Who Compares to Whom? The Anatomy of Income Comparisons in Europe

Andrew Clark and Claudia Senik ()

Economic Journal, 2010, vol. 120, issue 544, 573-594

Abstract: This article provides unprecedented direct evidence from large-scale survey data on both the intensity (how much?) and direction (to whom?) of income comparisons. Income comparisons are considered to be at least somewhat important by three-quarters of Europeans. They are associated with both lower levels of subjective well-being and a greater demand for income redistribution. The rich compare less and are happier than average when they do, which latter is consistent with relative income theory. With respect to the direction of comparisons, colleagues are the most frequently-cited reference group. Those who compare to colleagues are happier than those who compare to other benchmarks. Copyright © The Author(s). Journal compilation © Royal Economic Society 2010.

Date: 2010
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Related works:
Working Paper: Who compares to whom? The anatomy of income comparisons in Europe (2010)
Working Paper: Who compares to whom? The anatomy of income comparisons in Europe (2010)
Working Paper: Who Compares to Whom? The Anatomy of Income Comparisons in Europe (2009)
Working Paper: Who compares to whom? The anatomy of income comparisons in Europe (2009)
Working Paper: Who compares to whom? The anatomy of income comparisons in Europe (2009)
Working Paper: Who Compares to Whom? The Anatomy of Income Comparisons in Europe (2009)
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