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Identity, Gender, and Subjective Well-Being

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  • Wen-Chun Chang

Abstract

Using the self-reported level of happiness as a measure of subjective well-being, this study examines the relationship between gender identity and subjective well-being with data from Taiwan. The findings suggest that an individual's perceptions about the ideals of women's gender roles in the labor market, the family, and politics are strongly related to his or her assigned social category, the prescriptions and characteristics associated with the social category, and the actions taken to match the ideals of gender identity. Consistent with Akerlof and Kranton's (2000) identity model, it is also found that an individual's gains or losses in gender identity lead to increases or decreases in the level of happiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Wen-Chun Chang, 2011. "Identity, Gender, and Subjective Well-Being," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(1), pages 97-121.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rsocec:v:69:y:2011:i:1:p:97-121
    DOI: 10.1080/00346760902756495
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    Cited by:

    1. Aurelie Charles & Dongxu Wu & Zhongmin Wu, 2019. "Economic Shocks on Subjective Well-Being: Re-assessing the Determinants of Life-Satisfaction After the 2008 Financial Crisis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1041-1055, April.
    2. Yixuan Liu & Liumeng Li & Guomei Miao & Xinyan Yang & Yinghui Wu & Yanling Xu & Yonghong Gao & Yongzhi Zhan & Yiwei Zhong & Shujuan Yang, 2021. "Relationship between Children’s Intergenerational Emotional Support and Subjective Well-Being among Middle-Aged and Elderly People in China: The Mediation Role of the Sense of Social Fairness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Begoña Álvarez & Daniel Miles-Touya, 2016. "Time Allocation and Women’s Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1207-1230, December.
    4. Wilfred Dolfsma & Deborah Figart & Robert McMaster & Martha Starr, 2012. "Promoting Research on Intersections of Economics, Ethics, and Social Values: Editorial," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 70(2), pages 155-163, June.
    5. Michael Carr & Aurelie Charles & Wilfred Dolfsma & Robert McMaster & Tonia Warnecke, 2015. "Effective Contributions to the Review of Social Economy and Social Economics—Editorial," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 73(2), pages 139-145, June.
    6. Heather Brown & Jennifer Roberts, 2014. "Gender Role Identity, Breadwinner Status and Psychological Well-being in the Household," Working Papers 2014004, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    7. Jun Ando, 2021. "Wives’ gender identity, work hours, employment status, and life satisfaction: evidence from Japan," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 103-124, February.

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