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Studies

Michalos (1980): study CA 1979

Publication

Author(s):
Michalos, A.C.
Title:
Satisfaction and Happiness.
Source:
Social Indicators Research, 1980, Vol. 8, 385 - 422

Investigation

Public
University staff members, Guelph Canada, 1979
Sample
Respondents
N = 357
Non Response
59%
Assessment
Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Mailed questionnaire

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

How do you feel about your life as a whole right now.....?
7  delightful
6  very satisfying
5  satisfying
4  mixed
3  dissatisfying
2  very dissatisfying
1  terrible
No opinion

Name: Andrews & Withey's  `Delighted-Terrible Scale' ( modified version)
Classification:
O-DT-c-sq-v-7-aa
Author's label:
Satisfaction with life
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 7 On range 0-10
Mean:
5.45 7.41
SD:
1.06 -
Full text:
Self report on single question:

Considering your life as a whole, would you describe it as....:?
1  very unhappy
2
|   unhappy
3
4  an even mixture of unhappiness and happiness
5
|  happy
6
7  very happy
no opinion
Classification:
O-HL-u-sq-v-7-a
Author's label:
Happiness
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 7 On range 0-10
Mean:
5.36 7.27
SD:
1.28 -
Full text:
Self report on single question:

"Some people have certain goals or aspirations for various aspects of their lives. They aim for a particular sort of home, income, family lifestyle, and so on. Compared to your general aims and goals, how would you say that your life measures up to it.....?"
1  not at all
2   fairly
3   poorly
4   half as well as your goal
5   fairly
6   well
7  matches your goal
Classification:
C-RG-u-sq-v-7-b
Author's label:
Goal achievement
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 7 On range 0-10
Mean:
5.19 6.93
SD:
1.06 -

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Satisfaction with health Satisfaction with health Satisfaction with financial security Satisfaction with financial security Satisfaction with family life Satisfaction with family of relatives Satisfaction with friendships Satisfaction with friends Satisfaction with housing Satisfaction with housing
Build environment
Satisfaction with job Satisfaction with work-as-a-whole Satisfaction with free time activity Satisfaction with leisure activities Satisfaction with education Satisfaction with education Self esteem Evaluation of self-as-a-whole Satisfaction with the area you live in Attitudes to local environment Satisfaction with ability to get around Satisfaction with financial situation Satisfaction with security from crime Satisfaction with safety in vicinity Joint effects Summed socio-demographic + life-appraisals Demographics&domain satisfactions Summed socio-demographic + life-appraisals Life compared with best previous experience Life compared with earlier situation Life compared with that of average folks Life compared with situation of others Goal achievement O-HL by C-RW