Happiness is a u-shaped curve, says Dartmouth economist David G. Blanchflower. Young adults are relatively happy. As they age into their middle years, fewer feel happy—perhaps because of troubles with their children, spouse, career, or finances. Happiness bottoms out in middle-age. But that's not the end of it. Things get better as people reach their golden years, with a growing percentage feeling happy again.
The u-shape of happiness occurs not just in the United States but around the world. Blanchflower examines the relationship between age and happiness in 132 countries. Happiness reaches its lowest point at age 48.2 in developing countries and age 47.2 in advanced countries. "The happiness curve is everywhere," he concludes.
Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, David G. Blanchflower, Unhappiness and Age, Working Paper No. 26642 ($5); and Is Happiness U-Shaped Everywhere? Age and Subjective Wellbeing in 132 Countries, Working Paper No. 26641 ($5)
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Tuesday: The Least Happy Day
Tuesday is the least happy day of the week, according to a Gallup Survey. On an average Tuesday in 2014, only 44 percent of Americans reported feeling "a lot of happiness and enjoyment without a lot of stress/worry." The other weekdays were not much better, with only 45 percent feeling happiness on an average Wednesday, 46 percent on Thursdays and Mondays, and 48 percent on Fridays.
The happiest days are holidays. Fully 68 percent of Americans reported feeling happy on Thanksgiving Day 2014, followed by July 4 (67%), and Christmas Day (63%).
Source: Gallup, Holidays, Weekends Still Americans' Happiest Days of Year
The happiest days are holidays. Fully 68 percent of Americans reported feeling happy on Thanksgiving Day 2014, followed by July 4 (67%), and Christmas Day (63%).
Source: Gallup, Holidays, Weekends Still Americans' Happiest Days of Year
Monday, April 28, 2014
Searching for the Middle Class
How do you define the middle class—is it a number or a feeling? In a recent study, the Congressional Research Service examined both approaches to defining the middle class.
The number. One way to define the middle class is statistically, such as dividing households into fifths based on their income. Everyone in the middle three quintiles, say, is defined as middle class. In 2012, this includes households with incomes between $20,591 and $104,087.
The feeling. Alternately, the middle class can be defined as a psychological pat on the back—the sense of satisfaction obtained when comparing your income to the income of those around you. Studies have found a strong link between relative income and self-reported happiness. "Relative income most affects well-being when a group's income is above the average in its state but not at the top (90th percentile) of the income distribution," notes the report. That feeling of well-being defines the middle class. If you don't feel it, you're not in it.
Source: Congressional Research Service, The Distribution of Household Income and the Middle Class (PDF)
The number. One way to define the middle class is statistically, such as dividing households into fifths based on their income. Everyone in the middle three quintiles, say, is defined as middle class. In 2012, this includes households with incomes between $20,591 and $104,087.
The feeling. Alternately, the middle class can be defined as a psychological pat on the back—the sense of satisfaction obtained when comparing your income to the income of those around you. Studies have found a strong link between relative income and self-reported happiness. "Relative income most affects well-being when a group's income is above the average in its state but not at the top (90th percentile) of the income distribution," notes the report. That feeling of well-being defines the middle class. If you don't feel it, you're not in it.
Source: Congressional Research Service, The Distribution of Household Income and the Middle Class (PDF)
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Happy Days
What percentage of Americans feel happy on an average day? The answer to that question is 48 percent, according to 2012 data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
On a daily basis, Gallup is in the field asking a representative sample of adults how they felt yesterday. Did they experience "a lot of happiness/enjoyment without a lot of stress/worry" (happy), or did they feel "a lot of stress/worry without a lot of enjoyment/happiness" (unhappy). From year to year, the proportion of Americans who feel happy on an average day shows surprisingly little variation. In the years 2008 through 2012, the figure ranged from a low of 47.4 percent in 2009 to a high of 49.1 percent in 2011. The percentage who feel unhappy on an average day also varies little, ranging from a high of 11.7 percent in 2009 to a low of 10.7 percent in 2011.
Another way to look at the data is by counting the number of days in a year on which the percentage of people who feel happy is below 40 percent. That number has ranged from a high of 14 days in 2008 to a low of 2 days in 2011. Last year, there were only 3 such days: February 16, November 29, and December 14—the day of the Newtown massacre.
