What Makes People Happy? Some Evidence from Northern Ireland

Author: Borooah, Vani

Source: Journal of Happiness Studies, Volume 7, Number 4, November 2006 , pp. 427-465(39)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Using data on over 3000 individuals in Northern Ireland, this paper conducts an econometric investigation into what makes people happy. It draws a distinction between “objective” (income, marital status) and “subjective” (satisfaction with one's standard of living (SoL); money worries; experience of poverty) factors determining happiness. In so doing, it takes a broader view of “economic status” than one defined solely by income: occupational class, mortgage status, financial worries, rural/urban residence, poverty experience, and, of course, income coalesce to form this, more complex, concept of economic status. Juxtaposed against this, is the concept of “context-free” and “context-specific” well-being. A particular example of the latter is the degree of satisfaction with one's SoL and an important point of focus of the paper is the relationship between SoL satisfaction and happiness. A complementary point of focus is an analysis of the determinants of context-free and context-specific well-being. The paper also examines the effects of non-economic factors on happiness in particular on specific aspects of the ill-health of respondents and upon the quality of the areas in which they live. Having analysed these effects, it places a money value on each of the diversity of effects that act upon a person's level of happiness.

Keywords: happiness; standard of living; subjective well-being; life satisfaction; physical illness; mental illness; neighbourhoods

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10902-006-9008-3

Affiliations: 1: Email: VK.Borooah@ulster.ac.uk

Publication date: 2006-11-01