SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF BEIJING TAXI DRIVERS

Ingrid Nielsen, Olga Paritski and Russell Smyth

No 03-09, Development Research Unit Working Paper Series from Monash University, Department of Economics

Abstract: This study investigates subjective well-being among a sample of Beijing taxi drivers in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games using the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). The specific aims of this study are (a) ascertain whether Beijing taxi drivers are satisfied with their lives; (b) investigate the psychometric properties of the PWI in this unique population; and (c) examine whether the responses to the PWI from participants falls within the narrow range predicted by the ???Theory of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis???. The PWI demonstrated good psychometric properties and was consistent with previous studies for Western and non-Western samples. The data revealed a moderate level of subjective well-being (PWI score = 61.1). While Beijing taxi drivers work long hours for low wages, the PWI was nonetheless within the normative range predicted for Chinese societies by the ???Theory of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis???. The results suggest that the homeostatic mechanism is fairly resilient, even when the individual leads a hard life based on objective indicators. For Beijing taxi drivers, it may be that personal relationships and feeling part of the community acts as an important buffer for the homeostatic system.

Keywords: China; Personal Wellbeing Index; Subjective Wellbeing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 16 pages
Date: 2009-03-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap and nep-neu
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Journal Article: Subjective Well-Being of Beijing Taxi Drivers (2010)
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