Source: Gallup, In U.S., Newtown Shooting One of Least Happy Days of 2012
On a daily basis, Gallup is in the field asking a representative sample of adults how they felt yesterday. Did they experience "a lot of happiness/enjoyment without a lot of stress/worry" (happy), or did they feel "a lot of stress/worry without a lot of enjoyment/happiness" (unhappy). From year to year, the proportion of Americans who feel happy on an average day shows surprisingly little variation. In the years 2008 through 2012, the figure ranged from a low of 47.4 percent in 2009 to a high of 49.1 percent in 2011. The percentage who feel unhappy on an average day also varies little, ranging from a high of 11.7 percent in 2009 to a low of 10.7 percent in 2011.
Another way to look at the data is by counting the number of days in a year on which the percentage of people who feel happy is below 40 percent. That number has ranged from a high of 14 days in 2008 to a low of 2 days in 2011. Last year, there were only 3 such days: February 16, November 29, and December 14—the day of the Newtown massacre.
Source: Gallup, In U.S., Newtown Shooting One of Least Happy Days of 2012
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Real vs Facebook Friends
Do real friends make you happier than Facebook friends? That is the question addressed in a National Bureau of Economic Research study, and the answer is yes. The more real friends you have, the greater your well-being. In contrast, well-being does not rise with an increase in Facebook friends.
Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, Comparing the Happiness Effects of Real and On-line Friends, NBER Working Paper 18690, ($5)
Monday, August 06, 2012
The Leisure Time Paradox
Most Americans would scoff at the notion that they have more leisure time than their parents or grandparents did 40 years ago. But that's what time use studies show. Since 1965, men have gained 5.26 additional hours of leisure time per week. Women have an extra 3.56 hours compared to their counterparts in 1965. How come we don't feel more relaxed?
An elegant examination of trends in leisure time, published in Demography (unfortunately behind a paywall), answers the question: because the quality of leisure time has declined. Simply put, we aren't having as much fun as we once did. (See "Leisure Inequality in the United States: 1965-2003, by Almudena Sevilla, Jose I. Gimenez-Nadal, and Jonathan Gershuny, Demography, August 2012).
The analysis measures the quality of leisure time in three ways: pure leisure--or the amount of leisure time spent only in leisure activities with no accompanying non-leisure secondary activities (such as taking calls from your boss); co-present leisure (a better term might be social leisure)--or the amount of leisure time spent with a spouse or other adults but not children (who have a way of turning leisure into work); and leisure fragmentation--or the number of leisure intervals and their length.
This is what the researchers discovered, in their own words: "In stark contrast with the changing amount of leisure, most of our quality indicators show declines in the quality of leisure time over this period for both men and women." Specifically, the amount of time we spend in pure leisure has declined, as has the time we spend in social leisure.
"Despite general increases in leisure time, Americans report feeling increasingly harried now compared with 40 years ago," say the authors. "Our findings may help explain this paradox."
An elegant examination of trends in leisure time, published in Demography (unfortunately behind a paywall), answers the question: because the quality of leisure time has declined. Simply put, we aren't having as much fun as we once did. (See "Leisure Inequality in the United States: 1965-2003, by Almudena Sevilla, Jose I. Gimenez-Nadal, and Jonathan Gershuny, Demography, August 2012).
The analysis measures the quality of leisure time in three ways: pure leisure--or the amount of leisure time spent only in leisure activities with no accompanying non-leisure secondary activities (such as taking calls from your boss); co-present leisure (a better term might be social leisure)--or the amount of leisure time spent with a spouse or other adults but not children (who have a way of turning leisure into work); and leisure fragmentation--or the number of leisure intervals and their length.
This is what the researchers discovered, in their own words: "In stark contrast with the changing amount of leisure, most of our quality indicators show declines in the quality of leisure time over this period for both men and women." Specifically, the amount of time we spend in pure leisure has declined, as has the time we spend in social leisure.
"Despite general increases in leisure time, Americans report feeling increasingly harried now compared with 40 years ago," say the authors. "Our findings may help explain this paradox."
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Fun in the Great Outdoors
The five most popular outdoor recreational activities, ranked by the number of people aged 6 or older participating in the activity in 2011 (in 000s), and percent change in number participating since 2008...
