Distributional findings | World Database of Happiness

Study Diener et al. (2018): study ZZ 2005

Public: 15+ aged, general public, 160 nations, 2005-2015
Survey name: INT-Gallup World Polls
Sample: Probability multi-stage random
Respondents: N = 1468274
Non Response
Assessment: Multiple assesment methods
Telephone interviews in western nations, face-to-face interviews in developing nations.

Full text:: Self report on 5 questions

A  Did you smile and laugh a lot yesterday?

Did you experience the following feelings during A LOT OF THE DAY yesterday?
B  How about enjoyment?
C  How about sadness?
D  How about depression?
E  How about anger?

Rated:
1  yes
0  no
-  no answer, don't know

Computation:
- Average % positive affect = (A+B)/2
- Average % negative affect = (C+D+E)/3
- Affect Balance = Average % positive affect - Average % negative affect

These questions do not measure hedonic level of affect of individual persons adequately, since yesterday's mood does not always correspond with typical average mood. Yet these questions can be used for measuring hedonic level in aggregates, such as nations, since individual variations balance out in big samples.
Classification:: A-AB-yd-mq-v-2-ta
Author's label:: Happiness
Remarks:: 74% of the respondents in the world felt more positive than negative feelings 'yesterday', 18% felt more negative feelings 'yesterday'.
Page in publication:: 169

Full text:: Self report on single question:

Here is ladder representing the 'ladder of life'. Let's suppose the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you; and the bottom, the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time?
10 best possible
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0 worst possible life

This question was followed (not preceded) by items on life 5 years ago and 5 years from now.
Classification:: C-BW-c-sq-l-11-c
Author's label:: Happiness
Remarks:: 47% of the respondents evaluated their life above neutral (>5). In the high happiness quintile of nations 67% had a score above 5, in the least happy quintile 33% had a score above 5.
Page in publication:: 169