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Dissatisfied with Life or with Being Interviewed?: Happiness and Motivation to Participate in a Survey

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  • Adrian Chadi

Abstract

Information on the number of interviewer contacts allows insights into how people's responses to questions on happiness are connected to the difficulty of reaching potential participants. Using the paradata of the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), this paper continues such research by revealing a strong link between respondent motivation and reported happiness. Analyses of responses by future non-respondents substantiate this finding and shed light on a key question for empirical research on subjective well-being, which is whether the unhappy tend to avoid survey participation or whether the unwilling might respond more negatively when being asked about their satisfaction with life.

Suggested Citation

  • Adrian Chadi, 2014. "Dissatisfied with Life or with Being Interviewed?: Happiness and Motivation to Participate in a Survey," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 639, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp639
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    Cited by:

    1. Chadi, Adrian, 2015. "Concerns about the Euro and happiness in Germany during times of crisis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 126-146.
    2. Adrian Chadi, 2016. "Identification of Attrition Bias Using Different Types of Panel Refreshments," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201602, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    3. Ori Heffetz & Daniel B. Reeves, 2016. "Difficulty to Reach Respondents and Nonresponse Bias: Evidence from Large Government Surveys," NBER Working Papers 22333, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Happiness; Respondent motivation; Measurement bias; Life satisfaction; Panel attrition; Interviewer contacts;

    JEL classification:

    • C8 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

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