1. Running/jogging: 50,713 (+23%)
2. Bicycling (paved surface): 40,349 (+6%)
3. Fishing (freshwater): 38,868 (-4%)
4. Hiking (day): 34,491 (+6%)
5. Camping (except RV and backpacking): 32,925 (-2%)
Source: Outdoor Foundation, Outdoor Recreation Participation: Topline Report 2012
1. Running/jogging: 50,713 (+23%)
2. Bicycling (paved surface): 40,349 (+6%)
3. Fishing (freshwater): 38,868 (-4%)
4. Hiking (day): 34,491 (+6%)
5. Camping (except RV and backpacking): 32,925 (-2%)
Source: Outdoor Foundation, Outdoor Recreation Participation: Topline Report 2012
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Who's Happy?
When AARP asked Americans aged 35 to 80 how happy they are, 68 percent said they were happy (pretty happy or very happy), and 30 percent said they were not too happy.
Your happiness depends on what's happening in your life--but not exactly in the way you might imagine. As suspected, the least happy people are those who have had financial trouble in the past year--only 47 percent say they're happy. In contrast, among those who have had a child or grandchild in the past year, a much larger 70 percent say they're happy. But the happiest people of all are those with no change in their life either good or bad. Among those with no big life events, 78 percent are happy.
Your happiness depends on what's happening in your life--but not exactly in the way you might imagine. As suspected, the least happy people are those who have had financial trouble in the past year--only 47 percent say they're happy. In contrast, among those who have had a child or grandchild in the past year, a much larger 70 percent say they're happy. But the happiest people of all are those with no change in their life either good or bad. Among those with no big life events, 78 percent are happy.
Source: AARP, Beyond Happiness: Thriving
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Middle Age Stress
Strange things are happening to the nation's mental health. Typically, young adults are the most stressed out. Their life is in turmoil as they go to school, look for a job, find a marriage partner, and move from place to place. Now people aged 45 to 54 are the most distressed, thanks to growing economic uncertainty (starting well before the Great Recession).
In 2010, a substantial 12.2 percent of 45-to-54-year-olds reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month. That's one in eight (!) people in the age group who feel like they are losing it as often as not. That figure is up from 10.6 percent in 2000 and 8.9 percent in 1993 (the earliest data available).
Other age groups are in trouble too. In fact, more than 11 percent of people ranging in age from 18 to 64 are in mental anguish at least half the time. Among people aged 65 or older, frequent mental distress afflicts only 6.3 to 7.4 percent.
Source: CDC, Health-Related Quality of Life, BRFSS Trend Data
In 2010, a substantial 12.2 percent of 45-to-54-year-olds reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month. That's one in eight (!) people in the age group who feel like they are losing it as often as not. That figure is up from 10.6 percent in 2000 and 8.9 percent in 1993 (the earliest data available).
Other age groups are in trouble too. In fact, more than 11 percent of people ranging in age from 18 to 64 are in mental anguish at least half the time. Among people aged 65 or older, frequent mental distress afflicts only 6.3 to 7.4 percent.
Source: CDC, Health-Related Quality of Life, BRFSS Trend Data
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Football Fans
When asked which one sport is their favorite, 36 percent of Americans say pro-football. Those most likely to say pro-football are African Americans (48 percent), people aged 30 to 39 (46 percent), and those with some college education (42 percent).
Source: Harris Interactive, Football is America's Favorite Sport as Lead Over Baseball Continues to Grow
Source: Harris Interactive, Football is America's Favorite Sport as Lead Over Baseball Continues to Grow
Saturday, December 31, 2011
After All, Tomorrow is Another Day
Percentage of Americans who think 2011 was a good year for the country: 13%.
Percentage who are optimistic about what 2012 will bring for the country: 62%.
Source: AP-GfK Poll, Americans Look Back at 2011 with a Shudder, Greet 2012 with Open Arms
Percentage who are optimistic about what 2012 will bring for the country: 62%.
Source: AP-GfK Poll, Americans Look Back at 2011 with a Shudder, Greet 2012 with Open Arms
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Belief in Santa Claus
Percentage of Americans who, as a child, believed in Santa Claus: 84%
Average age at which they stopped believing in Santa Claus: 8.8 years
Source: AP-GfK poll, December 2011 Santa Topline
Average age at which they stopped believing in Santa Claus: 8.8 years
Source: AP-GfK poll, December 2011 Santa Topline
Friday, December 23, 2011
Holiday Happiness
What do people like most about the holidays? Hint: it's not the presents. Spending time with family and friends is the holiday activity that the largest percentage of people look forward to the most. The majority of Americans in every generation say holiday get-togethers are their most eagerly anticipated activity. Only 2 percent admit that they most look forward to getting presents.
