IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/jhudca/v16y2015i2p173-199.html

Capability Deprivation and Life Satisfaction. Evidence from German Panel Data

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolai Suppa

Abstract

This paper explores the link between poverty as capability deprivation and current life satisfaction. Using German panel data, I examine both whether capability deprivation reduces life satisfaction and whether individuals eventually adapt to these adverse conditions. Drawing on the capability approach, the constitutive elements of poverty are capability deprivations, which are located in the functioning space. As yet data on functionings often are lacking. Therefore, I explore the conditions and assumptions under which capability deprivation can be inferred from readily available consumption data. Specifically, to detect capability deprivation I draw on the notion of an inadequate income together with nonconsumption data of pivotal goods. The results indicate capability deprivation to reduce life satisfaction significantly. Moreover, the evidence also suggests that individuals fail to adapt within the subsequent four to six years. Finally, the mere lowness of income fails to capture its inadequacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolai Suppa, 2015. "Capability Deprivation and Life Satisfaction. Evidence from German Panel Data," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 173-199, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:16:y:2015:i:2:p:173-199
    DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2015.1029880
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/19452829.2015.1029880
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/19452829.2015.1029880?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. FLEURBAEY, Marc & SCHOKKAERT, Erik & DECANCQ, Koen, 2009. "What good is happiness?," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2009017, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    2. Andrew E. Clark & Conchita d'Ambrosio & Simone Ghislandi, 2013. "Poverty and Well-Being: Panel Evidence from Germany," Working Papers hal-00814659, HAL.
    3. Sabina Alkire, 2013. "Choosing Dimensions: The Capability Approach and Multidimensional Poverty," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Nanak Kakwani & Jacques Silber (ed.), The Many Dimensions of Poverty, chapter 6, pages 89-119, Palgrave Macmillan.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jiachang Gao & Zenghui Huo & Mei Zhang & Baoqiang Liang, 2022. "The Capability Approach to Adolescent Poverty in China: Application of a Latent Class Model," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Paul Anand & Swati Saxena & Rolando Gonzales Martinez & Hai-Anh H. Dang, 2020. "Can Women’s Self-help Groups Contribute to Sustainable Development? Evidence of Capability Changes from Northern India," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 137-160, April.
    3. Clifton Evers & Cassandra Phoenix, 2022. "Relationships between Recreation and Pollution When Striving for Wellbeing in Blue Spaces," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Ángeles Sánchez & Jorge Chica-Olmo & Juan de Dios Jiménez-Aguilera, 2018. "A Space–Time Study for Mapping Quality of Life in Andalusia During the Crisis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 699-728, January.
    5. Petya Ilieva-Trichkova & Pepka Boyadjieva, 2021. "The Fragile Axes of Life: A Capability Approach Perspective towards Graduates’ Education–Job Mismatches and Subjective Well-Being," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    6. Zenghui Huo & Mei Zhang & Junhui Han, 2022. "Heterogeneity of Capability Deprivation and Subjective Sense of Gain: Analysis of Factor Mixture Models Based on 892 Rural Households in Six Provinces," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-16, April.
    7. Suppa, Nicolai, 2021. "Unemployment and subjective well-being," GLO Discussion Paper Series 760, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Koen Decancq & Dirk Neumann, 2014. "Does the Choice of Well-Being Measure Matter Empirically?: An Illustration with German Data," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 717, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    2. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp038 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Alkire, Sabina & Santos, Maria Emma, 2014. "Measuring Acute Poverty in the Developing World: Robustness and Scope of the Multidimensional Poverty Index," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 251-274.
    4. Antoanneta Potsi & Antonella D’Agostino & Caterina Giusti & Linda Porciani, 2016. "Childhood and capability deprivation in Italy: a multidimensional and fuzzy set approach," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 2571-2590, November.
    5. Sabina Alkire & James Foster, 2011. "Understandings and misunderstandings of multidimensional poverty measurement," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 9(2), pages 289-314, June.
    6. Maria Santos, 2013. "Tracking Poverty Reduction in Bhutan: Income Deprivation Alongside Deprivation in Other Sources of Happiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 112(2), pages 259-290, June.
    7. repec:qeh:ophiwp:ophiwp045 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Alloush, M., "undated". "Income, Psychological Well-being, and the Dynamics of Poverty: Evidence from South Africa," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274223, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Eric Yaw Naminse & Jincai Zhuang, 2018. "Does farmer entrepreneurship alleviate rural poverty in China? Evidence from Guangxi Province," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Dev Nathan, 2017. "Analyzing and Measuring Vulnerability: An Approach with Special Reference to Mountain Areas," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 11(1), pages 37-55, April.
    11. DECANCQ, Koen & FLEURBAEY, Marc & SCHOKKAERT, Erik, 2014. "Inequality, income, and well-being," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2014018, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    12. Jürgen Volkert & Friedrich Schneider, 2011. "The Application of the Capability Approach to High-Income OECD Countries: A Preliminary Survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 3364, CESifo.
    13. Kirsten Wüst & Jürgen Volkert, 2012. "Childhood and Capability Deprivation in Germany: A Quantitative Analysis Using German Socio-Economic Panel Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(3), pages 439-469, May.
    14. Van Landeghem, Bert, 2012. "A test for the convexity of human well-being over the life cycle: Longitudinal evidence from a 20-year panel," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 571-582.
    15. Bart Defloor & Elsy Verhofstadt & Luc Van Ootegem, 2017. "The Influence of Preference Information on Equivalent Income," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 489-507, March.
    16. repec:unu:wpaper:wp2012-36 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Rudy Badrudin, 2012. "Poverty Measurement and Choice of Poverty Reduction Strategy: The Importance of Poverty Measurement in Determining the Right Strategy," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 4(10), pages 595-602.
    18. Indranil Dutta & James Foster, 2013. "Inequality of Happiness in the U.S.: 1972–2010," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 59(3), pages 393-415, September.
    19. Feeny, Simon & McDonald, Lachlan & Posso, Alberto, 2014. "Are Poor People Less Happy? Findings from Melanesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 448-459.
    20. Trani, Jean-François & Cannings, Tim I., 2013. "Child Poverty in an Emergency and Conflict Context: A Multidimensional Profile and an Identification of the Poorest Children in Western Darfur," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 48-70.
    21. Gianluigi Viscusi & Marco Castelli & Carlo Batini, 2014. "Assessing Social Value in Open Data Initiatives: A Framework," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-20, August.
    22. Nadjiarabeye Christian BEASSOUM & Koulké Blandine NAN-GUER & Olivier BEGUY & Tabo Symphorien Ndang & TOPEUR Béguerang, 2011. "Pauvrete Des Capacites Au Tchad: Une Exploration Des Dimensions Manquantes Des Donnees Dans La Capitale N'Djamena," Working Papers PMMA 2011-17, PEP-PMMA.
    23. Deneulin, Séverine & Zampini-Davies, Augusto, 2017. "Engaging development and religion: Methodological groundings," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 110-121.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:16:y:2015:i:2:p:173-199. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CJHD20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.