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Correlational findings

Study Dittmann & Goebel (2010): study DE 2004

Public
17+ aged, general public, Germany, 2004
Survey name
DE-SOEP 2004
Sample
Respondents
N = 22012
Non Response
Assessment
Multiple assesment methods
Face-to-face interviews and statistical data on neighbourhoods

Correlate

Authors's Label
Relative status compared to others in neighbourhood
Our Classification
Remarks
2006-data of the Micromarketing-Systeme and Consult GmbH (microm) are used to determine neighbourhood size. Life satisfaction and household income measures are derived from SOEP 2004.
Related specification variables
Operationalization
The difference between equalized household income from the previous year, recoded to cover nine quantiles, and the neighbourhood status, which also describes nine quantiles and is based on neighbourhood characteristics as:
- level of occupation
- rate of self-employment
- purchasing power
- registered car

Rescaled to:
- Positive
- No difference
- Negative

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d DM = +.66 POSITIVE (versus no difference) O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d DM = -.64 NEGATIVE (versus no difference) O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d b = +.05 p < .01 POSITIVE (versus no difference)
In West-Germany
O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d b = -.03 ns In East-Germany O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d b = -.02 ns NEGATIVE (versus no difference)
In West-Germany
O-SLW-c-sq-n-11-d b = -.06 p < .05 In East-Germany

B's controlled for:
- neighbourhood characteristics
  a) perceived local safety
  b) urbanization
  c) social contact with neighbours
  d) rate of removal
  e) neighbourhood status
- personal characteristics
  a) openness
  b) conscientiousness
  c) extraversion
  d) agreeableness
  e) neuroticism
  f) external locus of control
  g) internal locus of control
  h) gender
  i) nationality
  j) age and age squared
  k) household income
  l) education
  m) marital status
  n) mental health
  o) physical health
  p) having children

East-Germany is the former communist German Democratic Republic, which was reunited in 1990 with West-Germany.