Source: Harris Interactive, Three in Five Americans Most Look Forward to Spending Time with Friends and Family in the Holiday Season
Source: Harris Interactive, Three in Five Americans Most Look Forward to Spending Time with Friends and Family in the Holiday Season
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Percent of Americans who participated in the 10 most popular leisure activities in the past 12 months...
Dining out: 49%
Entertaining at home: 38%
Reading books: 38%
Barbecuing: 35%
Going to the beach: 26%
Baking: 25%
Cooking for fun: 22%
Playing cards: 20%
Going to bars/nightclubs: 19%
Playing board games: 17%
Source: Census Bureau, (the now discontinued) Statistical Abstract, 2010 data from GfK MediaMark Research
Dining out: 49%
Entertaining at home: 38%
Reading books: 38%
Barbecuing: 35%
Going to the beach: 26%
Baking: 25%
Cooking for fun: 22%
Playing cards: 20%
Going to bars/nightclubs: 19%
Playing board games: 17%
Source: Census Bureau, (the now discontinued) Statistical Abstract, 2010 data from GfK MediaMark Research
Monday, July 18, 2011
Political Questions Lower Self-Reports of Wellbeing
In a study of how the Great Recession affected self-reported wellbeing (finding: badly), researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research discovered that the placement in surveys of political questions before questions about feelings of wellbeing greatly reduced reports of wellbeing--much more so than actual financial difficulties occurring at the time.
Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, The Financial Crisis and Well-Being, Working Paper 17128, $5
Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, The Financial Crisis and Well-Being, Working Paper 17128, $5
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Happy Weekends
"We find that there is...significantly more happiness, enjoyment, and laughter, and significantly less worry, sadness, and anger on weekends (including public holidays) than on weekdays."Why? Because people spend more time socializing with friends and family on weekends (7.1 hours) than on weekdays (5.4 hours).
Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, Weekends and Subjective Well-Being, Working Paper 17180, $5.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Mystery of Happiness
Surveys consistently show that Americans aged 65 or older are happier than younger adults. The 2010 General Social Survey, for example, found that 33 percent of people aged 65 or older were "very happy" compared with 28 percent of younger adults. The GSS measures happiness by asking a single, simple question. Other surveys probe people's feelings of happiness more extensively, by measuring it throughout the day and during a variety of activities. These studies confirm the greater happiness of older Americans. Why?
Entire books are devoted to this topic. One of them (Measuring the Subjective Well-Being of Nations: National Accounts of Time Use and Well-Being) solves the mystery.
To get at what makes people happy, well known Princeton economist Alan B. Krueger (the editor of the book) and author of one of the chapters (along with Daniel Kahneman, David Schkade, Norbert Schwarz, and Arthur A. Stone), measures the percentage of time in which people's feelings of sadness, stress, or pain exceed their feelings of happiness--all by demographic characteristic and activity. The results show that people aged 65 or older spend only 16 percent of their time with feelings of sadness, stress, or pain greater than their feelings of happiness. In contrast, people aged 25 to 64 feel bad rather than good a larger 20 percent of the time. By controlling for activity, the researchers nailed it: older Americans are happier because they spend more time engaging in activities that generate happiness (socializing, relaxing, gardening). Working-age adults must work, after all. Most of the happiness gap between older and younger adults is due to differences in their daily activities.
Entire books are devoted to this topic. One of them (Measuring the Subjective Well-Being of Nations: National Accounts of Time Use and Well-Being) solves the mystery.
To get at what makes people happy, well known Princeton economist Alan B. Krueger (the editor of the book) and author of one of the chapters (along with Daniel Kahneman, David Schkade, Norbert Schwarz, and Arthur A. Stone), measures the percentage of time in which people's feelings of sadness, stress, or pain exceed their feelings of happiness--all by demographic characteristic and activity. The results show that people aged 65 or older spend only 16 percent of their time with feelings of sadness, stress, or pain greater than their feelings of happiness. In contrast, people aged 25 to 64 feel bad rather than good a larger 20 percent of the time. By controlling for activity, the researchers nailed it: older Americans are happier because they spend more time engaging in activities that generate happiness (socializing, relaxing, gardening). Working-age adults must work, after all. Most of the happiness gap between older and younger adults is due to differences in their daily activities.
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