Who compares to whom? The anatomy of income comparisons in Europe

Andrew Clark and Claudia Senik ()
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Claudia Senik: PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, UP4 - Université Paris-Sorbonne

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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.

Keywords: Income in Europe; Income Comparisons (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-05
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (411)

Published in The Economic Journal, 2010, 120 (544), pp.573-594. ⟨10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02359.x⟩

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Related works:
Journal Article: 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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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00754447

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02359.x

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