Burger & Veenhoven (2016): study MA 2016

Publication

Author(s):: Burger, M.; Veenhoven, R.
Title:: Trend in level and dispersion of happiness in nations 2006-2015’: Is there a difference between the affective and cognitive component?
Source:: EHERO working paper 2016/1

Full text:: Self report on single question:

…how things are going in your life.. (full item not reported)
0 the worst possible life you could imagine
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 the best possible life you could imagine
Classification:: C-BW-?-sq-?-11-a
Author's label:: life today
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics: On original range 0 - 10 On range 0-10
Mean:: 5.40 5.40
SD:: - -

Full text:: Self report on 10 questions:

A  Did you feel well-rested yesterday?
B  Were you treated with respect yesterday?
C  Did you smile and laugh a lot yesterday
D  Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday?

Did you experience the following feelings during A LOT of the day yesterday?
E  How about enjoyment?
F  How about physical pain?
G  How about worry?
H  How about sadness?
I    How about stress?
J   How about anger?

Rated:
0: no
1: yes

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

Transformation to range 0-10:
(Score[range-100-100] + 100)/200*10

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.

Transformation to 0-10 scale: (percent abs)*0.05 + 5
Classification:: A-AB-yd-mq-v-2-mb
Author's label:: Experience Index
Remarks:: Affect Balance computed by WDH team: PA: 73%, NA: 24%
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics: On original range -100 - 100 On range 0-10
Mean:: 49.00 7.45
SD:: - -