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Life Satisfaction and Income Comparison Effects in Turkey

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  • Devrim Dumludag

Abstract

This paper evaluates the relative impact of different types of benchmarks such as internal and external comparisons on subjective well-being in Turkey. There are few studies on life satisfaction for Turkey and they mostly focus on the impact of socio-demographic effects on subjective well-being. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate how reference group’s self-reported life satisfaction is related to the level of consumption; as well as the level of internal and external comparisons and other socio-economic factors. The paper relies on the Life in Transition Survey (EBRD 2011 ), a survey conducted in late 2010 jointly by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. The survey includes 1,003 observations for Turkey. The emphasis of the paper is based on the concept of income comparisons—both to others in the relevant reference group and to oneself in the past (evaluation) and future (expectation). The main findings are; in addition to household consumption, internal and external comparisons have significant impact on life satisfaction. The impact of comparisons is asymmetric: in most cases under-performing one’s benchmark has a greater effect than out-performing it. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

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  • Devrim Dumludag, 2013. "Life Satisfaction and Income Comparison Effects in Turkey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1199-1210, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:114:y:2013:i:3:p:1199-1210
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-012-0197-3
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    2. Zeynep B. Ugur, 2021. "Does Money Buy Happiness in Turkey?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(3), pages 1073-1096, June.
    3. Bahadır Dursun & Resul Cesur, 2016. "Transforming lives: the impact of compulsory schooling on hope and happiness," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(3), pages 911-956, July.
    4. Ozge Gokdemir, 2015. "Consumption, savings and life satisfaction: the Turkish case," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(2), pages 183-196, June.
    5. Devrim Dumludag, 2014. "Satisfaction and comparison income in transition and developed economies," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 61(2), pages 127-152, June.
    6. Asena Caner, 2016. "Happiness and Life Satisfaction in Turkey in Recent Years," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 361-399, May.
    7. Devrim Dumludag & Ozge Gokdemir, 2022. "Income Aspiration, Income Comparison and Life Satisfaction: The case of Turkish Migrants in the Netherlands," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1359-1378, April.
    8. Tekin Kose & Julide Yildirim & Gizem Tanrivere, 2017. "The Effects of Terrorism on Happiness: Evidence from Turkey," EcoMod2017 10229, EcoMod.
    9. Pervin Ahu Cerci & Devrim Dumludag, 2019. "Life Satisfaction and Job Satisfaction among University Faculty: The Impact of Working Conditions, Academic Performance and Relative Income," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 785-806, July.
    10. Vanja Lazarevic & Elizabeth G. Holman & Ramona Faith Oswald & Karen Z. Kramer, 2016. "Relations Between Economic Well-Being, Family Support, Community Attachment, and Life Satisfaction Among LGBQ Adults," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 594-606, December.
    11. Simla Güzel & Ayhan Görmüş, 2023. "Prediction of satisfaction indicators increasing the level of happiness: evidence from the Turkish life satisfaction survey," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 3805-3824, August.

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