|
on Economics of Happiness |
|
Issue of 2025–09–15
four papers chosen by Viviana Di Giovinazzo, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca |
| By: | Alan Piper |
| Abstract: | Lauded psychotherapist and narcissism expert Otto Kernberg claimed that midlife crises were almost solely a narcissistic phenomenon. This article, in part, takes this claim as inspiration and investigates the relationship between grandiose narcissism and wellbeing. Importantly, and following previous research, this work considers grandiose narcissism in two distinct ways: an agentic admiration aspect (example statement: “Being a special person gives me strength”) and an antagonistic rivalry aspect (“Most people are basically losers”). The results, obtained from an assessment of life satisfaction with a large nationally representative dataset, offer support to the previous small and largely homogenous sample investigations regarding wellbeing and narcissism. The agentic aspect of grandiose narcissism being positive for wellbeing and the antagonistic aspect negative. Additionally, the results highlight the possibility that the midlife low is substantially deeper (shallower) and longer (shorter) for those who exhibit the rivalry (admiration) aspect of grandiose narcissism. Of particular note and novelty is the longitudinal evidence that suggests males who exhibit the rivalry trait in older age experience almost no recovery from the common midlife low. This is a result that aligns well with several discussed theories. |
| Keywords: | wellbeing; narcissism; age; midlife; personality development |
| JEL: | I31 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp1229 |
| By: | Soichiro Sugita (Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University) |
| Abstract: | The empirical literature on the causal effects of class-size reduction on academic outcomes is crowded and yields mixed results, with particularly limited and inconsistent findings in the Japanese context. This study examines whether smaller class sizes enhance classroom climate and student-teacher relationships, using large-scale panel data from a student achievement survey conducted in a Japanese prefecture. Employing an instrumental variable approach based on the Maimonides rule, I find that a reduction of 10 students per class yields modest improvements—up to 0.07 standard deviations—in measures of teacher-student relationships. The analysis does not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that class-size reduction is effective in improving students’ well-being. |
| Keywords: | Well-Being, Class-size reduction, Instrumental Variable Approach |
| JEL: | I21 I28 H52 |
| Date: | 2025–06–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:keo:dpaper:dp2025-012 |
| By: | Perona, Mathieu |
| Abstract: | Le sentiment que ce qu’on fait dans sa vie a du sens constitue une dimension essentielle du bien-être subjectif. Moins souvent présente dans les enquêtes, elle est cependant moins bien connue que la satisfaction dans la vie ou le bonheur. Nous proposons ici une première approche du sentiment de sens des Français. Il est élevé, avec une moyenne de 7 sur une échelle de 0 à 10, et diminue avec l’âge. En raisonnant toutes choses égales par ailleurs, nous montrons le rôle central que jouent les relations familiales et le travail dans cette évaluation. Le poids du revenu est plus faible, tant dans l’absolu que par rapport à son poids dans l’évaluation de la satisfaction. Cette comparaison des sentiments de satisfaction et de sens met en évidence d’une part un affaiblissement du sens à partir de 60 ans, qui interroge la place donnée aux retraités, et souligne l’importance du sentiment de sens chez les personnes du secteur public – un sentiment dont l’érosion contribue à la crise du recrutement. |
| Keywords: | France, Bien-être, Satisfaction, Sens |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpm:notobe:2517 |