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Reported happiness, fast and slow

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  • Raphael Studer
  • Rainer Winkelmann

Abstract

In this paper, we test how reporting behaviors (response time, cognitive effort, questionnaire order) affect reported happiness in a large Dutch internet panel survey. We find that slower responses and higher cognitive effort reduce reported happiness. Moreover, in multivariate happiness equations, these factors moderate the estimated effect of income on happiness, while no interaction effects are found for other determinants of happiness. As a consequence, relative marginal effects may not be invariant to reporting circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Raphael Studer & Rainer Winkelmann, 2012. "Reported happiness, fast and slow," ECON - Working Papers 080, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:zur:econwp:080
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Van Landeghem, Bert, 2019. "Stable traits but unstable measures? Identifying panel effects in self-reflective survey questions," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 83-95.
    2. Shuo Liu & Nick Netzer, 2023. "Happy Times: Measuring Happiness Using Response Times," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(12), pages 3289-3322, December.
    3. Lucía Gómez-Balcácer & Noelia Somarriba Arechavala & Patricia Gómez-Costilla, 2023. "The Importance of Different Forms of Social Capital for Happiness in Europe: A Multilevel Structural Equation Model (GSEM)," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 601-624, February.
    4. Raphael Studer & Rainer Winkelmann, 2017. "Econometric Analysis of Ratings — with an Application to Health and Wellbeing," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 153(1), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Rubinstein, Ariel, 2012. "Response Time and Decision Making: A “Free” Experimental Study," Foerder Institute for Economic Research Working Papers 275782, Tel-Aviv University > Foerder Institute for Economic Research.
    6. Tineke Jonge & Ruut Veenhoven & Lidia Arends, 2014. "Homogenizing Responses to Different Survey Questions on the Same Topic: Proposal of a Scale Homogenization Method Using a Reference Distribution," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 275-300, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Reporting function; happiness; mood;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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