Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Well-being: Results from Four Data Sets

Terence Cheng (), Nattavudh Powdthavee and Andrew Oswald

No 270422, Economic Research Papers from University of Warwick - Department of Economics

Abstract: There is a large amount of cross-sectional evidence for a midlife low in the life cycle of human happiness and well-being (a ‘U shape’). Yet no genuinely longitudinal inquiry has uncovered evidence for a U-shaped pattern. Thus some researchers believe the U is a statistical artefact. We re-examine this fundamental cross-disciplinary question. We suggest a new test. Drawing on four data sets, and only within-person changes in well-being, we document powerful support for a U-shape in unadjusted longitudinal data without the need for regression equations. The paper’s methodological contribution is to exploit the firstderivative properties of a well-being equation.

Keywords: Financial; Economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27
Date: 2014-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Well‐being: Results from Four Data Sets (2017)
Working Paper: Longitudinal evidence for a midlife nadir in human well-being: Results from four data sets (2017)
Working Paper: Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Well-being: Results from Four Data Sets (2014)
Working Paper: Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Well-being: Results from Four Data Sets (2014)
Working Paper: Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Wellbeing: Results from Four Data Sets (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uwarer:270422

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.270422

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