Morawetz (1977): study IL 1976

Publication

Author(s):

Morawetz, D.

Title:

Income Distributions and Self-Rated Happiness: Some Empirical Evidence.

Source:

The Economic Journal, 1977, Vol. 87, 511 - 522

Investigation

Public

Adults, two villages (one equal in incomes, one unequal), Israel, 1976

Sample

Non-probability purposive-expert sample

Respondents

N = 109

Non Response

38%

Assessment

Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
delivered at home, collected about one hour later

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on single question:

How happy are you these days? Would you say you are….?
4  very happy
3  quite happy
2  not so happy
1  not happy

Classification:

O-HL-c-sq-v-4-e

Author's label:

Happiness: Cantril question

Page in publication:

517

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 16.1%,   2: 63.5%,   3: 16.9%,   4: 2.6%   (total 99.1%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 4 On range 0-10

Mean:

2.09 -

SD:

0.68 -

Full text:

Self report on single question:

Here is a picture of a ladder. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the  bottom represents the worst possible life for you. Where on the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time?   
[  10  ]  best possible life
[    9  ]
[    8  ]
[    7  ]
[    6  ]
[    5  ]
[    4  ]
[    3  ]
[    2  ]
[    1  ]
[    0  ]  worst possible life
                          
                                                                                
Preceded by 1)  open questions about what the respondent imagines as the best possible life and the worst possible life. 2) ratings on the ladder of one's life five years ago and  where on the ladder one expects to stand five years from now.

Name: Cantril's self anchoring ladder rating of life (original)

Classification:

C-BW-c-sq-l-11-a

Author's label:

Best vs worst possible life

Remarks:

Village with equal incomes only. Distribition of this variable not reported for the village with unequal incomes.

Page in publication:

517

Observed distribution

Frequencies

1: 0%,   2: 0%,   3: 0%,   4: 1.7%,   5: 0.9%,   6: 4.7%,   7: 13.1%,   8: 23.3%,   9: 31.6%,   10: 14.2%,   11: 11.1%   (total 100.6%)

Summary Statistics

On original range 0 - 10 On range 0-10

Mean:

7.60 7.60

SD:

1.46 1.46

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Years lived in moshav Time since last move religion Self-definition as religious place of birth Ethnic status in specific nations age in years Current age (in years) sex Sex: male (vs female) education Years schooling not married Married state (compared to non-married states) children at home Children in the household rooms per house HOUSING rooms per person Quality of current dwelling telephone Telephone no car Car agricultural work Kind of occupation (profession) income per standard adult Personal income Income-equality in two small communities Social homogeneity in vicinity
Inequality of incomes in vicinity