print

Correlational findings

Study Luechinger et al. (2008): study US 1976

Public
Employees public and private sector, USA, 1976-2002.
Sample
Respondents
N = 19530
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Employed in public sector
Our Classification
Distribution
16192 individuals working in private sector
1338  individuals working in public sector
Related specification variables
Operationalization
0: Private sector (reference group)
1: Public sector

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa = DIFFERENCE (not level) in average happiness of enployed people in public and private sector by regional unemployment-rate. O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa b = +.05 ns a. Public sector compared to private sector. difference is greater at higher rates of unemployment. O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa b = +06 ns b. Interaction unemployment x public sector.

B's controlled for:
-gender
-age
-white/non-white
-number of children
-working full-time/part-time
-income quartile
-household size
-education
-marital status
-size of town (dummies)
-year and state (fixed effects)

Unemployment has more impact on happiness in private sector than in public sector.