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Watching alone: Relational Goods, Television and Happiness

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Luigino Bruni

    ()

    (Department of Economics, University of Milan-Bicocca)

  • Luca Stanca

    ()

    (Department of Economics, University of Milan-Bicocca)

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of relational goods and television viewing for individual happiness. Using individual data from the World Values Survey, we find evidence of a positive effect of rela- tionality on life satisfaction, and a negative effect of television viewing on relational activities. Both relationships are strongly significant and robust to the use of alternative indicators of relationality. The results are also robust to estimation by instrumental variables to deal with possible simultaneity. We interpret these findings as an indication that the pervasive and increasing role of television viewing in contem- porary society, through its crowding out effect on relational activities, contributes to the explanation of the income-happiness paradox.

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File URL: http://dems.unimib.it/repec/pdf/mibwpaper90.pdf
File Function: First version, 2005
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Paper provided by University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 90.

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Length: 36 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2005
Date of revision: Jun 2005
Handle: RePEc:mib:wpaper:90
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Keywords: subjective well-being; TV consumption; relationality;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
  • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
  • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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  1. Neumark, David & Postlewaite, Andrew, 1998. "Relative income concerns and the rise in married women's employment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 157-183, October.
  2. Luigino Bruni, 2007. "The ‘Technology of Happiness’ and the Tradition of Economic Science," Chapters,in: Handbook on the Economics of Happiness, chapter 2 Edward Elgar Publishing.
  3. Luigino Bruni & Luca Stanca, 2006. "Income Aspirations, Television and Happiness: Evidence from the World Values Survey," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(2), pages 209-225, 05.
  4. Borcherding, Thomas E. & Filson, Darren, 2002. "Group consumption, free-riding, and informal reciprocity agreements," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 237-257, March.
  5. Stephan Meier & Alois Stutzer, 2008. "Is Volunteering Rewarding in Itself?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 75(297), pages 39-59, 02.
  6. Corneo, Giacomo, 2005. "Work and television," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 99-113, March.
  7. Bruno Frey & Alois Stutzer, 2014. "Economic Consequences of Mispredicting Utility," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 937-956, August.
  8. Frey, Bruno S. & Benesch, Christine & Stutzer, Alois, 2007. "Does watching TV make us happy?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 283-313, June.
  9. Veblen, Thorstein, 1899. "The Theory of the Leisure Class," History of Economic Thought Books, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, number veblen1899.
  10. Fehr, Ernst & Schmidt, Klaus M., 2006. "The Economics of Fairness, Reciprocity and Altruism - Experimental Evidence and New Theories," Handbook on the Economics of Giving, Reciprocity and Altruism, Elsevier.
  11. Becker, Gary S, 1973. "A Theory of Marriage: Part I," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 81(4), pages 813-846, July-Aug..
  12. Becker, Gary S, 1974. "A Theory of Marriage: Part II," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(2), pages 11-26, Part II, .
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