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Correlational findings

Study Rode (2013): study ZZ World samples 1995

Public
18+ years, general public, 87 countries, 1995-2005
Survey name
INT-WorldValuesSurvey 1994-2008
Sample
Respondents
N = 180000
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Unemployment rate
Our Classification
Remarks
Unemployment rate as a share of total labour force Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank
Distribution
M=9,27  SD=6,48
Related specification variables
Operationalization

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.02 p < .01 AVERAGE happiness by unemployment rate
In 87 nations

b controls for:
-average memberships
-importance of God
-log GDP per capita (PPP)
-unemployment rate
-divorce rate O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.02 p < .05 b additionally controls for:
-economic freedom
-democracy O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b additionally controls for:
-regional dummies
-period dummies O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b controls for:
-size of government INSTEAD of economic freedom O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b controls for:
-legal system and property rights INSTEAD of economic freedom O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b controls for:
-sound money INSTEAD of economic freedom O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b controls for:
-freedom to trade INSTEAD of economic freedom O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns b controls for:
-regulation INSTEAD of economic freedom O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.00 ns In 61 poor countries (GDP per capita less than $20,000)

Similar coefficients are obtained when size of government, legal system and property rights, sound money, freedom to trade and regulation are controlled for INSTEAD of economic freedom. O-SLW-c-sq-n-10-a b = -.01 ns In 43 rich countries (GDP per capita more than $10,000)

Similar coefficients are obtained when size of government, legal system and property rights, sound money, freedom to trade and regulation are controlled for INSTEAD of economic freedom.


b controls for:
-average memberships
-importance of God
-log GDP per capita (PPP)
-unemployment rate
-divorce rate
-democracy
-economic freedom
-regional dummies
-period dummies

Similar results are obtained when economic freedom is instrumented by:
- air distance to New York, Rotterdam, and Tokyo
- the fraction of the population that speaks English as a mother tongue

In sum: When significant, unemployment is negatively associated with average life satisfaction in nations.