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Longer, More Optimistic, Lives: Historic Optimism and Life Expectancy in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Kelsey J. O'Connor

    (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies)

  • Carol Graham

    (The Brookings Institution)

Abstract

How was optimism related to mortality before the rise in “deaths of despair†that began in the late 1990s? We show that as early as 1968 more optimistic people lived longer (using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics). The relationship depends on many factors including gender, race, health, and education. We then evaluate these and other variables as determinants of individual optimism over the period 1968-1975. We find women and African Americans were less optimistic at the time than men and whites (although this has changed in recent years). Greater education is associated with greater optimism and so is having wealthy parents. We then predict optimism for the same individuals in subsequent years, thus generating our best guess as to how optimism changed for various demographic groups from 1976-1995. We find people with less than a high school degree show the greatest declines in optimism, which along with their long-run links to premature mortality and deaths of despair, highlights the importance of better understanding optimism's causes and consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelsey J. O'Connor & Carol Graham, 2018. "Longer, More Optimistic, Lives: Historic Optimism and Life Expectancy in the United States," Working Papers 2018-026, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
  • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2018-026
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Progress paradoxes in China, India, and the US: A tale of growing but unhappy countries
      by Carol Graham, Sergio Pinto in Up Front on 2018-10-20 13:27:57

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    Cited by:

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    2. Martijn Burger & Martijn Hendriks & Elena Ianchovichina, 2022. "Happy but Unequal: Differences in Subjective Well-Being across Individuals and Space in Colombia," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1343-1387, June.
    3. Dusanee Kesavayuth & Prompong Shangkhum & Vasileios Zikos, 2022. "Well-Being and Physical Health: A Mediation Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2849-2879, August.
    4. Bartolini, Stefano & O’Connor, Kelsey J., 2022. "Effects of teaching practices on life satisfaction and test scores: evidence from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1009, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Emma Pleeging, 2022. "Measuring hope: validity of short versions of four popular hope scales," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4437-4464, December.
    6. Dusanee Kesavayuth & Prompong Shangkhum & Vasileios Zikos, 2023. "Well‐being and doctor visits: The mediating role of a healthy diet," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 501-523, September.
    7. Francesco Sarracino & Kelsey J. OConnor, 2022. "A Measure of Well-being Efficiency Based on the World Happiness Report," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 43, pages 10-40, Fall.
    8. Zeng, Shuai & Luo, Changyuan & Zhao, Laixun, 2023. "Destination trade credit and exports: Evidence from cross-country panel data," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    9. Blanchflower, David G., 2020. "Unhappiness and age," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 461-488.
    10. Kelsey J. O'Connor, 2020. "Life Satisfaction and Noncognitive Skills: Effects on the Likelihood of Unemployment," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(4), pages 568-604, November.
    11. Graham, Carol & Pinto, Sergio, 2021. "The geography of desperation in America: Labor force participation, mobility, place, and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    12. Robson Morgan & Kelsey J. O’Connor, 2022. "Labor Market Policy and Subjective Well-Being During the Great Recession," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 391-422, February.
    13. Emma Pleeging & Martijn Burger & Job Exel, 2021. "Hope Mediates the Relation between Income and Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2075-2102, June.
    14. Carol Graham & Barton H. Hamilton & Yung Chun & Stephen Roll & Will Ross & Karen E. Joynt-Maddox & Michal Grinstein-Weiss, 2020. "Coping with COVID-19: Implications of Differences in Resilience across Racial Groups for Mental Health and Well-being," Working Papers 2020-067, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    15. Carol Graham, 2005. "The Economics of Happiness," World Economics, World Economics, 1 Ivory Square, Plantation Wharf, London, United Kingdom, SW11 3UE, vol. 6(3), pages 41-55, July.
    16. Carol Graham & Julia R. Pozuelo, 2023. "Do high aspirations lead to better outcomes? Evidence from a longitudinal survey of adolescents in Peru," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1099-1137, July.
    17. Saffiah Mohd Nor & Zahariah Sahudin & Geetha Subramaniam, 2023. "The Effects of Health, Labor and Capital towards Labor Productivity in Manufacturing Industries," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 15(1), pages 121-130.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    PSID; Panel Study of Income Dynamics; optimism; despair; premature mortality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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