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Life satisfaction and education in South Africa: Investigating the role of attainment and the likelihood of education as a positional good

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  • Ferdi Botha

Abstract

This paper explores various dynamics in the relationship between life satisfaction and education in South Africa using the 2008 National Income Dynamics Survey. The results indicate a strong positive association between educational attainment and individual satisfaction with life, which is true in the overall sample and for men and women. This positive relationship also holds […]

Suggested Citation

  • Ferdi Botha, 2013. "Life satisfaction and education in South Africa: Investigating the role of attainment and the likelihood of education as a positional good," Working Papers 349, Economic Research Southern Africa.
  • Handle: RePEc:rza:wpaper:349
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ana-Maria Zamfir & Adriana AnaMaria Davidescu & Cristina Mocanu, 2022. "Predictors of Economic Outcomes among Romanian Youth: The Influence of Education—An Empirical Approach Based on Elastic Net Regression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Jiachang Gao & Yuhan Wang & Mei Zhang & Zenghui Huo, 2022. "Group Heterogeneity of Rural Households’ Satisfaction with Good Life from the Perspective of Rural Revitalization—A Case Study from Zhejiang Province of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Helena Ting & Martina Bozzola & Timothy Swanson, 2017. "Weather and income: effect on household saving and well-being in South Africa," CIES Research Paper series 49-2017, Centre for International Environmental Studies, The Graduate Institute.
    5. Iddisah Sulemana & Louis Doabil & Ebenezer Bugri Anarfo, 2019. "International Remittances and Subjective Wellbeing in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Micro-level Study," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 524-539, September.
    6. Kuo Zhang & Jipeng Pei & Shu Wang & Karlis Rokpelnis & Xiao Yu, 2022. "Life Satisfaction in China, 2010–2018: Trends and Unique Determinants," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 2311-2348, August.
    7. Iddisah Sulemana, 2015. "The Effect of Fear of Crime and Crime Victimization on Subjective Well-Being in Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 121(3), pages 849-872, April.
    8. Hannah C. Silver & Steven B. Caudill & Franklin G. Mixon Jr., 2017. "Human capital and life satisfaction in economic transition," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 25(2), pages 165-184, April.
    9. Hinks, Timothy, 2020. "Bribery, motivations for bribery and life satisfaction in transitional countries," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    10. Naiwei Chen & Ho-Chyuan Chen, 2021. "Religion, Marriage and Happiness – Evidence from Taiwan," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 259-299, February.
    11. Aïda Solé-Auró & Mariona Lozano, 2019. "Inequalities in Longevity by Education Level in Spain: A Life Satisfaction Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 729-744, July.
    12. Alessa K. Durst, 2021. "Education as a Positional Good? Evidence from the German Socio-Economic Panel," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(2), pages 745-767, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education; South Africa;

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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