Andrews (1991): study US 1980

Publication

Author(s):

Andrews, F.M.

Title:

Stability and Change in Levels and Structure of Subjective Well-Being: USA 1972 and 1988.

Source:

Social Indicators Research, 1991, Vol. 25, 1 - 30

Investigation

Public

Adults, general public, USA, 1972-1988

Sample

Respondents

N = 2985

Non Response

Assessment

Interview: face-to-face
1972: face to face interview 1988: telephone interview

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on single question, asked twice in interview:

How do you feel about your life as a whole......?
7  delighted
6  pleased
5  mostly satisfied
4  mixed
3  mostly dissatisfied
2  unhappy
1  terrible

Summation: arithmetic mean

Name: Andrews & Withey's "Delighted-Terrible Scale" (original version)
Also known as Lehman's 'Global life satisfaction'

Classification:

O-DT-u-sqt-v-7-a

Author's label:

Life 3, global well-being

Remarks:

1972: M= 5.4   Ms'= 7.3   1988: M= 5.8   Ms'= 8.0

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Satisfaction with fun Pleasant (vs unpleasant) Satisfaction with accomplishments Successful (vs failure)
Satisfaction with own accomplishments Satisfaction with family income Satisfaction with income Satisfaction with use of spare time Satisfaction with leisure activities Satisfaction with national government Attitudes to national government Satisfaction with health Satisfaction with health Age cohort Current age (in years) Socioeconomic status Later socio-economic status White race Ethnic status in the USA Life aspect satisfactions Satisfaction with multiple domains of life