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on Economics of Happiness |
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Issue of 2025–04–28
six papers chosen by Viviana Di Giovinazzo, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca |
| By: | Katharina Bettig; Valentin Lindlacher |
| Abstract: | Commuting is a fundamental aspect of employees’ daily routines and continues to evolve with technological advancements. Yet the effects of commuting on subjective well-being remain insufficiently investigated in the context of expanding digital connectivity. This paper examines the causal effects of changes in commuting distance on subjective well-being in an era of widespread mobile internet availability. Exploiting exogenous shifts in commuting distance resulting from employer-driven workplace relocations, we employ a Difference-in-Differences framework using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from 2010 to 2019. Our results show that an involuntary increase in commuting distance reduces life satisfaction by 3 percent, on average, and heightens feelings of worry by almost 8 percent, on average. Our heterogeneity analysis shows that increased mobile coverage during commutes partially mitigates the decline in life satisfaction but exacerbates the negative impact on satisfaction with leisure. |
| Keywords: | commuting, subjective well-being, mobile coverage, life satisfaction, SOEP, panel data |
| JEL: | I31 J28 R40 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11784 |
| By: | Gmeiner, Michael; Gschwandtner, Adelina |
| Abstract: | There is substantial evidence from psychology and medicine that pets are associated with better health and higher life satisfaction of their human companions. Yet whether this relationship is causal or purely a correlation remains largely unknown. We use an instrumental variable approach to overcome this, specifically exploiting relationships in which neighbours ask individuals to look over their property when traveling, which is correlated with pet companionship. We control for baseline relationships with neighbours as well as various other potential sources of bias. Using the Innovation Panel as part of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey, we find that a pet companion increases life satisfaction by 3 to 4 points on a scale of 1 to 7. Moreover, we estimate the size of the impact of pets on human life satisfaction and wellbeing in monetary units. We find that having a pet companion is worth up to £70, 000 a year in terms of life satisfaction, similar to values obtained in the literature for meeting with friends and relatives on a regular basis. |
| Keywords: | life satisfaction; human-animal interaction; pet effect; health promotion; interspecies interaction; wellbeing |
| JEL: | I30 D91 |
| Date: | 2025–03–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127746 |
| By: | Yarkin, Alexander |
| Abstract: | This paper documents the effects of home-country Internet expansion on immigrants' health and subjective well-being (SWB). Combining data on SWB and health from the European Social Survey (ESS) with data on 3G and overall Internet expansion (ITU and Collins Batholomew), I find that immigrants' SWB and health increase following home-country Internet expansion. This result is observed in both the TWFE, and event study frameworks. The effects are stronger for (i) first-generation immigrants, (ii) those less socially integrated at destination, and (iii) those with stronger family ties to the origins. Thus, while recent evidence points towards negative effects of the Internet and social media on user well-being, the effects are very different for immigrants. |
| Keywords: | Immigration, Internet, Subjective Well-being, Health, Social Networks |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:1573 |
| By: | MI Jie; LI Chao; KEELEY Alexander Ryota; ZHANG Jiaxu; SHI Bo; MANAGI Shunsuke |
| Abstract: | This study explores pervasive gender disparities in subjective well-being (SWB) by analyzing over 2.5 million responses collected from 168 countries between 2004 and 2022. This study uses an exogenous switching treatment effect model (ESTEM) and machine learning techniques to examine both inherent and societal factors that contribute to the gender disparity in SWB. The findings reveal that while men are naturally inclined to report higher well-being, external societal pressures significantly lower their SWB, leading to a paradox: women, despite facing more societal obstacles, often report higher SWB. In addition, the gender gap in societal treatment has widened over time, exacerbating disparities in well-being. This widening gap is primarily fueled by rigid societal norms and unequal treatment of genders across various contexts. This study underscores the urgent need for policy interventions aimed at dismantling these societal norms and promoting inclusive environments where all genders can thrive equally. By addressing both inherent and external factors, such policies can reduce the gap in well-being and foster a more equitable and supportive social framework. |
| Date: | 2025–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25021 |
| By: | Joan Costa-Font; Anna Nicińska; Melcior Rosello-Roig; Joan Costa-i-Font |
| Abstract: | Past trauma resulting from personal life shocks, especially during periods of particular volatility such as regime transition (or regime change), can give rise to significant long-lasting effects on people’s health and well-being. We study this question by drawing on longitudinal and retrospective data to examine the effect of past exposure to major individual-level shocks (specifically hunger, persecution, dispossession, and exceptional stress) on current measures of an individual’s health and mental well-being. We study the effect of the timing of the personal shocks, alongside the additional effect of ‘institutional uncertainty’ of regime change in post-communist European countries. Our findings are as follows: First, we document evidence of the detrimental effects of shocks on a series of relevant health and well-being outcomes. Second, we show evidence of more pronounced detrimental consequences of such personal shocks experienced by individuals living in formerly communist countries (which accrue to about 8% and 10% in the case of hunger and persecution, respectively) than in non-communist countries. The effects are robust and take place in addition to the direct effects of regime change and shocks. |
| Keywords: | transition shocks, Soviet communism, later life health, health care system. |
| JEL: | I18 H75 H79 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11763 |
| By: | LI Chao; MI Jie; ZHANG Jiaxu; KEELEY Alexander Ryota; SHI Bo; MANAGI Shunsuke |
| Abstract: | This study delves into the complex causes of low well-being among middle-aged individuals by analyzing over 1.9 million global responses from 168 countries between 2009 and 2022. Employing an exogenous switching treatment effect model and advanced machine learning techniques, this study identifies a U-shaped relationship between age and well-being, where middle-aged individuals experience the lowest levels of well-being. The present study reveals that middle-aged individuals face significantly poorer external treatment compared with the younger and older populations, contributing to a noticeable decrease in their well-being. Conversely, older adults benefit from inherent factors that boost their well-being, illustrating a positive relationship between age and well-being at older ages. Furthermore, the widening disparity in external treatment between age groups over time is particularly pronounced for middle-aged individuals. These findings provide crucial insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions that address the external challenges disproportionately faced by middle-aged individuals. By understanding and addressing these external disparities, policies can be developed to enhance overall well-being across all age groups. |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:25019 |