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Happiness Measures

Characteristics

Code:
A-AB-yd-mq-v-2-ab
Focus:
Affect: Affect Balance (Various) (A-AB)
Time frame:
yesterday (yd)
Mode:
multiple questions (mq)
Scale Type:
verbal scale (v)
Scale Range:
2

Description

Self report on 10 questions

Did you experience the following feelings during A LOT OF THE DAY yesterday? How about..?
A  enjoyment
B  physical pain
C  worry
D  sadness
E  stress
F  anger

Did you yesterday..?
G feel well rested
H smile and laugh a lot
I  learn or do something interesting
J were you treated with respect all day yesterday

Rated:
1: yes
0: no

Computation:
- Average % positive affect = (A+G+H+I+J)/5
- Average % negative affect = (B+C+D+E+F)/5
- 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.

List of Studies Using this Measure

Study Population N Mean
Standard Deviation
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study HR 2009 /3 15+ aged, general public, Croatia, 2009 N = 1000
Mean
= 31.000
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study EG 2009 /1 15+ aged, general public, Egypt, 2009 N = 1000
Mean
= 26.000
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study EG 2011 /1 15+ aged, general public, Egypt, 2011 N = 1000
Mean
= 20.000
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study KG 2015 15+ aged, general public, Kyrgyztan, 2015 N = 1000
Mean
= 55.000
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study ZA 2013 /1 15+ aged, general public, South Africa, 2013 N = 1000
Mean
= 57.000
Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study ZW 2015 /1 15+ aged, general public, Zimbabwe, 2015 N = 1000
Mean
= 46.000