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Studies

Czapinski & Peeters (1989): study ZZ Various nation sets 1985

Publication

Author(s):
Czapinski, J.; Peeters, G.
Title:
Life Satisfaction and Well-Being among Poles and Belgians: A Preliminary Verification of "Onion" Theory of Happiness.
Source:
Paper presented at the 2nd Regional Conference of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1989, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Investigation

Public
25+ aged, Belgium and Poland, 198?
Sample
Respondents
N = 344
Non Response
Assessment
Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

Here is a picture of a ladder. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the  bottom represents the worst possible life for you. Where on the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time?   
[  10  ]  best possible life
[    9  ]
[    8  ]
[    7  ]
[    6  ]
[    5  ]
[    4  ]
[    3  ]
[    2  ]
[    1  ]
[    0  ]  worst possible life
                          
                                                                                
Preceded by 1)  open questions about what the respondent imagines as the best possible life and the worst possible life. 2) ratings on the ladder of one's life five years ago and  where on the ladder one expects to stand five years from now.

Name: Cantril's self anchoring ladder rating of life (original)
Classification:
C-BW-c-sq-l-11-a
Author's label:
Cantril present ladder rating
Remarks:
Belgians: Ms = 7.1 ; SD = 1.6
Poles: Ms = 5.8 ; SD = 1.6
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 0 - 10 On range 0-10
Mean:
6.45 6.45
SD:
1.60 1.60
Full text:
Self report on 10 questions:

During the past few weeks, did you ever feel ....?  (yes/no)
A   Particularly excited or interested in something?
B   So restless that you couldn't sit long in a chair?
C   Proud because someone complimented you on something  
     you had done?
D   Very lonely or remote from other people?
E   Pleased about having accomplished something?
F   Bored?
G   On top of the world?
H   Depressed or very unhappy?
I    That things were going your way?
J    Upset because someone criticized you?

Answer options and scoring:
yes = 1
no  = 0
Summation:
-Positive Affect Score (PAS): A+C+E+G+I
-Negative Affect Score (NAS): B+D+F+H+J
-Affect Balance Score (ABS): PAS minus NAS
Possible range: -5 to +5

Name: Bradburn's 'Affect Balance Scale' (standard version)
Classification:
A-BB-cm-mq-v-2-a
Author's label:
Bradburns Affect Balance Scale
Remarks:
Belgians: Ms = 5.9
Poles: Ms = 6.4
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range -5 - 5 On range 0-10
Mean:
6.15 -
SD:
- -

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Belgian nationality Comparison of non-representative nation samples