Relative Effects on Life Satisfaction Revisited: Social Comparison is Only Half the Story

Johannes Hirata () and Patricia Groß
Additional contact information
Johannes Hirata: Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences
Patricia Groß: Osnabrück University

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2025, vol. 26, issue 3, No 3, 25 pages

Abstract: Abstract Empirical happiness research clearly shows that life satisfaction depends, among other things, on relative effects. However, even where the data do not permit any inferences regarding the mechanisms that give rise to relative effects, studies often claim that relative effects are the result of comparisons that individuals make between their situation and that of others. We argue that this interpretation is not always justified because it disregards existing alternative interpretations with strong empirical support and a long tradition in the literature. To structure the interpretation of relative effects, we propose a model that distinguishes between the relative effects that influence aspirations and those that influence capabilities (i.e., the objective opportunities available to a person). We show where a number of relative effects fall into place in this model and we discuss the significance of our model for life satisfaction research.

Keywords: Life satisfaction; Happiness; Relative effects; Social comparison; Aspirations; Capabilities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-024-00848-2 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:26:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10902-024-00848-2

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... fe/journal/10902/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10902-024-00848-2

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Happiness Studies is currently edited by Antonella Delle Fave

More articles in Journal of Happiness Studies from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().