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Studies

Ouweneel & Veenhoven (1994): study ZZ 1980

Publication

Author(s):
Ouweneel, P.; Veenhoven, R.
Title:
Nation Characteristics and Average Happiness.
Source:
Working Paper, Department of Sociology, Erasmus University, 1994, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Investigation

Public
Adults, general public, 27 nations, ±1980
Sample
Selection from general population sample
Respondents
N = 27
Non Response
n.a.
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Most studies used face-to-face interviews

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question:

Equivalent questions on overall happiness. (Slightly different items used in the various nations)

Scores transformed to common range 0 - 10  by means of Thurstone procedure (response options weighted by experts)

Weights for responses:
9.3 -  very happy                              
6.7 -  pretty happy                            
6.5 -  fairly happy                              
4.1 -  not too happy                          
3.7 -  not very happy                        
2.7 -  not happy                                
1.0 -  not at all happy                        
0.6 -  very unhappy
Classification:
O-HV-*-sq-vt-11-a
Author's label:
Happiness
Full text:
Self report on single question:

Equivalent questions on life-satisfaction rated on various scales.  The items differ slightly in wording and number of the response options.

Scores are transformed to a common range 0 - 10 by means of expert weighting of response options (Thurstone's method).
Classification:
O-SLV-*-sq-nt-11-a
Author's label:
Life satisfaction

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Vulnerability of a nation Summed nation characteristics Level of education in nation Literacy in nation Health condition in nation Health in nation Status of women in nation Gender inequality (women emancipation) in nation Defense effort of nation Defense-spending Economic status of nation Current economic conditions in the nation Demographic characteristics of nation Current demographic conditions in one's nation Geographic characteristics of nation Habitability of land Political stability of nation Political protest in nation Cultural diversity of nation Cultural pluralism Welfare laws in nation Social security in nation Political participation of nation Political participation in nation