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Correlational findings

Study Veenhoven (2005d): study ZZ EU 14 1970

Public
15+ aged, general public, EU 14 member states, 1973-2001
Sample
Respondents
N = 374000
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Trend in dispersion of life-satisfaction
Our Classification
Remarks
Inequality in happiness measured using the standard deviation
Distribution
Average standard deviation about 0,7
Operationalization
Selfreport on single question:
On the whole how satisfied are you with the life you lead?
4  very satisfied
3  fairly satisfied
2  not very satisfied
1  not at all satisfied
-  Don't know

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-SLL-u-sq-v-4-b b = -.00 p < .05 B = -.00176 CI95 [ -0,001 to -0,003]
This means a yearly drop in inequality of 0,18%. If this trend continues lineriarly, it will take about 50 years to reduce the standard-deviation from about 0,7 to 0,6 and another 300 years would be required to reduce it to zero
O-SLL-u-sq-v-4-b = Decline of inequality of happiness stronger in South than North European countries O-SLL-u-sq-v-4-b = The decline of standard deviations is only partly due to rise of the mean level of happiness