegedp:366&r=all |
| By: | Chrysanthou, Georgios Marios (School of Health and Related Research); Vasilakis, Chrysovalantis (Bangor Business School) |
| Abstract: | We investigate the impact of nine types of adolescent (verbal, physical, indirect) school/domestic bullying on life satisfaction, and two mental health outcomes (emotional symptoms and hyperactivity/inattention) using the Understanding Society dataset during 2009-13. Bullying significantly increases hyperactive, inattentive and emotional symptoms and reduces life satisfaction. Non-domestic bullying has a stronger adverse impact on all three mental wellbeing outcomes. Domestic sibling victimisation does not affect life satisfaction. Lower levels of family income increase adolescent hyperactive/inattentive symptoms and reduce life satisfaction. Females are more vulnerable to emotional symptoms while males report higher levels of life satisfaction. Initial conditions precondition hyperactive and inattentive symptoms. |
| Keywords: | bullying; mental health; life satisfaction; unobserved heterogeneity |
| JEL: | C25 C35 I10 I31 J12 J13 |
| Date: | 2019–03–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:qmetal:2019_001&r=all |
| By: | Olaf Hübler |
| Abstract: | Based on the German Socio-Economic Panel, the influence of the body mass index on health, earnings and satisfaction is analysed by gender. Basic results are: health worsens, income declines and satisfaction is poorer with higher body mass index. If control variables are added, estimates are split by gender and different effects of over- and underweight people are determined, the health estimates show nonlinear effects but the direction of action is unchanged. Effects on earnings differ. Underweight women earn more and overweight less than others. For normal-weight men the income is on average higher than for over- and underweight men. This is also confirmed for self-employed persons. The pattern for employees is equal to the total sample. No effects on life satisfaction can be found except for underweight men. They reveal less satisfaction. Only in the public sector the sign of the coefficient changes. The results for eastern Germany are different with respect to satisfaction. Overweight women are less satisfied than others while this is not confirmed for underweight men from eastern Germany. When interdependencies are taken into account and matching procedures are applied, the outcome matches to that of independent and unmatched estimates. However, no clear-cut disadvantage in income of underweight men can be found. Stable coefficients result for the health estimates while satisfaction results fluctuate. Underweight women and especially underweight men tend to less happiness. For overweight men the influence is ambiguous but more speaks in favour of a less level of satisfaction. Overweight women seem to be happier. |
| Keywords: | Over- and underweight, health, income, satisfaction, gender, self-confidence, wage earners vs. self-employed, private vs. public sector, eastern vs. western Germany, interdependencies, matching |
| JEL: | I15 I31 J16 J31 |
| Date: | 2019 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp1024&r=all |
| By: | Jan-Emmanuel De Neve; Christian Krekel; George Ward |
| Abstract: | Does higher employee wellbeing lead to higher productivity, and, ultimately, to tangible benefits to the bottom line of businesses? We survey the evidence and study this question in a meta-analysis of 339 independent research studies, including the wellbeing of 1,882,131 employees and the performance of 82,248 business units, originating from 230 independent organisations across 49 industries in the Gallup client database. We find a significant, strong positive correlation between employees' satisfaction with their company and employee productivity and customer loyalty, and a strong negative correlation with staff turnover. Ultimately, higher wellbeing at work is positively correlated with more business-unit level profitability. |
| Keywords: | employee satisfaction, engagement, employee productivity, firm performance, wellbeing, meta-analysis |
| JEL: | I31 J24 |
| Date: | 2019–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1605&r=all |
| By: | Maleva, Tatiana (Малева, Татьяна) (The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration); Burdyak, Aleksandra (Бурдяк, Александра) (The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration); Eliseeva, Marina (Елисеева, Марина) (The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration) |
| Abstract: | This preprint is devoted to two topics from the scope of the current state of the social structure - comparing the situation of employees of the budget and private sector and analyzing the restrictions (deprivations) of representatives of different strata. State employees and non-state employees are studied from the point of view of material and material status, social and professional status and subjective well-being in dynamics for 2015-2017. The features of these two groups of people employed in the middle classes according to an integral feature are also described. |
| Date: | 2019–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rnp:wpaper:031903&r=all |