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Studies

Phillips (1967a): study US NewHampshire 1962

Publication

Author(s):
Phillips, D.L.
Title:
Social Participation and Happiness.
Source:
American Journal of Sociology, 1967, Vol. 72, 479 - 488

Investigation

Public
21+ aged, general public, New Hampshire, USA, 196?
Sample
Respondents
N = 600
Non Response
-
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
at home

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:
  
Taking all together: how happy would you say you are? Would you say you are?
3  very happy
2  pretty happy
1  not too happy
Classification:
O-HL-u-sq-v-3-a
Author's label:
Happiness
Observed distribution
Frequencies
1: 7%,   2: 52%,   3: 41%   (total 100%)
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 3 On range 0-10
Mean:
2.34 7.58
SD:
0.60 1.57
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:
Affect
Remarks:
Possible range: -5 (low) to +5 (high)
Actual range: 19% +3 or more, 40% +1 or 2, 19% 0, 22% -1 or less

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Age Young versus old Educational level Level of school-education Male sex Sexe: male (vs female) Affect Balance O-HL by A-AB Catholic religion Current religious denomination Number of neighbors known Social contacts in vicinity
Current personal contacts
Contacts with friends Current contacts with friends Organizational activity Attendance to meetings Social participation Current total social participation