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Measuring Wellbeing in the SOEP

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Author Info
Ulrich Schimmack
Abstract

I define wellbeing as preference realization. Wellbeing can be measured with affective (the amount of pleasant versus unpleasant experiences) and cognitive (satisfaction with life in general and life domains) measures. Since its inception 25 years ago, the SOEP has included cognitive measures of wellbeing. In 2007, the SOEP included four items (happy, sad, angry, afraid) as an affective measure of wellbeing. This paper examines similarities and differences between cognitive and affective measures of wellbeing. In the end, I propose a wellbeing index that combines information from measures of life satisfaction, average domain satisfaction, and affect balance.

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File URL: http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.90712.de/diw_sp0145.pdf
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Paper provided by DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) in its series SOEPpapers with number 145.

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Length: 8 p.
Date of creation: 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp145

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Related research
Keywords: General welfare; quality of life; happiness; wellbeing;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - General Welfare

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

This item is featured on the following reading lists:
  1. SOEP based publications
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Denny Borsboom, 2006. "The attack of the psychometricians," Psychometrika, Springer, vol. 71(3), pages 425-440, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Angus Deaton, 2008. "Income, Health, and Well-Being around the World: Evidence from the Gallup World Poll," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 22(2), pages 53-72, Spring.
    Other versions:
  3. Daniel Kahneman & Alan B. Krueger & David Schkade & Norbert Schwarz & Arthur A. Stone, 2006. "Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer? A Focusing Illusion," Working Papers 77, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies.. [Downloadable!]
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This page was last updated on 2009-11-24.

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