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Correlational findings

Study Headey & Veenhoven (1989): study AU AU Victoria 1981

Public
18-65 aged, general public, followed 6 years, Melbourne, Australia, 1981-87
Sample
Respondents
N = 649
Non Response
Attrition T1-T4: 31%
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Percieved unfulfilled aspirations
Our Classification
Operationalization
Two indentical indices consisting of four closed identical questions concerning the life the Ss expectated(1), aspired(2), deserved(3) and the actual present life(4), all rated on a 20 step ladder-scale. 0: the worst possible life you could imagine, 20: the best possible life.
The score on question 4 was then subtracted from the mean of questions 1+2+3.
Indices assessed at 20 minutes intervals at T1(1981), T2(1983), T3(1985) and T4(1987).

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-DT-u-sqt-v-10-a Beta-L = -.06 ns Estimated same-time causal EFFECT ON HAPPINESS of percieved unfulfilled aspirations (bottum-up).


 O-DT-u-sqt-v-10-a Beta-L = +.17 p < .05 Estimated same-time causal EFFECT OF HAPPINESS on percieved unfulfilled aspirations (top-down).

Effect assessed at T1, T2, T3 and T4.     
Effects assumed to be identical at all times.
ßL is the path-coefficient in a four wave LISREL model. T1 sex, age, SES, extraversion and neuroticism are controlled.