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Objective and Subjective Measures of Happiness

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  • Borooah, Vani

Abstract

Happiness is usually measured by simply asking people about how happy they are (or, have been in the recent past). The most usual way of doing so is to ask a “happiness question”: ‘Taking all things together, would you say that you are (i) very happy; (ii) quite happy; (iii) not very happy; (iv) not at all happy?’ This subjective measure of happiness, based on a self-assessment of one’s emotional well-being, could, however, be complemented by other, more objective, measures of whether people were happy or unhappy. This chapter does so in respect of two indicators: tranquilliser usage among men and women in Belfast, Northern Ireland; and the propensity to self-harm among persons in the state of Queensland, Australia.

Suggested Citation

  • Borooah, Vani, 2024. "Objective and Subjective Measures of Happiness," MPRA Paper 123179, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:123179
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruno S. Frey & Alois Stutzer, 2002. "What Can Economists Learn from Happiness Research?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 402-435, June.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H0 - Public Economics - - General
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

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