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Studies

Bahr & Harvey (1980): study US 1972

Publication

Author(s):
Bahr, H.M.; Harvey, C.D.
Title:
Correlates of Morale Among the Newly Widowed.
Source:
The Journal of Social Psychology, 1980, Vol. 110, 219 - 233

Investigation

Public
Recently widowed miner`s wives and controls,USA, 1972
Sample
Respondents
N = 222
Non Response
Widows 39% ,survivor wives 19% ,other miners wives 48%
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Highly structured

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

Taken all together, how would you say things are these days? Would you say you are....?
1   not too happy
2   relatively happy
3   very happy
Classification:
O-HL-c-sq-v-3-ac
Author's label:
Unhappines
Remarks:
Not too happy:Widows 56%, Survivor wives 12%, Other miners wives 9%
Full text:
Self report on single question:

Here is a picture of a ladder. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder (10) represents the best possible life for you and the bottom (1) represents the worst possible life for you.  Where on the ladder do you feel personally stand at the present time?
[ 10 ]  best possible life for you
[   9 ]
[   8 ]
[   7 ]
[   6 ]
[   5 ]
[   4 ]
[   3 ]
[   2 ]
[   1 ]  worst possible life for you

Name: Cantril's self anchoring ladder rating of life (adapted version)
Classification:
C-BW-c-sq-l-10-b
Author's label:
Morale
Remarks:
"High (6>)  : Widows 32% ,Survivors wives 54% ,Other miners wives 64%

Modus on range 1-10: Widows 5   ,Survivors wives 8   ,Other miners wives 8

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Age Current age (in years) Education Level of school-education
Vocational education
Married before Ever remarried Satisfaction with income Satisfaction with income Current family contact Contacts with relatives Diversity of organisational affiliations Membership of voluntary organizations Leisure Leisure activity level Church membership Church-member or not Religiousness Self-definition as religious Participates in church social activities Participation in church Church attendance Participation in church Summary social contact score Current personal contacts Change in friends Change in personal contacts Change in importanceof religion Change in religion Family income Household income Number of contacts with friends and relatives Current personal contacts Extent of organisational activity Attendance to meetings Importance of religion Concern about religion Socially active before the fire Earlier amount of organizational participation Joint effects Summed socio-demographic + life-appraisals + social ties Married Married (vs widowed) Husband died in mineaccident 6 months ago Recent widowhood
Change:in victimization
Having close friendsprior to the fire Earlier intimacy
Earlier amount of personal contacts