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Correlational findings

Study Easterlin (2002a): study US 1972

Public
50+ aged, USA, followed 26 years 1972-1998
Survey name
US-GSS
Sample
Respondents
N = 9432
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Real household income per capita
Our Classification
Remarks
bottom income of the category is multiplied by factors increasing from 1.1-1.166 (1972-1998); top income of the category is multiplied by 0.5. Money income in each year is converted to 1994 dollars using the Consumer Price Index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Distribution
all: M=17,483, SD=14,264
female: M=16,279, SD=13,494
male: M=19,037, SD=15,059
Related specification variables
Operationalization
Quotient of household income and household size: moving averages during 1972-1998
3 0.75 median
2 median (reference)
1 0.25 median

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa DMa = +                   Female        Male
0.25 median       Ma = 2.57     2.54 O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa DMa = + median            Ma = 2.56     2.53 O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa DMa = - 0.75median        Ma = 2.55     2.52

Ma estimated by ordered logit regression for
- full time worker
- married
- median income
  O-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa Beta = + p < .001 Ln(Real household income per capita)

                       Female      Male
Beta(Euler's number:6) +2.52(001)  +2.79(001)

Betas controled for:
- work status
- marital status
- self rated health
Ordered probit analysis yields similar results