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on Economics of Happiness |
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Issue of 2020‒07‒20
five papers chosen by |
| By: | Clark, Andrew E.; Díaz Serrano, Lluís |
| Abstract: | This paper provides one of the first tests of adaptation to a full set of residential transitions. We use long-run SOEP panel data and consider the impact of all housing transitions, whether or not they involve a change in housing tenure or geographical movement, on both life satisfaction and housing satisfaction. Controlling for individual characteristics and housing quality, some residential transitions affect life satisfaction only little, while all transitions have a significant effect on housing satisfaction. This latter is particularly large for renters who become homeowners and move geographically, and for renters who move without changing tenure status. Regarding housing satisfaction, we find very little evidence of adaptation even after five years. Losing homeowner status is the only transition that reduces housing satisfaction, and here the effect seems to become even more negative over time. Keywords: Housing, Adaptation, well-being, SOEP. JEL Classification Codes: D19, R21. |
| Keywords: | Habitatge, 332 - Economia regional i territorial. Economia del sòl i de la vivenda, |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:urv:wpaper:2072/376033&r=all |
| By: | Lima de Miranda, Katharina; Snower, Dennis J. |
| Abstract: | This paper explores a new theoretical and empirical approach to the assessment of human well-being, relevant to current challenges of social fragmentation in the presence of globalization and technological advance. We present two indexes of well-being-solidarity (S) and agency (A) -to be considered alongside the standard indexes of material gain (G) and environmental sustainability (E). The four indexes-SAGE-form a balanced dashboard for evaluating well-being. The solidarity index covers the needs of humans as social creatures, living in societies that generate a sense of social belonging. The agency index involves people's need to influence their fate through their own efforts. While "economic prosperity" (material gain) is conventionally measured through GDP per capita, "social prosperity" can be measured through our solidarity and agency indexes, alongside environmental sustainability that is measured through the Environmental Performance Index. The SAGE dashboard is meant to provide a "sage" approach to assessing well-being, since it aims to denote sagacity in the pursuit and satisfaction of fundamental human needs and purposes. Many of the prominent challenges of the twenty-first century, including the dissatisfaction of population groups who feel left behind by globalization and technological advance, may be viewed in terms of a "decoupling" of economic prosperity from social prosperity. We present a theoretical model that provides a new perspective on the welfare effects of globalization and automation. The dashboard is meant to provide an empirical basis for mobilizing action in government, business and civil society to promote a recoupling of economic and social prosperity. |
| Keywords: | Beyond GDP; empowerment; inequality; Social Cohesion; social inclusion; social solidarity; social sustainability; Well-being |
| Date: | 2020–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14421&r=all |
| By: | Julia Rechlitz; Luis Sarmiento; Aleksandar Zaklan |
| Abstract: | This paper uses a panel of German individuals and highly granular pollution data to test if air pollution affects adults’ well-being indirectly through the health of their children. Results show that ozone decreases the well-being of individuals with children while not affecting persons without kids. We confirm the same effect for fine particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. Concerning the mechanism, we find that above-median earners drive this effect and that ozone causes losses in workdays to care for a sick child, providing evidence on the children’s health channel to adults’ welfare losses. |
| Keywords: | Air pollution, ozone, well-being, subjective health, children’s health, parental in- vestments |
| JEL: | Q53 I31 I18 J22 |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1877&r=all |
| By: | Gimenez-Nadal, J. Ignacio (University of Zaragoza); Molina, José Alberto (University of Zaragoza); Velilla, Jorge (University of Zaragoza) |
| Abstract: | The COVID-19 pandemic has confined millions in their homes, representing an unprecedented case for spending more time together with family members. This situation is a challenge for households, given that more time with the partner or children may not necessarily translate into increased well-being. This paper explores subjective well-being in the uses of time for US and UK workers, differentiating between solo activities and activities done with family members. Using the American and British time use surveys, we compute the instant utility associated with paid work, unpaid work, leisure, and childcare activities. The results show that workers prefer joint leisure to solo leisure, and significant differences exist between female and male workers for solo and joint market work and housework. The conclusions of this paper indicate that there are gender differences in the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being, affecting the time spent by individuals in both paid and unpaid work. |
| Keywords: | time allocation, instantaneous well-being, togetherness, gender difference, COVID-19 |
| JEL: | D10 J16 J22 |
| Date: | 2020–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13306&r=all |
| By: | Gordon John Anderson; Rui Fu |
| Abstract: | Comparing the wellbeing of groups using self reported measures of wellbeing can be challenging. The scale dependency of many summary statistics applied to arbitrary Cantril scales attached to ordinal categorical data can engender a lack of coherency in results based upon alternative, equally valid scales. Furthermore, the conditions under which results will be robust across alternative scales seldom prevail in practice. Here scale independent methods for the multilateral and multidimensional wellness measurement and comparison of groups are proposed and implemented in a study of the health-loneliness-aging-gender nexus in 21st century China. The results indicate that poor health and loneliness appears to increase with age, though not monotonically. Improved health status is always associated with better un-loneliness outcomes and improved un-loneliness status is always associated with better health outcomes. While a large portion of the population are not affected by loneliness, of those who are, ill health is generally more likely to be reported. With regard to the health - loneliness joint distribution, generally, males enjoy better joint outcomes than their female counterparts in almost every comparison and urban dwellers enjoy better outcomes than their rural counterparts. |
| Keywords: | Wellbeing Measurement, Ordering Distributions, Ordinal Data. |
| JEL: | C14 I14 I30 I31 |
| Date: | 2020–06–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tor:tecipa:tecipa-667&r=all |